Work Text:
AMSTERDAM 1940
‘I’ll see you next time then,’ Mr. S said while putting his hat on his head.
Andy gave him a fake smile in return and nodded. Apparently content with this answer Mr. S nodded back and left. Andy sighed. It was in Mr. S’ favor that he paid so well, because otherwise Andy wouldn’t have bothered with him and passed him on to one of the cheaper girls, but she needed the money. It was not that he was rougher or was less sensitive than the others, but there was something about him that made Andy dislike him. Each time she thought back on his hands touching her she shivered. That was why she was very grateful he always came very late in the night and was therefore her last customer, which meant she could go home and shower him off her body instead of trying to wash him off with an old washcloth.
She grabbed her coat and shouted: ‘Bye Maria, I’ll see you tomorrow.’
‘Alright sweetie,’ Maria shouted back.
Maria de Vries was known for being the nicest brothel owner in Amsterdam. She took good care of her girls and made sure nothing terrible happened to them, which was quite exceptional in the 1940’s.
Andy left the building and headed for her small, yet comfortable apartment at the Herengracht. It was only a couple of blocks removed from her workplace, the part of town where there was always a red light on. When she entered her apartment her cat, Isis, walked towards her and began miauwing for attention.
‘Hey little Isis, I’ll take a shower first and then I’ll feed you, alright?’
The cat purred and then jumped in her basket. Andy jumped in the shower and scrubbed until her skin went red, but it didn’t work, she could still feel Mr. S’ hands on her body. She wished she could find on other job, but that was simply not possible with hardly any education. She always wanted to be journalist, but in these times that might not be wise. There was a tension in the air, created by Germany. They kept on breaking the Pact of Versailles and everybody knew it was just a matter of time before the Nazi’s where going to head west. When the water ran cold she got out and looked at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t understand why men liked her so much, but then again that didn’t matter, because they did and that’s how she made a living. Tomorrow there would be another day. She sighed. Great.
At work she was a totally different person, there she was the attractive woman men saw. There she wanted to be loved, because she needed the money. There she was seductive.
The second the woman entered the room Andy knew she was wealthy and powerful. There was something about her posture, her white hair that betrayed her. It was a second later that Andy knew she wanted to please this woman, she had to. Her customers were usually men, but for that woman she would make an exception.
But she wouldn’t do it for nothing. Oh no, this was still her job, she still had to make a living and judging by the clothes of this mysterious white-haired woman, she could make Andy’s life a lot easier.
One of the cheaper girls tried to talk to this woman, but with one glare she was silenced. Then Andy got up and cleared her throat. Very slowly the woman’s head turned and her blue eyes pierced through Andy’s body and Andy knew she had her in the bag.
Only not in a way she thought she did.
‘I want to speak to the person in charge,’ the woman said to no one in particular, but she kept her eyes on Andy.
She spoke in a heavy accent, probably American. It was only then that Andy noticed the whole room had gone quiet and no one apparently dared to speak anymore.
‘Maria,’ Andy said after a couple of seconds that seemed to last forever.
A door opened and Maria entered the room.
‘Yes, Andy?’ she asked and raised her eyebrow when she noticed the white-haired woman.
‘This woman wants to speak with someone in charge,’ Andy said in a nonchalant voice.
The woman’s eyes shot fire, like she was offended by the words ‘this woman’, but she didn’t say anything. Maria sighed.
‘Alright, follow me.’
The woman followed Maria, walking like she was the queen.
After the door closed behind the mysterious woman Andy sank back down in the couch.
‘Geez, who was that?’ she asks Lily, one of her friends who also worked in the brothel.
Lily’s jaw dropped and her eyes widened.
‘You don’t know?!’
Andy was completely lost. How was she supposed to know some American woman who acted like she was the queen?
‘No, I don’t. Should I?’
Lily nodded furiously.
‘Uh yeah. That is Miranda Priestly, she is the Editor of Runway in America! She is here to start the Dutch Runway. I can’t believe you don’t know her. I wonder why she’s here.’
That makes at least two of us, Andy thought. Before she could even start to think of reasons why such a famous woman would be in an ordinary brothel in Amsterdam, Maria’s door opened.
