Work Text:
"Andy! I was hoping you'd come by," Cara's harried voice distracts Andy from the files she is collecting from Miranda's home office, and she looks up, concerned.
"Cara? Don't you have the day off? I thought their dad was going to collect the girls straight from school," she asks.
Cara sighs. "Yes, I was supposed to leave right after the twins left for school, but there's a slight problem with that - Richard won't come, and I've organized for them to stay overnight at a friend of theirs but Caroline is crying and absolutely refuses to get up from the couch, she says she's not sick but she still won't listen and I have no idea how to convince her, Miranda is still unavailable on the flight and I really need to leave soon if I want to reach my sister's place before nightfall..." She drags a hand through her hair, making her appearance match her voice, Andy has never before seen the girls' nanny look so rattled.
Quickly going through the day's schedule in her mind, Andy nods when she comes to the conclusion that she won't really be needed in the office today as long as she can call Miranda from here later in the day, and someone else will have to send the rest of the files from the office to the townhouse. "I can stay here with Caroline, you go on your well deserved trip, and maybe I can find out what's wrong if I'm working in the same room as her. Have you called the friend's parents yet, or should I tell them they needs to collect Caro from here?"
"I figured Cassidy would tell him when he goes to pick her up from school," Cara replies. "The contact information's on the kitchen counter. Are you sure you can stay?"
"Of course," Andy smiles at the hopeful looking woman and collects the paperwork she will be working on before stepping into the hallway. A quick message to the new second assistant about getting her the rest from the office later, and she is ready to go. "Now, where's the little troublemaker?"
Caroline is curled into a ball on the living room couch, a blanket pulled over her head, and Andy's heart aches for her when she hears her sniffles.
"It's been that way all day," Cara whispers, pained. "I was telling Cassidy that Richard can't visit this week and they'll have to wait until next weekend as usual to see him and she must have overheard, because when we went to look for her, she was already hiding under the blanket."
"Poor thing," Andy mumbles quietly, just loud enough for Cara to hear. "He has really disappointed them enough by now." She put the files from the office on the couch table and leans her laptop case against a table leg before pulling an armchair over and waving for Cara to go. "I've got this."
Andy doesn't approach Caroline directly - she knows Cara already tried that, and the twins usually adore their nanny and open up to her about all kinds of things, so if Cara couldn't manage it this time, maybe a different approach is needed.
Hoping that the sounds of her typing and rustling the papers will reassure Caroline that someone is in the room with her, Andy sets to work. She only briefly leaves the room: to call the school and tell them Caro will stay home today (which, of course, Cassidy already told them, but Andy figured better safe than sorry), and when the second assistant drops of the things she asked for and she gives her a few other orders as well so she won't have to text them - she doesn't want to call too often while she's watching over Caroline - then she's back in her armchair.
Her strategy proves successful about half an hour later when Caroline's crying quiets down and she peeks out from under her throw blanket. Her face is red and snotty from crying and Andy supposes the couch will need cleaning after that, but she's just glad Caro is ready to face the world again, and she smiles at her.
"Hullu, Andy," Caroline sniffles and sits up, pulling her knees to her body. "I didn't know you were here, I thought you were Cara."
"You must have not heard us talking then, Cara needed to leave and I can work from here today."
"I didn't hug her goodbye either!" Caroline realizes dismayed, looking ready to burst into tears again.
'Either'? Andy thinks, then discards the question in favor of focusing on Caroline. "I'm sure you hugged her yesterday?" Andy asks, knowing how affectionate Caroline is with people she likes. Caro nods, and Andy gives her an encouraging smile. "That's alright then, I'm sure she won't mind missing a day or two, and she'll be back the day after tomorrow."
"And mommy will be back tomorrow?"
"Yes, in the evening, but probably early enough that you can see her before going to sleep," Andy tells her, then realizes that Richard's inability to stick to his commitments also leaves a problem for tomorrow afternoon after school, and she'll have to ask the new girl to rearrange her scheduled so all her meetings are early in the day and she can go back to the townhouse to watch the girls until Miranda arrives.
"I really really really hope so," Caroline whispers, biting her lip.
"What do you mean?" Andy asks surprised. She thought Caroline was upset about her dad, but so far she hasn't even mentioned him yet. Is she afraid that him not showing up means Miranda will leave her alone for longer than planned as well?
