Title: Preparing for Yet Another New Era
Rating: M (Language & Situations)
A/N: Dick Wolf owns LOCI characters, all others are mine.
Starting two days after Tynie announced her absolute last advocacies were for Karrigan, she and her family noticed their area quickly becoming more barren. The traffic issues they'd adapted to, improved in kind. During a family meeting; Kiki asked around, to get their theories on why it's happening. "Sis, our area just got out of a major ATF operation, that was basically triggered by people fucking with Her Honor Byersworth. I know of three who learned, pulling that kind of shit redefines a dumbass move. There are probably a lot more, but you'll learn what I mean, shortly. Anyway, I'll bet they had it warped into a mass panic, that caused a royal fuckload of people to leave. Even if I'm wrong, I'm glad those assholes are gone, because it's liberated our lives of an escalated risk of wrecks, spiked ER visit chances, and higher insurance rates. We're entitled to this break from wondering when that'll repeat itself. I know it sounds vindictive, but I don't care, because those fuckwarts only cared about themselves. If that weren't the case, we wouldn't have needed my lawsuit threat style." Tynie decries. Quietly thinking that over, Kiki unwittingly gives Bobby a cue, to clear up his wife's remarks. Acting on it, he concludes "I know dealing with Sean may come with a learning curve, but I say we go with it, until he proves himself unworthy of our business." "If it comes to that, I'll find us a new gun dealer, and set meetings to go there." Frank adds. "I think we'd be safer splitting that, brother. No offense, but there are some things in question. Like, you guys having cars in the shop, or Tynie being admitted to St. Lucia's after one of her checkups." Mack protests. "Frank, aside from his point, you've let us use your name and NYPD rank for our gun cleaning kits. You may hate this, but it's why I'm taking your spot on this, and will text you if anything comes up when it's time to enforce it." La'Tario rebuffs. "Our preferences clashed, brother. You didn't know they would, but I'd rather ask Frank to teach me how to order the kits, and do it from then on. If he agrees, I'll ask Bill to use his veteran status on the gun dealer angle. Besides, your St. Lucia's example affects Frank's insurance, so it's only fair we find alternatives." Tia balks. "You just got me on board, sis." Bill sustains. "Sis, that makes two of us, but Tynie advised against us using the internet today. She found out, on our way here, there's major server maintenance going on. We don't know when it'll be done, so I'll text you to set a time for the lesson another day." Frank amends. "Alright." Tia gulps. "Guys, now that's basically settled, I'm curious. How else do you want to work with how our area's improved?" Keisha ponders. "I say we make our agenda out so the worst things we deal with are: medical appointments, and the risk of Tynie being admitted to St. Lucia's." Anita suggests. "She'sinspired an idea, guys. If it's cool with you, we could make it so Frank's plan leads into a rotation of vacations. We'd have to add restocks and house watching crews, though." Felicia notions. "We should put in a two business day gap, sis. Lord knows how clogged our area's internet will be, after the maintenance is done." Annalise cautions. "Guys, I think we should use her logic, to make it a full business week." Bobby hinders. "We could use that time to do housework and restocks." Alice discovers. "Barring cars needing towed into the shop, or other emergencies, of course." Davin adheres. "Brother, there's another way we can deal with the first one. If it hits, whoever's affected can text me, to have me bring over Taia's Suburban. She'll get emergency access to my Mazda in return, but Mack would need status reports. As you know, we made him main on our insurance, because of those scams targeting elders." Dean overrules. "If my baby's Suburban's affected, Mack will get urgent access to my BMW in exchange for his Explorer being used." Burt clarifies. "Guys, it's not fair to leave that plan all up to them. We should make theirs a guideline, and spread it across our houses." Alicia gripes. "How about this? We let Frank's house use this plan, and be the backup for this one, make my house Jeremiah's backup, and make La'Tario's the backup for DaJuan's. Of course, we'd have to reverse it, so all our houses can be restocked." Flo offers. "Sounds good to me." Burt rejoinders. "I'm in, too." DaJuan concurs. "Same here, guys." La'Tario assents. "As am I. How about you, Frank?" Liza challenges. "Definitely." Frank reckons. "Are you guys ok with using that system for setting up our vacations?" Alice poses. "Since we'd have to frame them around Tynie's checkups, yeah. She may hate it, but I'd rather she not reschedule unless shit goes live enough; to leave her no choice." Ted disqualifies. "I'm fine with that, brother. You weren't sure I would be, but it beats risking Dr. Perez believing we joined her patients who reschedule for petty ass reasons. Mack's reputation with her would be crucified by that, so you're absolutely right to advise we avoid it." Tynie rebukes. "Dr. Perez has had a lot of problems with those people lately. I know because her assistant Tori told me, during a call to confirm my baby's appointment, on our way here. I recommended she see about having them dropped for abusing the reschedule policy, and swore that barring dire emergencies: we'd be there Monday by one." Bobby indemnifies. "Smart moves, brother." Jack acclaims. "Why did I just get…" Tynie starts. "We shared it, but resolving it's my turf. All you have to do is, sit back and be ready to vouch my stepping in was consented." Jeremiah finishes. "If you need that while I'm here, just flip me off. If I'm not here, have Markus call my line for it. Liza and Tianna can get pissed at me for all they want, but I'm claiming it's because they're doing housework and can't use their phones." Tynie insists. "Hell, it could end up being true." Clint disregards. "That's why it's fine by me, brother." Liza demurs. "Same here." Tianna corrects.