‘Andy.’
Andy stood up.
‘Yes, Maria?’
Maria gestured with her head that Andy should approach.
‘She wants to talk to you. I’m sorry I had no choice.’
Andy gave her a weak smile.
‘That’s okay. I can handle myself,’ she replied, before entering Maria’s ‘office’.
The door shut behind her and suddenly she had the feeling that she was trapped in a dragon’s lair. Mrs. Priestly stood by the window, looking over the water. Quietly Andy sat down in one of the chair. It squeaked softly and at the sound Mrs. Priestly turned. Her blue eyes glared at Andy. She stood there for about a minute and then Andy cracked, she just had to talk.
‘I have no idea why I’m here, Mrs. Priestly, but…’
‘Call me Miranda,’ she snapped through Andy’s words. Andy shut her mouth and forgot what she wanted to say.
‘You don’t know?’ Miranda continued, ‘you don’t know why I want to speak with you?’
Andy shook her head. Miranda eyes narrowed, like she was trying to decide whether Andy was telling the truth or not. Then she turned back to the window.
‘One of your customers…is my husband. Apparently you know him as Mr. S.’ She chuckled, but she didn’t mean it. ‘Stephen was never that original.’ She turned her head back at Andy. ‘I demand that you stop…servicing him,’ she said coldly.
Andy had known that Mr. S, or Stephen, had been married, but most of her customers were, but never in this profession did she have to deal with jealous wives. As for giving up her best-paying customers, there was no way. He was a creep and she nearly hated the man, but he made sure she could live a life and have an apartment.
‘No,’ she said, ‘I won’t do that. You’ll have to tell him yourself. What is going on in your marriage is not my problem. I just want to earn a living.’
Andy got up and attempted to leave, but was stopped by Miranda’s voice.
‘You have no idea what is going on in my marriage,’ she whispered.
Andy was surprised. That, she had not expected.
‘No, I don’t,’ she replied,’ and I don’t want to know either. Now if there’s anything else, could you please get it over with. I have to work.’
Miranda opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but then she just shook her head and walked towards the door.
‘As a matter of fact, there’s one thing,’ she said.
Before Andy could say anything, she felt Miranda’s lips on her own. Just for a brief second their lips touched and inwardly Andy smiled. She really did have her in the bag. Then Miranda pulled back and simply said: ‘That’s all.’ After that she left, leaving Andy completely shocked behind. Completely dazed Andy walked back into the room.
‘What was that all about?’ Lily asked.
‘What? Oh, that. Yeah, apparently her husband is one of my regulars and she wants me to back off. I told her no.’
‘You did what?!’ Lily shouted.
Some girls looked curiously at them.
‘Will you keep it down, Lily. I told her no. He’s one of my best paying customers, so no.’
Lily eyes nearly popped out of their sockets and she gasped for breath.
‘You do know that Miranda Priestly is known for being a ruthless bitch. If you oppose her you will have to deal with the consequences.’
Andy shrugged.
‘So, when it comes to that, I’ll deal with them, but for now I have work to do.’
She left the room and went into her private chamber. She sank down on the bed and with a shaking hand she touched her bottom lip. She never kissed a woman before, but it had been nice, really nice. Miranda’s lips had been soft and warm. Andy wouldn’t mind to have Miranda as one of her customers instead of Stephen. How could such a woman be married to such a creep? It was incomprehensible.
That night, when Andy approached her apartment building, she saw that the light in her rooms was on. Very quietly she snuck up the stairs and grabbed the umbrella that was outside her door. With the umbrella lifted above her head, she opened the door, but instead of finding a burglar, she found the last person she had expected.
‘Miranda,’ she breathed.
‘Very good,’ Miranda replied sarcastically. ‘And what is your name?’
‘What are you doing here? Why did you break in?’
Miranda sighed and rolled her eyes.
‘I did not break in. The door was unlocked. Now can you tell me your name or have you forgotten it?’
‘Andy Sachs, well Andrea, but everybody calls me Andy. What are you doing here?’
‘I,’ Miranda hesitated, but continued,’ I… Never mind. I’ll go.’
