silence　prevailed。Do　we　never　get　to　talk　to　each　other　or　anyone
  else　if　she’s　in　the　office？　I　wondered。　I　wrote　a　quick　e…mail　to
  Emily；　asking　her　as　much；　which　I　saw　her　receive　and　read。　Her
  answer　came　back　right　away：You　got　it；　she　wrote。If　you　and　I　have
  to　talk；　we　whisper。　Otherwise；　no　talking。　And　don’t　EVER　speak　to
  her　unless　she　speaks　to　you。　And　do　not　EVER　call　her　Ms。
  Priestly—it’s　Miranda。　Got　it？　I　felt　again　as　if　I　had　been
  slapped；　but　I　looked　up　and　nodded。　And　it　was　then　I　noticed　the
  coat。　It　was　right　there；　a　great　big　pile　of　fabulous…looking　fur；
  all　bunched　up　on　the　end　of　my　desk；　with　one　arm　dangling　off　the
  edge。　I　looked　at　Emily。　She　rolled　her　eyes；　waved　her　hand　toward
  the　closet；　and　mouthed；　“Hang　it　up！”　It　was　as　heavy　as　a　wet　down
  forter　ing　out　of　the　washing　machine；　and　I　needed　both　hands
  to　keep　it　from　dragging　on　the　floor；　but　I　gingerly　hung　it　on　one
  of　the　silk　hangers　and　gently；　quietly；　closed　the　doors。
  I　hadn’t　even　sat　back　down　when　Miranda　appeared　next　to　me；　and
  this　time　her　eyes　were　free　to　roam　over　my　entire　body。　Impossible
  as　it　seemed；　I　could　feel　each　body　part　ignite　as　she　eyed　it；　but
  I　was　frozen；　unable　to　dive　back　to　my　chair。　Just　as　my　hair　was
  about　to　catch　fire；　those　relentless　blue　eyes　finally　stopped　on
  mine。
  “I’d　like　my　coat；”　she　said　quietly；　looking　directly　at　me；　and　I
  wondered　if　she　wondered　who　I　was；　or　if　she　didn’t　notice　or　care
  that　there　was　a　relative　stranger　posing　as　her　assistant。　There
  wasn’t　so　much　as　a　glimmer　of　recognition；　even　though　my　interview
  with　her　had　taken　place　a　few　weeks　earlier。
  “Surely；”　I　managed；　and　moved　toward　the　closet　again；　which　was　an
  awkward　maneuver　because　she　was　currently　standing　between　it　and
  me。　I　turned　my　body　sideways　to　keep　from　bumping　into　her　and
  tried　to　slide　myself　past　her；　reaching　to　pull　open　the　door　I　had
  just　shut。　She　didn’t　move　a　single　inch　to　let　me　pass；　and　I　could
  feel　that　the　eyes　had　continued　their　roving。　Finally；　blessedly；
  my　hands　closed　around　the　fur；　and　I　pulled　it　carefully　to
  freedom。　I　wanted　to　throw　it　at　her　and　see　if　she’d　catch　it；　but
  I　restrained　myself　at　the　last　second　and　held　it　open　as　a
  gentleman　would　for　a　lady。　She　shrugged　into　it　with　one　graceful
  motion　and　picked　up　her　Cell　Phone；　the　only　item　she　had　brought
  with　her　to　the　office。
  “I’d　like　the　Book　tonight；　Emily；”　she　said　as　she　walked
  confidently　out　of　the　office；　probably　not　even　noticing　that　a
  cluster　of　three　women　standing　in　the　hall　outside　the　suite
  scattered　immediately　upon　seeing　her；　chins　to　their　chests。
  “Yes；　Miranda。　I’ll　have　Andrea　bring　it　up。”
  That　was　that。　She　left。　And　the　visit　that　had　inspired　office…wide
  panic；　frenzied　preparations；　even　makeup　and　wardrobe　adjustments；
  had　lasted　just　under　four　minutes；　and　had　taken　place—as　far　as　my
  inexperienced　eyes　could　see—for　absolutely　no　reason　whatsoever。
  8
  “Don’t　look　now；”　James　said；　his　mouth　as　immobile　as　a
  ventriloquist’s；　“but　I　spy　Reese　Witherspoon　at　three　o’clock。”
  I　swiveled　immediately　as　he　cringed　in　embarrassment；　and；　sure
  enough；　there　she　was；　sipping　a　glass　of　champagne　and　throwing　her
  head　back　in　laughter。　I　didn’t　want　to　be　impressed；　but　I　couldn’t
  help　it：　she　was　one　of　my　favorite　actresses。
  “James；　darling；　I’m　so　glad　you　could　make　it　to　my　little　party；”
  quipped　a　thin；　beautiful　man　who　came　up　behind　us。　“And　who　do　we
  have　here？”　They　kissed。
  “Marshall　Madden；　color　guru；　this　is　Andrea　Sachs。　Andrea　is
  actually—”
  “Miranda’s　new　assistant；”　Marshall　finished；　smiling　at　me。　“I’ve
  heard　all　about　you；　little　one。　Wele　to　the　family。　I　do　hope
  you’ll　e　visit　me。　I　promise　that　together　we　can；　um；　smooth
  over　your　look。”　He　ran　his　hand　lovingly　over　my　scalp　and　picked
  up　the　ends　of　my　hair；　which　he　immediately　held　up　against　the
  roots。　“Yes；　just　a　touch　of　something　honey…colored　and　you’ll　be
  the　next　supermodel。　Get　my　number　from　James；　OK；　sweetie；　and　e
  see　me　anytime　you　get　a　minute。　Probably　easier　said　than　done！”　he
  sang　as　he　floated　toward　Reese。
  James　sighed　and　looked　on　wistfully。　“He’s　a　master；”　he　breathed；