"Got to go to the bathroom," Caroline squeaks and runs off. Andy watched her go with a raised eyebrow. Sure, if she's been on the couch for hours her statement is probably true, but still - she seemed fine until now, so Andy thinks she's avoiding the question.
Quickly finishing and sending off the email she had been working on, Andy then sits on the couch to wait for Caro to come back.
Caroline halts in the doorway for a moment when she sees she no longer has the couch to herself, but then she practically flings herself at Andy, wrapping her arms around her waist.
"Oof! Aww, kiddo, can you tell me what's wrong?"
Caroline wipes at her eyes, then clutches Andy's top. Well, Miranda is going to forgive the ruined couture blouse from Runway's closet if it means comforting her daughter, Andy thinks.
"I had a nightmare," Caroline mumbles without looking up. "And-" she hiccups, wipes her nose on the sleeve of her nightshirt.
"Was it about your dad?" Andy asks her, carefully gauging her reaction.
"What? No," Caro shakes her head. "I dunno even anymore what it was about. But, I had a nightmare, and I wanted to crawl in bed with mom but I know I'm really too old, but I really wanted to because I knew she's away today so I wouldn't get a hug in the morning so I couldn't even wait for that. So I remembered kind of on purpose someone in school saying if you don't go hug someone and then they die in an accident you'll regret it forever and ever and I told myself I didn't want to regret it forever and ever so I could go sleep in mommy's bed even though I'm too old, but then when I got up I heard the front door and I ran down really fast but she was already driving away and I didn't know she was leaving for the airport that early, and what if there's a plane crash and I didn't hug her, and, and, what if mommy doesn't come home -" Caroline's voice gets shriller and faster until she stumbles over the words and starts to sob again.
Andy hugs her close, needing a minute to mentally untangle Caroline's words - and, if she's being honest, to reassure herself that a little girls' fears after a nightmare have nothing to do with reality or precognition, that plane crashes are rare and Miranda is going to be fine. Oh, poor Caro, she really thought herself into a sinkhole of fear here!
Rubbing Caroline's back, Andy tries to soothe her and tells her that Miranda is going to be fine, that she's sure she is going to be back tomorrow like during any other work trip, that Andy is going to let Caroline stay up to meet her even if she's a bit late, that it's going to be alright...
A little while later, Caroline starts to relax, and she pulls back from Andy, looking at her with hopeful eyes. "You really think so?"
"Yeah, I'm sure of it." Oh, Miranda, you better be. "Do you want me to text her to call you as soon as she lands?"
Caroline nods eagerly.
~
The next day, Andy watches with a wide smile as Miranda hugs her daughters hello, Caroline jumping into her arms even more exuberantly than Cassidy, which might be a first.
Miranda asks Andy to stay while she brings the girls to bed, and then Cassidy insists Andy take her because 'you had her all day yesterday, Caro!' making the adults chuckle. Andy is glad Miranda doesn't seem disappointed or angry that Cassidy wants Andy to tuck her in instead of her, but Miranda just seems glad to be able to focus on Caroline after yesterday's scare.
Once both girls are tucked in, the women briefly switch rooms so Miranda can give Cassidy a kiss goodnight, and Andy checks in on Caroline.
"I hope you're not scared anymore," she tells her, brushing a strand of red hair out of Caroline's eyes.
Caro shakes her head. "I'm fine now. And mom says I'm never too old to sleep in bed with her if I have another nightmare or just want to, but that I should knock first."
"Alright," Andy suppresses a chuckle at Caroline's confusion over having to knock. "Then I'm sure you'll be fine. Sweet dreams, sweetie."
"Night, Andy."
Miranda is leaning in the doorframe when Andy turns around, and smiles at her as she steps back so Andy can close the door. "You're good with them," she murmurs quietly.
"Um, I hope so," Andy blushes under Miranda's gaze, though it is softer than usual, and that's taking into consideration that Andy has seen more of relaxed home-Miranda in the last months than most of her employees ever do.
"No, you really are."
"Uh, thanks. I'm glad. I like them." Andy murmurs, then quickly changes the topic away from her. "So, do you expect overnight guests, or is Caro just supposed to knock on your bedroom door so you can hide the fact that you're working every hour day and night?"
Miranda laughs quietly, and a shiver runs down Andy's spine. "Oh, Andrea, you know my working hours have been much more reasonable since you have helped optimizing my schedule, and I'll have you know I never managed entirely without sleep. As for your first question..." She gives Andy a look that makes her blush for new reasons entirely. "Perhaps."