She got up and moved towards the door, but before hand reached the doorknob Andy pushed her against the door and kissed her hard. When she pulled back Miranda was blushing and breathing heavily.
‘I think I know why you’re here,’ Andy said with a grin.
She had the feeling she was drunk. She didn’t even know this woman 24 hours ago and now she wanted to have her. She needed to have her.
‘Do you know, Andrea?’
Before Andy could reply Miranda’s hand cupped the back of her neck and pulled her in for another kiss. This time Miranda parted her lips slightly and Andy felt the tip of Miranda’s tongue wondering over her bottom lip. Immediately she opened her mouth and let Miranda in. This was so much better than any guy she had ever kissed. She pulled Miranda away from the door and tugged her towards the bed, until Miranda’s calves hit it and she tumbled backwards, pulling Andy on top of her. Andy left Miranda’s mouth and trailed kisses along the line of Miranda’s jaw. Then she brushed her lips behind Miranda’s ear and to her pleasure she felt Miranda shiver. She felt Miranda’s hands caressing her back. She moved down and kissed her collarbone and other skin she could kiss without moving Miranda’s clothes.
Then she stopped and looked at Miranda.
‘Are you sure you want to do this?’ Andy asked.
Miranda, completely flushed, nodded and grabbed Andy head and kissed her again. Andy fumbled with the buttons of Miranda’s blouse, which was quite difficult, because Miranda was currently licking Andy’s earlobe. When she finally managed to open all of the buttons, she pushed the fabric away and tried to look at Miranda’s body. Miranda however tried to cover herself up, but Andy pushed her hands away and kissed near her ear.
‘You’re beautiful,’ she whispered.
She moved down Miranda’s body kissing her collarbone and just around the edges of Miranda’s lacy bra. She opened the front clasp of the bra and revealed Miranda’s breasts. Without thinking about she kissed one of the nipples and it immediately hardened under her lips. Miranda gasped when Andy took the nipple in her mouth and started sucking. After that Miranda couldn’t do much more than gasp and moan under Andy’s touch.
‘More,’ she breathed after a couple of minutes.
Andy was happy to oblige and moved down, kissing Miranda’s flat stomach. She unzipped the black skirt and moved it down Miranda’s thighs. Andy placed a very soft kiss on the lace of Miranda’s panties and as a reaction Miranda’s hips bucked and she whimpered. That tore it. In one movement Andy pulled the panties away and pushed two fingers in Miranda’s hot centre. Miranda gasped again and she grabbed on to Andy’s hair. It hurt, but she didn’t care. Very slowly she started moving her fingers. Miranda’s breathing had been reduced to nothing more than small cries. She could only moan ‘More, more, please, more.’ Andy bent down and licked Miranda’s clit. At the first touch of Andy’s tongue Miranda came and screamed. Andy felt how Miranda squeezed around her finger with no rhythm and saw how the woman bucked and tried to get some air in her lungs. Andy let herself fall next to Miranda on the small bed and kissed her cheek.
‘Are you alright?’ she asked after a couple of minutes.
Miranda nodded, smiled and then rolled herself on top of Andy.
‘I’m fine,’ she said with a devilish grin.
Then she plunged her hand in Andy’s panties and the second Miranda touched her clit Andy screamed and came. She had no idea she had been so turned on. Exhausted she lay next to Miranda.
‘I should go,’ Miranda said.
Andy sat up and looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
‘Don’t look at me like that. I have to go back to my daughters,’ Miranda said irritated.
Andy shrugged.
‘Okay.’
Within five minutes Miranda had dressed herself and retouched her make-up. It looked like no one had ever touched her. She looked around the room, opened her mouth, shut it and then finally decided to ask her question.
‘Do I owe you anything?’ she mumbled.
‘What?’ Andy said, trying to hold back her anger. ‘Do you think I did this for the money? Do you really?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, Andrea, of course not, but maybe I can help you.’
‘With what? I don’t need your money or your husband’s for that matter. When you get home tell him I don’t want to see him again. He’s a creep. I don’t know how you can let him touch you.’
‘I don’t,’ Miranda whispered.
