Work Text:
Andy heard the bell above the door give a chime and came rushing out from the back office. Business was always slow this early on but there was one customer that was very particular about the time and her order. And in the case of this customer Andy was also very particular in being the one to make her order: one no-foam skimmed latte with an extra shot and three drip coffees with room for milk. Searing hot.
They both approached the counter at the same time, their steps measured, deliberate, in synchrony, as though it was a tango that they perfected in the months past. Their eyes fixed on each other, Andy's smile too bright for 6 am (it's not like she could help herself anyway. She denied it when other baristas teased her about her crush on the mysterious woman but in her heart she knew that this infatuation was something to be cherished, not belittled.)
"Good morning, Emily! Your order's coming right up."
Andy turned to the beast of a coffee machine to make the order she by now knew by heart only to be stopped dead in her tracks by a ghosting touch of the woman's fingers on Andy's hand.
"I'll take almond milk today," Emily said. The corners of her lips twitched when Andy's head turned around too fast. "You should be careful with such abrupt movements. It's not good for your spine."
Andy gaped at her. She was the one to talk! The woman never initiated a touch before now and Andy wondered if she even knew what it did to her insides. Sure, their fingers brushed on occasion when Andy handed her over the coffee cup but this?! This was new. And oh so dangerous for Andy's heart.
"Right. Okay." Andy finally managed to say as she tried to focus on her work. But she was still rattled by this interaction and the changed order that soon enough…
"Ahhh! Fuck!"
Despite the pain and the too red skin that the hot steam left on her palm Andy managed to look contrite. "Sorry."
Emily completely ignored that.
"Put you hand under cold water." The woman said in a voice that didn't allow any arguments.
Andy just stared at her.
"Now would be a good time."
That seemed to jolt Andy into action but her movements were still somewhat uncoordinated and Andy could feel Emily's irritation which only frazzled Andy more. Then she heard a huff and steps behind her until the woman took Andy by the wrist and marched with her to the sink. She turned the cold water on and held Andy's hand under the stream.
After a few minutes the redness receded and a few blisters became visible.
"Shit!" Emily muttered under her breath.
"It's gonna be fine," Andy said as if it wasn't her who got her hand burned.
"Of course it will be!" The woman huffed. "Do you have a first aid kit?"
Andy motioned to the red box under the counter.
Emily let go of Andy's hand but not without reminding her to keep her hand under the cold stream.
She rummaged through the contents of the first aid kit and pulled out a few items. She then returned to Andy and turned the water off, lifting Andy's hand to her shoulder.
"You should keep it elevated," she said without releasing Andy's hand. Instead, she kept cradling it in her own, like it was something precious. And not for the first time Andy wondered if her infatuation with this striking woman wasn't one-sided.
Emily broke off the eye contact first, returning her gaze to Andy's hand. Most of the water ran down her arm by now and Emily guided her to the counter, where the prepared first aid supplies were laid out.
Emily put Andy's hand down and opened the pack of sterile gloves, wipes, gauze and the tube of desinfecting healing ointment. She put the gloves on first, dabbed Andy's hand with the wipes to remove the residual water and applied the ointment. She put another wipe on the burn and wrapped Andy's hand in gause. She wrapped the used wipes in one hand and in a precise movement removed her gloves while trapping the used materials inside. She closed the tube of ointment next and fixed Andy's hand in an arm sling.
Andy looked baffled at the precision of the woman's movements.
"Are you a doctor or something?" She finally managed to ask.
"I am. And you should visit me as soon as your colleagues arrive." The woman reached for her purse and pulled out a business card.
'Miranda Priestly MD.
Family practitioner. '
The card read and Andy stared at it dumbly.
"I'll give you a prescription for another ointment which you'd have to apply for at least a week," the woman continued.
"Wait, so your name isn't Emily?" Andy finally managed to ask.
"Is that the only question you have right now?" The woman, who apparently wasn't Emily, asked, amused.
"Well, I kinda got used to call you Emily, you know?" Andy blushed. "Miranda…" Andy read the name aloud. "I like it though." Andy grinned at the woman in front of her.
Miranda gave her a small but genuine smile in return.
"So, who's Emily then?" Andy dared to ask.
"My receptionist." Miranda's smile turned dangerously wicked as she said it and Andy's laugh rang loudly through the coffee shop.