Shrugging, Tynie gives Jeremiah a silent cue to prove himself, which is urgently obeyed. Waiting for his phone to be put away, Jeremiah's kin invokes silence, for nearly an hour. "What's the verdict?" Tynie goads. "Dr. Perez is reporting the people Bobby referenced for low-tier insurance fraud as I speak. They've abused her reschedule policy enough to warrant that, but you may get called by Markus in a few days." Jeremiah simplifies. Approving it by nodding, Tynie lets the topic drop, and leans against her husband. "Jeremiah, if I can help it, you and my baby aren't working again today. You just collaborated on a couple major issues, and the second one may change your timeline. I hope it doesn't, but that's why I'm not having you two work; unless I'm proven right, or an emergency arises." Bobby dictates. "Good call." Flo apprises. "Guys, I just realized. We didn't include Karrigan's retirement party in our plans." Keisha recalls. "I'll call a different family meeting to discuss it, after we hear the RICO case closed. We have to wait that out, to host the party anyway." Taia rescinds. "Ok." Keisha sighs. "Guys, that was another code. Roughly translated, Mom wants us to leave today's business where she and Bobby put it, and move our meeting to stuff like meals or poker games." DaJuan purports. "I caught it, too. Unless a storm strikes, I'll get Bill's permission to grill for that, and let Flo lead us on the rest. After all, she is the lady of this house." Mack verifies. "I'll let you, if I can be your backup, brother." Bill disclaims. "Just tell me when you want it started, and we'll have a deal." Mack compels.
Kissing his wife's cheek, Bill leaves his seat, to demonstrate the timing instead. Trailing that logic, Mack's greeted by Frank, whom makes the new deal a three way split. Behind their backs, Tia, Clint, Lori, Jack, Kiki, and Annalise divide most of the remaining parts of meal prep. "Dean, do you and Davin mind sharing cleanup with me?" Ted asks. "No. If Flo changes it for our next meal or poker games, I'm not disputing her decision. Mack was right, she is this house's lady, so it's an act of respect." Davin interferes. "He spoke for me, without knowing it, yet." Dean precludes. Shortly nodding, Ted reclines in his seat, spurning a chain reaction in the room. Ending it, Flo takes a hard look at Tynie, who's smirking. "What's on your mind, sis?" Flo worries. "I'm torn, sis. A big part of me stands by what I said about our area, and the rest wonders, how much you guys will let me do, now we don't have as much bullshit to handle." Tynie answers. "We'll show you, sis. That way, you know how to explain it to Dr. Perez, when you see her. Bobby may not realize he inspired this decision, but I owed him one, which is why I'm making it unilaterally." Ted intervenes. "We don't have to make unilateral decisions debt worthy, brother. We can just as easily make a rule where, we accept those, after we hear a good case for them. You did with that one; because the last things Dr. Perez needs right now is, problems with our insurance or the fire marshal." Tynie disapproves. "Sis, I'll get the others on board. You've done enough, especially since this is the second time you've basically covered Dr. Perez's ass in one day." Bill persists.