‘What was that?’ Andy asked.
‘Don’t make me repeat myself, Andrea. He doesn’t touch me. I got my twins from my first husband, but he killed himself after the great crash on Wall Street. We had sex, because we had to. I had to have children or at least that is how I was raised. I’ve always known I don’t like men, but being attracted to someone of the same sex is inappropriate in America for a woman of my standard. That’s why I married Stephen, for the image.’
Andy remained quiet. So that’s what she meant when she said that Andy had no idea what was going on in her marriage.
‘So you told me to back off your husband to what? Prevent a scandal? I wouldn’t have told anyone.’
‘How was I supposed to know that? But yes I did it to prevent a scandal. Stephen is free to sleep with anyone he likes, but it can’t be obvious. When he started to go away regularly to visit you it was only a matter of time before someone found out. So there you have it. Now you know.’
Miranda walked towards the door, but Andy stopped her. She looked in Miranda’s blue eyes and kissed her.
‘Please come by again,’ she whispered in Miranda’s ear.
Miranda nodded.
‘If you want to reach me, call me at work. I don’t have a phone here, but I’m there every night, so…’
‘Okay. I’ll try to come by tomorrow night.’
Andy smiled and kissed her again. So this is what people meant when they talked about love.
A week later they lay exhausted next to each other, naked on Andy’s bed. Miranda had managed to come by every day. Andy had never felt so happy in her life.
‘Stephen says he wants to leave me. He wants to stay here when I return to New York,’ Miranda said.
Andy had had no visits from Stephen that week and she found it strange to think about him.
‘He does? Why?’
‘Probably so he can start visiting you again after I’ve left.’
Andy shivered for two reasons. Obviously the memories of Stephen were still creepy, but the other was that Miranda would be leaving, which meant that they would never see each other again.
‘When are you leaving?’ Andy asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
‘In two weeks,’ Miranda whispered, obviously thinking the same thing Andy was thinking.
Andy rolled on top of Miranda and kissed her so passionate that so hoped it could last forever. They stayed most of night making love, like it was their last time, never wanting it to end, but it had to. Miranda left in the early morning, after that Andy cried and decided she would make the most of those two weeks.
A couple of days later, on May 10th, Andy was alone at night. Miranda couldn’t make it that evening. Uneasy with the silence, Andy turned on the radio, a gift from Miranda, because she knew Andy loved music. Andy was just listening to a song she liked when it got interrupted by the news. Andy listened to it in a blur. It couldn’t be true. The Germans had attacked the Netherlands and Belgium and were making their way to the west of the country, heading for Amsterdam. Andy got frightened. This could no be. War. How could there be war? The Netherlands had been able to remain neutral during the war almost thirty years ago and now they were being attacked. Impossible, but horribly true. What could she do?
Suddenly the door slammed open and Miranda barged in.
‘Come with me,’ she said and kissed Andy.
‘Why? Where are we going? Haven’t you heard, we’re being attacked.’
Miranda pulled her up and started to throw some of Andy’s stuff in a suitcase she had with her.
‘Yes, I’ve heard. That’s why we’re leaving, while we still can. I have my ship ready to take us to New York. I can’t stay here, I’m part Jewish and I know from reliable sources that they’re after Jewish people.’
‘But what does that have to do with me?’
‘Andrea, don’t be so thick. Do you really think I would leave you behind in a country at war? I won’t and can’t do that. Please come with me.’
Andy nodded.
‘What about Stephen?’ she asked.
‘Stephen? He isn’t coming.’
‘Why?’
‘Is this really what matters to you? We have to go.’
Andy nodded again and then kissed Miranda.
‘I love you,’ she whispered against Miranda’s lips.
‘I love you too,’ Miranda replied and kissed her again. ‘Now come, we have to leave as soon as possible.’
‘What about Isis?’
Miranda rolled her eyes.
‘Bring her along if you have to. I don’t care.’
‘Okay.’
Miranda headed for the door, carrying the suitcase with Andy’s stuff. Andy quickly grabbed her cat and followed her.
‘Hey Miranda?’
‘Yes?’
‘I meant what I said.’
‘So did I.’