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I nodded。 “Think I screwed up pretty badly this time；” I said；
gratefully accepting the plate。 “This one just might get me fired。”
“Oh； sweetie； you always say that。 She won’t fire you。 She hasn’t
even seen you hard at work yet。 At least； she better not fire
you—you have the greatest job in the world！”
I looked at her warily and willed myself to remain calm。
“Well； you do；” she said。 “So she sounds difficult to please and a
little crazy。 Who isn’t？ You still get free shoes and makeovers and
haircuts and clothes。 The clothes！ Who on earth gets free designer
clothes just for showing up at work each day？ Andy； you work
atRunway； don’t you understand？ A million girls would kill for your
job。”
I understood。 I understood right then that Lily； for the first time
since I met her nine years before；didn’t understand。 She； like all
my other friends； loved hearing the crazy work stories I’d
accumulated in the past weeks—the gossip and the glamour—but she
didn’t really understand just how hard each day was。 She didn’t
understand that the reason I continued to show up； day after day；
was not for the free clothes； didn’t understand that all the free
clothes in the world wouldn’t make this job bearable。 It was time to
bring one of my best friends into my world； where； I was quite
certain； shewould understand。 She just needed to be told。 Yes！ It
was time to share with someone exactly what was going on。 I opened
my mouth to start； excited at the prospect of having an ally； but my
phone rang。
Dammit！ I wanted to throw it against the wall； tell whoever was on
the other end to go to hell。 But a small part of me hoped it was
Jonathan with some information。 Lily smiled and told me to take my
time。 I nodded sadly and answered。
“Is this Andrea？” asked a man’s voice。
“Yes； is this Jonathan？”
“It is indeed。 I just called Home and got your message。 I’m flying
back from Paris right now； somewhere over the Atlantic as we speak；
but you sounded so worried I wanted to call you back right away。”
“Thank you！ Thank you！ I really appreciate it。 Yes； I am a bit
worried； because I got a call from Miranda earlier today and it
seems strange that she hadn’t yet received the package。 You did give
it to the driver in Paris； right？”
“Sure did。 You know； miss； in my Business I don’t ask any questions。
Just fly where I’m told and when and try to get everyone there in
one piece。 But it’s sure not often I end up flying overseas with
nothing onboard but a package。 Must’ve been something real
important； I imagine； like an organ for a transplant or maybe some
classified documents。 So yes； I took real good care of that package
and I gave it to the driver； just like I was told。 Nice fella from
the Ritz。 No problems。”
I thanked him and hung up。 The concierge at the Ritz had arranged
for a driver to meet Mr。 Tomlinson’s private plane at de Gaulle and
transfer Harry back to the hotel。 If everything went as planned；
Miranda should’ve had those books by seven in the morning local
time； and considering it was already late afternoon there； I
couldn’t imagine what had gone wrong。 There was no choice： I had to
call the concierge； and since my cell wouldn’t dial internationally；
I had to find a phone that did。
I took the plate of now cold waffles back to the kitchen and dumped
them in the garbage。 Lily was lying on the couch again； half…asleep。
I hugged her good…bye and told her I’d call her later and headed out
to hail a cab back to the office。
“What about today？” she whined。 “I haveThe American President all
lined up and ready to go。 You can’t leave yet—our weekend’s not
over！”
“I know； I’m sorry； Lil。 I have to deal with this now。 There’s
nothing I’d rather do than stay here； but she’s got me on a pretty
short leash right now。 I’ll call you later？”
The office was； of course； deserted； as everyone was surely
brunching at Pastis with their investment banker boyfriends。 I sat
in my darkened area； took a deep breath； and dialed。 Blissfully；
Monsieur Renaud； my favorite of the Ritz concierges； was available。
“Andrea； dear； how are you？ We’re simply delighted to have Miranda
and the twins back with us again so soon；” he lied。 Emily told me
that Miranda stayed at the Ritz so frequently that the entire hotel
staff knew her and the girls by name。
“Yes； Monsieur Renaud； and I know she’s just thrilled to be there；”
I lied back。 No matter how acmodating the poor concierge was；
Miranda found fault with his every move。 To his credit； he never
stopped trying； and he never stopped lying about how much he loved
her； either。 “Listen； I’m wondering if that car you sent to meet
Miranda’s plane made it back to the hotel already？”
“Well of course； dear。 That was hours ago。 He must’ve returned here
before eight o’clock this morning。 I sent the best driver we have on
staff；” he said proudly。 If only he knew what his best driver had
been sent to shuttle around town。
“Well； that’s so strange； because I got a message from Miranda
saying that she never received the package； but I’ve checked with
the driver here who swears he dropped it at the airport； the pilot
who swears he flew it to Paris and gave it to your driver； and now
you who remember it arriving at the hotel。 How could she not have
received it？”
“It seems the only way to solve this is to ask the lady herself；” he
trilled in a fake…happy voice。 “Why don’t I connect you？”
I had hoped against all hope that it wouldn’t e to this； that I’d
be able to identify and fix the problem without having to speak to
her。 What would I tell her if she still insisted that she’d never
received the package？ Was I supposed to suggest that she look on the
table in her suite； where it was inevitably left hours earlier？ Or
was I supposed to go through the whole thing； private jet and all；
and get her two more copies by the end of the day？ Or perhaps I
should hire a secret service agent next time to acpany the books
on their journey overseas and ensure that nothing promises their
safe arrival？ Something to think about。
“Sure； Monsieur Renaud。 Thanks for your help。”
A few clicks and the phone was ringing。 I was sweating slightly from
the tension； so I wiped my palm on my sweatpants and tried not to
think what would happen if Miranda saw me wearing sweatpants in her
office。Be calm； be confident； I coached myself。She can’t disembowel
me over the phone 。
“Yes？” I heard from a faraway place； jolting myself out of my
self…help thoughts。 It was Caroline who； at a mere ten years； had
perfected her mother’s brusque phone manner perfectly。 Cassidy at
least had the courtesy to answer the phone with a “hello。”
“Hi； sweetie；” I crooned； hating myself for sucking up to a child。
“It’s Andrea； from the office。 Is your mom there？”
“You mean mymum ？” she corrected as she always did when I used the
American pronunciation。 “Sure； I’ll get her。”
A moment or two later； Miranda was on the line。
“Yes； Ahn…dre…ah？ This had better be important。 You know how I feel
about being interrupted when I’m spending time with the girls；” she
stated in her cold； clipped way。You know how I feel about being
interrupted when I’m spending time with the girls？ I wanted to
scream。Are you fucking kidding me； lady？ You think I’m calling for
my goddamn health？ Because I couldn’t bear to go a single weekend
without hearing your miserable voice？ And what about me spending
time with mygirls？ I thought I’d pass out from anger； but I took a
deep breath and dove right in。
“Miranda； I’m sorry if this is a bad time； but I’m calling to ensure
that you received the Harry Potter books。 I heard your message
saying that you hadn’t yet received them； but I’ve spoken to
everyone and—”
She interrupted me midsentence and spoke slowly and surely。
“Ahn…dre…ah。 You should really listen more closely。 I said no such
thing。 We received the package early this morning。 Incidentally； it
came so early that they woke us all up for the silly thing。”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing。 I didn’t dream that she’d
left the message； did I？ I was still too young even for early…onset
Alzheimer’s； right？
“What I said was that we didn’t receiveboth copies of the book； as I
had requested。 The package included only one； and I’m sure you can
imagine just how disappointed the girls are。 They were really
looking forward to each having theirown copy； as I had requested。 I
need you to explain why my