The L word: Miranda and Wendy…

Late July, 2008.
Los Angeles…

Wendy appears to be missing again.
Miranda wonders if it’s something she’s done. Maybe, it’s because of what happened yesterday.
Maybe, it’s just Miranda.
She drops the file on her desk and walks back to her office and closing the door. A check of her watch, twelve seventeen.
Her desk is pretty much clear now, she has an appointment with the clown at six and even talking to him, it suddenly seems so much better.
A smile sitting at her desk, the clown, he might be a clown but he will talk to her and be very straight as well.
A view from her windows and the cityscape that she likes, she plays a game with the buildings, pretending that she can pick them up and move them elsewhere. Just a little bit of fun and even she’s distracted.
The distraction is all about a woman. Not just any woman.
Her name is Wendy Palmer, she’s thirty six years old and Miranda is in love with her.
Yesterday, she had broken down, she had cried in Wendy’s arms and although she hadn’t said anything, she had wanted to. The words were right there, but she couldn’t and this Miranda Jefferson was so afraid and that’s why Wendy isn’t there.
Taking her fingers away from the glass and looking at them, does Wendy know? Has she picked up on the way I feel about her?
The door softly closes and Wendy is behind her. She’s smiling at her and that’s so nice to see.
“Are you busy?” She asks.
“No, I’m about ready for lunch.” Miranda turns from the windows, moving back to her desk for her purse.
“Would you like to join me?”
Miranda stops, midway between her purse and almost falling over, “That would be nice. Thank you.”
Wendy moves slightly, towards the door, waiting, “I have a surprise for you.”
Miranda smiles, picking up her purse, “A surprise, for me?”
“Yeah, I think you’re going to like this.”
Wendy opens the door and takes a step towards her desk, Miranda walks towards her.
“So where are you taking me?”
“Somewhere different. Somewhere we can talk and not be bothered by anyone.”
Wendy picks up her bag from her chair and then moving to Miranda again, they walk to the elevator.
The doors open and Miranda steps in first, Wendy moves in front of the control panel and presses ’thirty five’.
The doors close with a swish and it begins its journey upwards.
“Hey, what the..”
Wendy smiles at her, “Just wait. You’ll see.”
“But thirty five isn’t finished, it’s empty.”
“I know. That’s why we can be alone. Up there and it’ll just be you and me.”
“You spent this morning setting this up?”
“Yeah, it took some planning. But shut up and just wait.”
Thirty one flashes by. Miranda hasn’t spoken.
Wendy stays near the doors, not as if Miranda will make a run for it, but her eyes are fixed on the floor indicator, just passing thirty four…
The elevator slows and then gently stops. A soft gentle ’bing’ and the doors open.
This is the open expanse that is thirty five. This is where Henry plans to set up his own private floor. There is a plan for an apartment here, he doesn’t spend that much time at home so, this is certainly big enough for what he needs.
Wendy leads the way, an area, shielded by large plastic sheets, almost in the middle of the entire floor.
She lifts the plastic to one side, allowing Miranda to see what she’s done.
There are several rugs, heaps of cushions, a small table at one end and a selection of food and drink.
Wendy kicks her shoes off and throws her bag down. Miranda follows suit.
“You did all this in one morning?”
Wendy nods, taking her jacket off and throwing that to one side as well, “I told you I was good. Maybe now you’ll believe me.”
“I’ve never doubted you.”
Wendy stands by the small table, then kneels down, “We don’t have anything alcoholic, we don’t really need that. So, here we are.”
Miranda sits on a pile of cushions near the table and near Wendy, “I need to say sorry about yesterday.”
“There’s no need Miranda. It’s okay.”
She hands her a glass of sparkling water, Miranda puts it on the rug.
Wendy then sits, cross legged, facing her, “A picnic on the thirty fifth floor. Pretty good or what?”
Miranda smiles at her, “Yeah, it is.”
A gentle breeze rustles the plastic sheets, they billow out slightly, a warm draft flows across the floor.
Wendy takes a small drink and puts her glass down, she looks straight at Miranda with a soft smile, “There have been times that all I wanted to do was hold you. I could see how much you were hurting, but I was scared to do anything because of you and Liz, I didn’t want to get in the way.”