  “simply　the　best。　The　ultimate。　A　man　among　boys；　to　say　the　least。
  And　gorgeous。”　A　man　among　boys？　Funny。　Whenever　anyone　had　used
  that　phrase　before；　I’d　always　pictured　Shaquille　O’Neal　making　a
  move　toward　the　hoop　against　a　small　power　forward—not　a　colorist。
  “He’s　definitely　gorgeous；　I’ll　agree　with　you　there。　Have　you　ever
  dated　him？”　It　seemed　like　the　perfect　match：　the　associate　beauty
  editor　ofRunway　dating　the　most　sought…after　colorist　in　the　free
  world。
  “I　wish。　He’s　been　with　the　same　guy　for　four　years　now。　Do　you
  believe　it？　Four　years。　Since　when　are　hot　gay　men　allowed　to　be
  monogamous？　It’s　just　not　fair！”
  “Hey；　I　hear　you。　Since　when　are　hot　straight　men　allowed　to　be
  monogamous？　Well；　unless　they’re　being　monogamous　with　me；　that　is。”
  I　took　a　long　drag　from　my　cigarette　and　blew　out　a　near…perfect
  smoke　ring。
  “So　admit　it；　Andy。　Tell　me　you’re　glad　you　came　tonight。　Tell　me
  this　isn’t　the　greatest　party　ever；”　he　said；　smiling。
  I’d　grudgingly　decided　to　go　with　James　after　Alex　had　canceled；
  mostly　because　he　wouldn’t　leave　me　alone。　It　seemed　utterly
  impossible　that　a　single　interesting　thing　would　transpire　at　a
  party　for　a　book　about　highlights；　but　I　had　to　admit　that　I’d　been
  surprised。　When　Johnny　Depp　had　e　over　to　say　hi　to　James；　I　was
  shocked　that　he　not　only　seemed　to　have　a　full　mand　of　the
  English　language；　but　had　even　managed　a　few　funny　jokes。　And　it　was
  intensely　gratifying　to　see　that　Gisele；　the　Ittest　It　girl　of　all
  current　It　girls；　was　downright　short。　Of　course　it　would’ve　been
  even　nicer　to　discover　that　she　was　secretly　squat；　too；　or　had　a
  major　acne　problem　that　had　all　been　airbrushed　out　in　her　gorgeous
  cover　shoots；　but　I’d　settle　for　short。　All　in　all；　it　hadn’t　been　a
  bad　hour　and　a　half　so　far。
  “I’m　not　sure　I’d　go　that　far；”　I　said；　leaning　toward　him　to　catch
  a　glimpse　of　a　great　looking　guy　who　appeared　to　be　sulking　in　the
  corner　near　the　book　table。　“But　it　hasn’t　been　quite　as　disgusting
  as　I’d　imagined。　And　besides；　I’m　up　for　anything　after　the　day　I’ve
  had。”
  After　Miranda　had　made　her　rather　abrupt　departure　after　her　rather
  abrupt　arrival；　Emily　informed　me　that　that　night　would　be　the　first
  time　I　would　have　to　bring　“the　Book”　to　Miranda’s　apartment。　The
  Book　was　a　large　wire…bound　collection　of　pages　as　big　as　a
  phonebook；　in　which　each　current　issue　ofRunway　was　mocked　up　and
  laid　out。　She　explained　that　no　substantial　work　could　get　done　each
  day　until　after　Miranda　left；　because　all　of　the　art　people　and
  editorial　people　spent　all　day　long　consulting　with　her；　and　she
  changed　her　mind　every　hour。　Therefore；　when　Miranda　left　around
  five　each　day　to　spend　some　time　with　the　twins；　the　real　day’s　work
  would　begin。　The　art　department　would　craft　their　new　layout　and
  input　any　new　photos　that　had　e　in；　and　editorial　would　tweak　and
  print　any　copy　that　had　finally；　finally；　gotten　Miranda’s
  approval—a　giant；　looping　“MP”　scrawled　across　the　entire　first
  page。　Every　editor　would　send　all　the　day’s　new　changes　to　the　art
  assistant；　who；　hours　after　nearly　everyone　else　had　left；　would　run
  the　images　and　layouts　and　words　through　a　small　machine　that　waxed
  the　backs　of　the　pages　and　pressed　them　onto　their　appropriate　page
  in　the　Book。　It　was　then　my　job　to　take　the　Book　up　to　Miranda’s
  apartment　whenever　it　was　finished—anywhere　in　the　eight　to　elevenP
  。M。　range；　depending　on　where　in　the　production　process　we　were—at
  which　point　she’d　mark　it　all　up。　She’d　bring　it　back　the　next　day；
  and　the　entire　staff　would　go　through　the　whole　thing　again。
  When　Emily　overheard　me　tell　James　that　I’d　go　to　the　party　with　him
  after　all；　she　jumped　right　in。　“Um；　you　know　you　can’t　go　anywhere
  until　the　Book’s　finished；　right？”
  I　stared。　James　looked　as　though　he　might　tackle　her。
  “Yeah；　I　have　to　say；　this　is　the　part　of　your　job　I’m　most　happy　to
  be　done　with。　It　can　get　really；　really　late　sometimes；　but　Miranda
  needs　to　see　it　every　single　night；　you　know。　She　works　from　Home。
  Anyway；　I’ll　wait　with　you　tonight　and　show　you　how　to　do　it；　but
  then　you’re　on　your　own。”
  “OK；　thanks。　Any　idea　when　it’ll　be　finished　tonight？”