Epilogue
Nigel stood with Emily huddled in a faraway corner at the shoot. They were both agreed that the best plan of action was to situate themselves at a suitable distance from the inevitable carnage so that they would not be destroyed, whilst still being close enough to witness the entire episode.
The art director was silently frenzied.
They had been back from Paris less than a week when he had received a call from Emily that had left him partially deaf in one ear; because apparently Miranda had scheduled a shoot for the following week with 'Charlotte'. 'Charlotte'; the line that Miranda had been enquiring into for over a year in an attempt to secure their advertisement in Runway, that had a mysterious designer who, up until this point, had chosen to keep their designs solely for the catwalk.
Of course, that the designer was one Andréa Sachs and that her identity had been kept a secret because the woman in question was terrified of crossing paths with her former boss again was knowledge reserved for only Emily and himself; which lead him to call his friend desperately searching for an explanation.
"Nigel, I can't talk about this right now, I'm at the park with Charlie."
"Well tell my gorgeous little niece that Uncle Nigel says 'hello', but this cannot wait." Nigel let out an exasperated sigh. "What happened to hiding behind initials and choosing not to feature in magazines? This was all your idea."
"I know it was Nige, but I'm tired of it. I'm tired of-"
What ever else she was 'tired of' was cut off by a series of giggles and what sounded like barking, followed by a hushed conversation.
"Look Nigel, I promised today would be work free, okay? I'll see you at the shoot. Don't worry."
So now, uniformed and unprepared, both Nigel and Emily could only wait for the inevitable disaster. Half hidden from view they watched as their boss wandered around the shoot terrorizing her staff and waiting for the arrival of the elusive designer.
Nigel didn't even want to imagine the firework display that would undoubtedly go off once Miranda realized exactly who she was dealing with. This was bound to be catastrophic.
Both hidden employees sucked in an audible gasp as a black Mercedes pulled up behind the endless hair and make-up stations.
A blonde blur escaped from the car first and began rocketing toward the set, launching at the formidable editor and clinging like a spider monkey.
"Hello Sweetheart."
Nigel looked on as his niece whispered in the editor's ear.
"Well I missed you too."
So transfixed was he on the scene that he had entirely missed his friend approaching. When the only acknowledgement of Andy's presence by the older woman was a smile, Nigel had to silently agree with the muttered 'bloody hell' from somewhere behind him. He watched as his friend slowed on approach, now regarding the set and models before her.
"Nigel!"
Without registering the need to move the art director's legs carried him hastily toward the brunette's voice.
"Could you and Emily keep an eye on Charlie for a few minutes? I need to have a discussion with Miranda's staff about why they have chosen to set up ten meters left of the best lighting."
The slight twitch of Miranda's lips and the shudder she couldn't quite suppress at the tone of Andy's voice told Nigel everything he needed to know and he decided that at the first available opportunity he would squeeze his young friend for every last detail. Until then, he would simply have to get his information from Charlie.
"Come on then beautiful; let's leave these dragons to their work."
He didn't miss the look that passed between them as they readied themselves to flail the Runway minions. He felt for them; if they had thought life working for Miranda Priestly was torture, they surely wouldn't be able to survive Andy's arrival.
Thanking his lucky stars that he had been assigned to Charlie for the duration of the shoot he walked back towards Emily, who was already standing ready with an ice cream in hand; the perfect tool for bribing four year olds.