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[symphonyinme]

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Action, some time after Lucretia's post

[continuousgroaning]

[Tina had thought she'd hit rock bottom twice in this world- first when she found out that her friends, her caretakers, had killed people. But she'd been able to reconcile that and bounce back. The second time was when she realized she could no longer make excuses for Jimmy Jr., realized how much time she'd wasted on him. She's still getting over that, and it's still bad, but this... this is a million times worse.

Tina's grateful her mother's here, and by the time they get home, it's late, and there are things to do and conversations to be had. But once things have settled and it's bedtime, Linda will find an upset teenager crawling into bed with her, desperate for her mom's comfort. Tina's just... silent. She's not even groaning. She's too shocked to cry yet.]

[symphonyinme]

Wha?

[True to form, it takes until Tina is fully in the bed for Lin to even notice, and another little bit for her to piece together what's happening. That it's not just another 'crash the bed' night at home- they're in this new, strange place and this is the first time Tina's crawled into bed with her. It might be a thing.]

What's goin' on?

[continuousgroaning]

Archie's dead.

[And speaking it aloud has somehow made it real, much more real than Lucretia saying it ever did, and Tina begins to shiver, though it's quite warm in the room.]

[symphonyinme]

[Linda snuggles her close, more instinct than thought. None of her children were in immediate danger, which meant she hadn't quite hit 'MUST WAKE UP NOW' mode. She doesn't put together the name with the man she'd met, not yet.]

Aw. From one of your shows or something?

[continuousgroaning]

[Tina almost wants to laugh. Almost. Because it's grounding that her mom is here, and very much herself.]

No. My friend Archie. From here. You've met him.

[symphonyinme]

[Well. This was enough to get her to at least pre-coffee stage of awake. Without moving too much, not risking pushing Tina away at all, she tries to look down at her daughter's face.

Mostly she gets hair in her nose. But she tried.]

What d'ya mean dead, honey? Like he's not answering the phone?

[continuousgroaning]

[Again, it's all Tina can do to not burst into hysterical laughter at that. Maybe she should, she thinks.]

No, I mean... dead. Like, we'd find him on Mort's table dead.

[And that's when the groaning begins.]

[symphonyinme]

What were you kids doing looking at Mort's table-

[It wasn't the point. It was so far beyond the point, but Linda couldn't help the instinct to investigate what they'd been up to that they shouldn't have been.]

No, no. Never mind. Why do you think that, honey?

[continuousgroaning]

Oh, I didn't mean... that place creeps me out, it's just... me trying to help... uhhhhh...

[She takes a deep breath.]

Lucretia said so.

[symphonyinme]

[ That was an adult. Linda went silent for a moment- mostly, there was a thinking noise from time to time. She hadn't expected having to give the death talk alone. Had always figured it'd be about one of her parents (or god forbid, Gayle one too many dead cats down the line), not a fully healthy adult....friend of Tina's.

That she'd met. She let out a small sniffle, holding her daughter closer and missing Bobby.]

That's awful, honey.

[continuousgroaning]

[Tina just closes her eyes a moment, listening to the sounds of her mom breathing, the thinking noises, the little rustles as she moves around, things that are so tiny but are normal and familiar, and the shivering stops. In fact, now Tina's feeling a hot rush of anger.]

It's not fair. It's awful and it's wrong and it's not fair!

[symphonyinme]

Yeah! Stupid world!

[There's still a sad note, and a near death grip on holding her Tina close, but Lin can get behind this anger game. Tell her who to write a strongly worded letter to! She'll go down and kick their butt!]

This place stinks like- like that time Louise filled the sink with old meat.

[continuousgroaning]

[That actually startles a laugh out of Tina as she remembers that, and something else-]

Oh, God. Or that time she and Gene made that stop motion movie with Meat Man. I mean, I wasn't there for it, but I can't imagine what that smelled like.

[symphonyinme]

Aw, like dreams left out in the rain. And covered in rotten eggs.

[It was still a good memory. The cleaning up? Not so much. But so was theater.]

You wanna stay here for a few days, baby? Right in bed?

[continuousgroaning]

[Tina's response is to take her glasses off, set them on the nightstand, and just... kinda cling to her mom.]

Maybe for the rest of my life. ... OK, not that long. But a few days sounds good.

[symphonyinme]

Okay, you stay right here with me. And we'll let the big stupid world go without us. For a while.

[a week or so, maybe. Now they didn't have the family business, she was willing to miss a bit more than normal. Especially for something like this.]

[continuousgroaning]

I'm so glad you're here.

[Tina closes her eyes, taking a deep breath, already feeling herself starting to drift off. The shock has drained a lot of her energy.]

I just want to go to sleep...

VOICEMAIL

[burlyboy]

Hey, Linnnnnnnddddaaaaaa...

[ There's a period of silence. It's too long. ]

...I was trying to think up a fun nickname, but I should've probably done that before I called. Anyway, you and me keep talking over farspeech, but we've never actually hang out! So this is my official invitation to do that. Call me back!

[symphonyinme]

Balinda, Banana-fanna-bo-Finda, me-my-mo-Minda- that's just a start, ha!

Don't know about farspeech...but you wanna adults night out?

[burlyboy]

[ Magnus chuckles. ] Lady, you've got the magic touch!

But yeah, that's what I'm saying. Grown-ups night out, you and me. Kid won't even miss us with everyone else around.

when it takes a few minutes to figure out how to spell the sound she makes

[symphonyinme]

Grawh! Yeah! Oh, I haven't been on a girls night in- oof. Since I had my girls.

she's the queen of "how do you make that sound with your mouth"

[burlyboy]

We-ell, I can't help you on the girl front unless I'm an honorary gal pal for the night. Which I can do!

[ He chuckles, cheerfully enough. ]

Where d'you usually go on those things?

[symphonyinme]

Dinner theater! There's gotta be a place- you shave your legs, I'll pick you up.

[burlyboy]

I am not shaving my legs, because my leg hair is both a beautiful and integral part of me, but I will see you later!

ooc

[symphonyinme]

Should we start up a new log or does Mags have a post this month?

[burlyboy]

Let's do a separate log! Do you mind setting it up?

[symphonyinme]

aaand at long last here we go

[burlyboy]

THANK U DEAR

DELIVERY

[burlyboy]

[ Happy Candlenights! Linda will receive a bottle of wine in a hand-carved rack for bottles and wine glasses. Drink up, you Cool Mom you! ]