Killer Heels and Prada

Chapter 34

  Caroline and Cassidy vowed not to leave Miranda's side, and they didn't. They took turns laying in the bed with Miranda, each time one of them cuddled into her side they fell asleep, and Miranda felt some reassurance from that, but only a little. It had been three hours since they had taken Claudia away to put her on a ventilator, it was now two-thirty in the morning. James sat in a chair next to Miranda's bed, as alert as ever, while Nigel sat in a chair on the opposite side, and he currently had Caroline asleep in his lap while Cassidy slept next to Miranda in the bed.

"Miranda darling I know your exhausted, why don't you try and get some rest?" James said soothingly. "I can't James, we don't know what's wrong with her and I haven't heard anything from anybody in over an hour!" Miranda said her temper beginning to rise. "Darling, I promise as soon as something is heard I will wake you up, what good will you do any of the children if you're completely worn out?" James asked. "James..." Miranda was cut off by Nigel. "You know what gorgeous, James is right, you need some rest, and so do these two. They are worn out. My place is not far from here, as you know, so why don't I take them back to my place and let them get a few descent hours of shut eye, and then bring them back here?" Nigel inquired. Miranda looked down at Cassidy, sleeping so peacefully, the thought of having them away from her right now caused her heart to clench but she nodded her head. "Yes, that's a good idea, thank you Nigel." Miranda said quietly. "I help you carry them to your car, there's no need to wake them up right now if we can avoid it." James said and went over and carefully lifted Cassidy from Miranda's side, Nigel had stood up with Caroline in his arms and they headed towards the door. "I'll be right back sweetheart." James said and left the room.

About a minute after they had left the room a nurse wheeled a bassinet into the room with a crying little girl inside. "Ms. Priestly, your little one is very unhappy right now, she is hungry and misses her mommy." The nurse positioned the hospital bed to where Miranda was sitting up and handed her Catherine. "Is there any word on my other daughter?" Miranda asked hopefully but the nurse just shook her head and left the room. Miranda's blood began to boil as she pulled the ties of her gown and exposed a breast to her daughter. Miranda couldn't help but smile as she watched Catherine feed. However, she had had enough. There was no reason for her NOT to have an update on Claudia. James came back into the room just as Catherine finished nursing. "Darling, will you take her, and burp her please?" Miranda asked and James walked over and took Catherine from Miranda's arms and began patting her back. Miranda tied her gown back up as a nurse came in to take Catherine back to the nursery. "Ms. Priestly, you look exhausted, you need to get some rest." the nurse said, and that was the last straw. James saw Miranda's eyes go cold and hard. "Uh oh, this will not be good." He thought and held Catherine tighter.

"Rest? You want me to rest?" Miranda said in her RUNWAY tone. James saw the woman visibly shiver." "My other child is currently on a ventilator, and I have yet to be informed of anything regarding Claudia's situation, and you expect me to get some rest?" Miranda's nostril's flared and she continued. "I am exhausted, and rest would be lovely, however because the entire staff of this hospital, including you, is entirely incompetent and can not seem to give a worried mother a simple update on her child. I have asked several times if there is any word on my daughter and every. Single. Time. There is only a shake of all of your heads. Now, I suggest you let James take our daughter back to the nursery, while you go and get an update on my other daughter's condition, and you had better be back with a report by the time James gets back otherwise the only job you are ever going to be able to perform in a hospital again is scrubbing the toilets with your tooth brush." Miranda finished and the woman shook. "I....I...I...d..d...don't think....you..h..h...ave that much...infl..uence." The woman stuttered and Miranda sneered. "I contribute more money to this hospital every year than you can imagine, the hospital board considers me to be a dear friend, do not underestimate me." Miranda said and the nurse nodded and quickly scurried off. "Darling, will you please go and put Catherine back in the nursery?" Miranda asked. James shook his head and smiled. "It amazes me how badly you manage to scare the hell out of people." James said and grinned. "You have never frightened me." he added. "Darling, you have worked under my aunt for how many years now? Plus you have been dealing with the mob, and attempted world take overs for quite sometime, I'm sure even I, the dragon lady who breathes fire, the snow queen with the heart of ice, pales in comparison." Miranda said wearily. James put Catherine in her bassinet and chuckled. "Darling, I'm not denying that you don't breathe fire, the last couple of minutes proves that, however, I know for a fact that you do not have a heart of ice." James said and kissed her and began wheeling Catherine out of the room. "I'll be back shortly your highness." Miranda chuckled despite herself as the door closed.