Perking her head up, Tia booms "Bill, I heard. She's right again, so if you'll clear it with everyone by you, I'll cover the rest." "Deal." Bill dubs. Separately enforcing it, Bill's kissed on the left cheek, moments before Tia reenters the room. Claiming her seat, she witnesses Jeremiah bring his phone to Tynie, whom proves their deal on his actions. "Doc, you had better timing than you thought. We're just about to have brunch, and we don't believe in using our phones during a meal. We know our phone insurer won't cover grease related damages, so we made the rule to avoid problems with them. You didn't know yet, which is fine. If you need this defended to anyone, I need called on my or Bobby's lines. Jeremiah may not like it, but I don't know if he'll be by me when that happens, so this is easier." Tynie redirects. "You've got it, Tynie. I hope you can let them know, I'm grateful for them backing you on this, because I just got a notice. The fire marshal's coming in Tuesday to reassess my waiting area, so it's capacity may get decreased. If it does, you'll have to cut the number of people you bring with you to your appointments down." Dr. Perez intercedes. "Doc, this is another time work arounds are a thing of the Gods. Now, I can tell my family, I'm only allowed to bring Bobby and Frank. As you know, Bobby's my husband, but Frank's main on our insurance. I'll advise the others to make a similar system, and update you, so you can note it for the fire marshal. If they ask, tell them my decision came down because I didn't want you having problems with them, when my family can just as easily use my preference for mains on insurance policies being present for appointments." Tynie reexamines. "Doc, I'll settle that after I get my phone back. As part of it, I have to figure out how I can repay Tia for moving our family meeting up so we could get this done, so you'll be updated another time." Jeremiah intrudes. "Alright, Jeremiah." Dr. Perez submits. Exchanging well wishes, Tynie hangs up, and returns the phone to it's rightful owner. Laying it aside, Jeremiah gazes to Tia, who resounds "If you'll get me a Sake King or Sapporo next time I'm at your house; I'll call it cleared." "Deal." Jeremiah restates. "Guys, I believe there's another work around. We could tell Dr. Perez, the fire marshal's links to Tynie's advice, made it take effect immediately. At least that way, today's business can be settled, until Dr. Perez is updated or needs defended." Keisha recognizes. "She's right, guys." Liza coaxes.
Settling it with nods, Tynie's family resumes their plan for this meal, as silence mostly surrounds them. Convening after cleanup's done, Bill retrieves the playing cards, so his wife can enact their deal on that part of the family's gathering. Enjoying some games, the only times it's interrupted are when brief kisses are shared, restroom trips are made, or the cards need shuffled and dealt. After the last game, Flo puts everything away, and recommends they have a round of Sake Kings, coffee and Sapporos. Arising from their seats, Frank, Burt and Markus head to make it happen. Serving everyone else, Markus waits until they're all seated, to raise his cup. Trailing that move, Davin sees it created a wave, then toasts "Pardon my sounding philosophical, guys. It's just, I've realized our area's improvement, kicked open the door to another new era. Hopefully, it lasts, so we don't have to keep our old public ways." "From your lips to Jesus and our guardian angels's ears, brother." Tynie wishes. Abruptly nodding, everyone by her silently admits, she spoke for them. Drinking as a group, no one speaks again, even during cleanup. When that came around, the spouses of those who got drinks, handled it. "Guys, the toast we had, left me curious. How else can we enjoy the new era, as a family?" Kiki ponders. "Simple. We keep the rules we have for shit like our insurance, and discuss how the others will be updated. That way, we'll all know how our houses will run, in case we have to explain it to Dr. Perez, the fire marshal; or God forbid the NYPD. Frankly, given our past with those bastards, I'd be much more comfortable defending this to the US Supreme Court." Tynie absolves. "I believe it'd be safe to say, we all would, sis." Bill presumes. "Show of hands. Who's willing to say he didn't just lie on our names?" Felicia challenges.