“You were never in the way. I got so blind by me and Liz, but the thing is…the real thing is that I do see you. Every day and all I wanted was to stop and say, that what I was doing was wrong, the dream I had of me and Liz was never going to happen and without you being there, I don’t know what I would’ve done.”
“But here we are, Miranda. It is you and me now. We are more than just friends, aren’t we? Please tell me if I’m wrong, but after yesterday we seem different, since we started, you’ve been my best friend, we can talk and laugh and we do get on so well, you are more than just my boss, I’m really sorry for saying that. I guess that hurt as well.”
Miranda shakes her head, “No, you’re not wrong. But I felt something going to back to when we first met. One of these days, I’m going to shoot Max, but he knew. He told me to get rid of Liz and make something with you, I know you’re not gay, but that’s not what’s important. It just isn’t.”
Wendy leans slightly forward, “Then tell me what is important, Miranda. What do you really want to say?”
Miranda clears her throat and now it’s all here, where she’ll stand or fall, but either way, Wendy will pull her back, “The important thing…no, it’s not a thing, it’s…” Miranda closes her eyes and her own little voice is pushing her now, Go on! You’re so close, please tell her, Miranda…tell her…
Her eyes open on Wendy and she struggles with the words again.
“Do you need a little help?”
“No, I don’t want to be wrong about this as well.”
“Then why don’t you just say it? Where’s the big brash Miranda Jefferson gone? Maybe, we’re better off without her, let me have the lovely Miranda Jefferson instead, you know, the one who is gentle and the one I know who can say what she has to.”
“I am in love with you.”
Wendy sits back, looking a little surprised, but she did ask.
Miranda lowers her head, waiting for Wendy to get up and walk away, to keep on walking and that will be it.
“I’m hungry. We’ve got all this food and it’ll be a shame to waste it.” Wendy smiles at her, looking at the food on the table.
“Did you hear what I said?”
“Yeah, I did. I’d like you to say it again.”
“You would?”
“Yes. Please.”
Miranda shuffles forward, “Wendy Palmer, I love you.”
“You know, I really like the sound of that.” She reaches up and touches Miranda’s face, a soft stroke to her cheek, “Would you kiss me?”
“I, um…”
“I’m not asking you to jump into bed with me. I’d like you to kiss me. Just a kiss Miranda.”
Wendy’s hand moves from her cheek and takes Miranda’s hand, a gentle squeeze and Wendy moves closer, “Please…”
Miranda pauses, just a few inches between them, a tiny space and the movement of her head, as her lips and Wendy’s meet, her eyes close and she trembles, feeling her arms move, to hold Wendy again and she doesn’t pull away, wrapping her arms around her and Wendy responds, she holds Miranda so gently and when they part, Miranda holds her in her arms, Wendy resting her head against her arm, Miranda brushing her hair away from her face and her whisper, “I love you…”
Her fingers softly move over Wendy’s cheek, slowly moving down to her chin, it seems to tickle as Wendy smiles at her, not moving, not wanting to break this embrace, comfortable enough to have Miranda hold her, Miranda doesn’t look away from her, looking at her soft grey eyes and as if they can just stay here, the location doesn’t matter, on this floor or on any other, the important factor for Miranda is that she has now said that she loves Wendy and Wendy has heard her.
Miranda suddenly winces, that sharp pain from her hip forces her to move, a tell tale that she’s sat here too long and that just isn’t fair, to suddenly end this moment and Miranda gets up, pain on her face and rubbing at her hip.
Wendy stands next to her, her arm around her, holding her again.
“I’m sorry, this just hurts…”
Wendy can see that, Miranda then biting down at her tongue and walking slowly. A few minutes where the pain in her hip subsides and she smiles at Wendy again, “I think we should have something to eat.” She laughs and Wendy takes her hand, sitting in a different position and her hip mildly throbbing.
There are several silver foil trays and Wendy reaches over taking the lids off, “I’ve even got your favourite here…”
“What, pizza?”
“No, silly,” Wendy laughs, “egg noodles, fresh, just how you like them.”
“I’m impressed with what you’ve done.”
“I wanted it to be nice, for both of us.”
