Of course it had to be Cate Blanchett

Chapter 1

Cub reporter of the New York Mirror, Andrea Sachs, left the newsroom and hurriedly descended the stairs to the ground floor and into the street. Being a cub reporter sucked to be honest. After almost a year there, she was still given menial tasks, obituaries and filling news she was sure were so minor that she'd eat her purse if more than a dozen people read them. BUT she had a steady income while clawing her way up the tortuous world of journalism. 

When she was not at the office, Andrea had opted for poking and prodding around looking for freelance writing assignments, which had payed off quite well. People had started to recognize her byline not only in New York. She was beside herself when the Managing Editor from the Washington Post told her that even though they'd already chosen another article on the health care issue, he found her work very interesting and that he was looking forward to read her again and maybe, there could be a free space for her  in future editions.

Even the Cincinnati Enquirer had taken up two or three of her articles, introducing her as the most promising native writer of the year, which had prompted her father to phone her after long months of stubborn silence. Richard Sachs was sincerely proud and happy, he vowed to call her at least every week and he had been faithfully doing so since August. He apologised repeatedly to her and even visited New York twice, but her mother stayed pig-headed as usual. She couldn't  come to terms with the idea of her own daughter living with the Dragon Lady. She had been very clear during her call number who-knows-which that the older woman was only using her, that she'd chew her up and spew her out when she no longer needed her. So, things with her mother weren't exactly looking bright.

Wrapping her coat more firmly around her, she quicked her steps heading for the nearest Starbucks. Half an hour earlier she had received an e-mail saying that the New York Times editor had approved of her article and would be including it in the upcoming issue, and she wanted to share the news with Miranda. The queue was short and in no time she was in the street again, holding two cups of steaming coffee that would have to replace the champagne in a symbolic toast, at least until later that evening, when she was planning to indulge herself and drink and make love to her beautiful lover.

She entered the Elias-Clarke building, smiling warmly at the guards who returned her attentions and took the elevator. When the elevator pinged signaling the arrival, the brunette strode swiftly towards the editor's sanctuary firing a quick greeting to the second assistant at her former desk. She felt a surge of nostalgia at the sight of her previous work station but was quickly overpowered by the knowledge that she had traded her place in Miranda's office for a place in the editor's life, home and bed.

-"Morning, Anna" - she acknowledged the second assistant who was tiping away furiously. Anna had been a great addition to the staff. Where Janette (the first assistant) was talkative, she was poised and silent, she also struggled, as did her blonde colleague, to adjust to the pace at the office but she carried herself with so much grace that one could say she floated where Janette sprinted. 

-"Good morning, Miss Sachs. Ah, Miranda is not..." - she tried intercede but Andy was already going through the office doors, pushing them open with her hip while holding the coffee-

-"It's ok, I'll wait for her. And I told you to call me Andy" - she pointed good-naturedly - 

The brunette maneuvred to close the doors with her foot without spilling on the floor, her messenger bag dangling precariously on her shoulder, threatening with crashing on the floor with the journalist's notebook inside.

-"Aaah, damn!" 

-"Let me help you" - a soft unknown voice floated across the office - 

-"W-what?" - Andrea was starttled, she hadn't notice the blonde sitting on the coach near the window.