Raising hers, and gazing around the room, she learns it escorted in another consensus. Utilizing it as a cue, Flo begins the chat Tynie mentioned, which ends with another across the family agreement. One aspect means, they can be more affectionate as couples when they're together as a family, as long as it doesn't get into intimacies best suited for total privacy. The next, means their decisions on who's armed stand, and so does what Dr. Perez was told. The last, means their powers of attorney over household accounts will only be used in true emergencies; or to prevent them like Tynie did during Mack's wedding, and their deals for keeping the accounts current are still in effect. "Tynie, there's a base that hasn't been covered yet. How do we thank you, for basically jumping to lead us, this time?" Mack wonders. "It depends on if Flo's cool with us getting into her White Zin and Cabernet Sauvignon, brother. If her answer's yes, I'll have to find out if Bill and Kiki are OK with his Heinkens and her StarBars for home join it, then ask y'all to figure out the rest." Tynie extolls. "Guys, I may know why she picked those drinks. She probably did it, to thank our guardian angels, for helping us get to this point." Annalise guesses. "She may not have realized we'd see it that way, sis. It's fine, but it's also why I'm about to risk offending my inlaws, by saying it's an honor to have our drinks involved." Kiki garners. "You didn't lie, you just didn't know I'd have a condition, yet. It's fine, because now everyone's learning, I don't want the meaning of this, defamed by anyone worrying about IOU's or our restock list." Flo rebukes. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm not arguing that." Lori impedes. Answering in a chorus, nearly everyone else says "Neither am I." "If anything, I'm going to ask my baby, Jack, and La'Tario help me get this situated, and pray someone can come up with a toast." Frank conveys. "Got it covered." Bill teases. Nodding, Frank begins a chain of people who share in brief kisses, before his idea's made real. As soon as everybody's glasses are in the air, Bill toasts "Eddie, Jimmy, Kim, Timothy, Jeff, Ellen, and Dean.. Not the one by us, Dena and DonTarius: this one's for you. As Tynie essentially confessed, we wouldn't have made it this far without your guidance, so this is just one of many I'll ensure we have, as symbols of our gratitude. We may have to lean on Tynie's bartending history to prove it, down the line, though." "It'll be an honor, every time, brother." Tynie vows.
Grinning to each other, those two gaze amongst their kin, discovering it's a universal expression. Sipping this round, Tynie later rises to clean up, Jeremiah, Markus, and Tianna following her. "Dad, I need a favor. If you would, let Flo know I'm about to extend her ruling on the IOU's, so it covers a round of Hirohama's. I don't see a point in messing up her kitchen or Bill's grill, when I can just as easily turn our next meal into a reason why no one leaves for at least an hour." Tianna requests. "We actually have two reasons, sis. You guys know my views on any of us risking DWI's, especially trumped up ones. So technically, if Jeremiah clears your favor, my covering our tip can be a way of enforcing the vow I just made." Tynie alters. "Sis, even though I believe you're right on the technicality, I'm not having you prove it today. You and Dad spared Dr. Perez a world of problems, and you let that segue into us creating new family systems. Bill made the last one during his toast, so it's only right for me to take your place on this deal, and risk answering to him later." Markus dispures. "You didn't know yet, guys. I'd prefer to take lead on Tianna's decision, because concerns over respecting my and my honey's property; were linked to it. She and Tynie can return the favors, another day." Bill barks. "Not arguing." Tianna chimes. "Me either." Tynie negates.
Heading back to their seats, those four see Bill prove his promise, as everyone else goes quiet. Waiting for his call to end, Liza arranges for Bobby, Anita, Alice, and Mack to help get everything they'll need for this meal situated. Resolving most of it in stages, they witness Bill and Markus enforcing their deal on this delivery order, which is slightly changed by Ted rushing to lock up behind them. Enjoying the meal together, cleanup's done by the men in Liza's cited group, with Clint's help. "Sorry guys, I didn't feel right risking an ER visit fucking up our day." Clint justifies. "I don't blame you, brother." Mack refers. "He means we don't." Bobby amends. Exchanging a nod, they retreat to their family, who went silent in their absence. "We need to check on Tynie. She's done a lot, and my baby was right, about that risk." Tia blurts. "I'm on it now, sis." Bobby assents. Retaining his word, Bobby lets his kin know, his wife's fine. "Thank you God." Tia mutters. "She just inspired a new rule, guys. As of right now, you all have my consent to come up and check my heart rate whenever you fear a day's events will spike it so bad, my ass will land in that end of an ambulance. All I ask is, you update Bobby or Frank, and jump to use my lawsuit style on anyone who bitches about it when we're in public." Tynie chides. "Hell, that's reasonable." La'Tario reviews. Glancing amongst his loved ones, Burt receives several nods, leading him to say "Count us all in, sis." "Ok." Tynie rasps.
Allowing that to settle today's business, Tynie's family spends a few more hours together, enjoying each other's company. Deftly infusing periodic brief kisses and restroom trips into it, they convene to end the gathering by their norms. Shortly after arriving at their respective homes, those are secured, before the usual good night texts are sent. Alternating who stashes a phone, without knowing it, each household in Tynie's family moves their day ending regimen to the most private aspects. Engrossed in them, everyone from Tynie to Clint ignores the rest of the world, until they snuggle up. Delicately kissing, each couple vows love, covers up, and awaits slumber. Surrendering to it, snores echo around, as one fact runs through their minds:
A day that was grounded in preparing for another new era, ended just like many others, without incident