“It certainly is that.”
Wendy hands her a plate loaded with noodles and chicken wings and a small salad.
Miranda takes a drink of water and starts eating.
Wendy sits back, just watching Miranda eat before she gets stuck in, “I hope they’re okay.”
“Yeah, they’re fine.”
“We can be up here all afternoon. The construction crew don’t start back until tomorrow and I’ve cleared your appointments.”
“So you really did have all this worked out?”
A soft giggle from her and a shake of her head, “If we were going to talk, then I had to. I couldn’t do anything about the music though, sorry.”
Miranda slowly shakes her head, “No, that’s okay, I don’t think Nickelback would really work that well up here.”
“Oh, I was hoping for something a little more romantic.”
“Yeah, of course you were.”
Wendy hands her a napkin, and puts her plate to one side, “So is this where you ask me out?”
“On a date?”
“No, because it’s a nice day. Of course as a date!”
Miranda puts her plate down, a small drink, “Okay, Wendy Palmer, I would like to ask you out.”
“So where would you like to take me?”
Now, Miranda has to think. A first date with Wendy.
“What about Saturday and a trip to Santa Monica?”
“I can’t. I’m going home, Susan’s birthday party.”
“Ah, okay then.”
“Are you forgetting tonight?”
“I can’t,” Miranda says, looking thoughtful, “I’ve got something on.”
“You’re making this very difficult.”
“No, I’m not. I’m free tomorrow night. What about a movie and dinner?”
“It won’t be a horror movie will it?”
Miranda smiles, “Why don’t we check and see what’s showing. Not really into horrors anyway. And you can take those romantic notions right out of your head.”
“Alright, let’s check what’s on. I’m sure we can find something we can both watch. I’ll need popcorn.”
“Okay, anything else?”
“What about skittles? I like skittles.”
Miranda shouldn’t have asked. She sighs and laughs, “Right, okay I get it. Popcorn and skittles!”
“What about a hotdog?”
“Are you trying to piss me off?”
Wendy starts laughing, “Would I do that?”
Miranda glances at the table, “Got any food left?”

Lying on the rugs, Wendy has a few cushions under her head, Miranda is cuddling up next to her, her arm lying across Wendy’s stomach and she can feel Wendy’s fingers softly touch her hair.
“This is nice.”
Miranda looks up at her, “Don’t you feel like running away?”
“No, not from you.”
“I thought you would. I was scared that you’d leave.”
“Miranda, we’ve been friends for a while now, we’re moving into something new, well for me it is, I don’t think I’ve ever had a woman tell me she loves me, not like you.”
“I can say it again if you like.”
Wendy kisses the top of Miranda’s head, “I don’t want you to wear it out.”
“I love you, Wendy Palmer.”
“And I love you Miranda Jefferson.” Wendy’s voice is so soft, not much above a whisper, but clear enough.
Miranda suddenly sits up, “Do you know what you just said?”
“If you lie down again, I might just say it again!”
Miranda lies down as she was before.
Wendy clears her throat, “Okay, Miranda Jefferson, I love you.”
“I didn’t think you’d say that.”
“Well, I don’t say that to any woman I know. Just you.”
“I feel kind of special now.”
“That’s because you are.”
“You’ve always been special to me.”
“I know,” Wendy says, her fingers wrap themselves in Miranda’s hair, “it’s just taken us a while to get here.”
“That’s all my fault. I’m sorry.”
“Sshh, let’s just lie here and be you and me. I just want a little of that, okay?”

They stand together at the elevator, waiting on the car that will take them back to where they started.
Miranda holds Wendy’s hand, like she’ll never let her go.
“What about the others? I’m worried about them.” Wendy says.
“To be honest, I don’t care about them. I love you, not them. If they have anything to say, they can come to me and I’ll deal with them.”
“It could be awkward, you and me?”
“Why? I’m in love and I have to think about other people? I’ve played that game before and that’s a killer right there. It only gets in the way and I’m not having that, this is about us, you and me. Not about us and them.”
“Oh, I’m glad we cleared that up.”
“Good. So shut up and kiss me.”
The elevator car arrives with a little ’bing’.
Wendy sends it away again…