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Mirana's phone buzzing on the nightstand causes her to put down her makeup brush before grabbing her phone.
"Luce?"
"Code Purple!" Lucy hisses down the phone.
"Oh god," Mirana says. "Is it like the time your dad forgot her birthday or-?"
"That remains unclear,"
"Need me to come over and tell her all of my trauma to get her off your back?" Mirana asks.
"After shift please,"
"Of course," Mirana nods. "I'm really looking forward to it"
"A little less sarcasm when you're here,"
"She loves it when I'm sarcastic," Mirana says, pulling her trousers up her legs. "Defence mechanisms to protect my damaged inner child is what she said last time"
"Alright, she's coming, I've gotta go. Bye!"
"What's going on?" Tim asks, handing Mirana a mug of coffee.
"Mrs Chen has shown up at Lucy's apartment," Mirana says. "So tonight I have got to sit through una sesion de terapia"
"Why?" Tim asks.
"Lucy's parents love me," Mirana explains. "Not because of my friendship with Lucy but because of my abundance of trauma. Direct quote by the way"
"So you're a buffer?" Tim asks.
"I don't mind," Mirana shrugs. "The way Lucy's parents speak to her-"
Mirana cuts herself off, shaking her head as she grabs a t-shirt.
"If being there makes it a little easier for Lucy, then I'm more than happy to play the role of the damaged friend."
"You're a good friend, you know that?"
"Well, someone has to keep her parents distracted from her personal life. Might as well be me considering nearly all of my familial relations are a dumpster fire."
"Have you heard anything from Carlos?" Tim asks.
"No, thankfully," Mirana says. "Wesley got him off. Somehow"
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"You won't believe this!" Lucy exclaims, sliding her phone into her pocket as she approaches Mirana and Tim.
"Is it something really small?" Mirana asks.
"My dad didn't get her a bagel!" Lucy waves her arms around as she talks. "All of this over a bagel!"
"Just tell her to leave," Tim suggests.
"Oh you do not tell Mrs Chen to do anything," Mirana shakes her head. "The last time she stayed with us I told her to clean the coffee out of the maker after she used it. She then told me I have organizational issues because my childhood was so disorganized so I need to feel in control of my environment"
"She might be right," Tim says and Mirana glares at him. "I mean how dare she?"
Lucy rolls her eyes. "Thanks for the sympathy."
"I'm just saying, maybe it's not about the bagel," Tim adds. "Maybe there's a deeper issue there."
"Tim's right," Jackson says, joining the conversation. "Mrs. Chen might be using the bagel as an excuse. There's probably something else bothering her."
Lucy looks at them both. "You guys are way too understanding. I just want her to leave and let me live my life."
Mirana pats Lucy on the back. "Hang in there, Luce. We'll get through this together. You know my favourite thing in this world is scaring mothers away"
As they head into the station, Tim chuckles. "Your friendship with Chen is something else."
Mirana grins. "What can I say? It's never a dull moment. We've known each other for nearly una decada"
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"Why are we here?" Tim asks, looking at the small floristry shop.
"You'll see," Mirana says, walking into the shop.
"Officers!" A man behind the counter beams at them. "How can I help you today?"
"Hold it!" Mirana points at the young man trying to leave the shop with a bouquet. "Come here"
The man walks over and Mirana takes the bouquet from him.
"Leave," Mirana says to the young man who doesn't waste a second scurrying out of the shop.
Tim moves to stand by the door, making sure people don't come in. Mirana rifles through the bouquet, grabbing the small sachet of flower food. Tim watches as Mirana pulls on gloves before opening the sachet and pouring the contents onto the counter.
"Now," Mirana says. "I can go and get that tested or you agree to tell me what I need to know when I need to know it"
"You mean become a CI?" The man asks.
"The FBI and the DEA know this is how Rafael imports his goods and have a whole task force ready," Mirana says. "I've known for much longer"
"You're Elian's kid," The man says.
"That's me," Mirana nods.
"What if I don't agree?"
"Then the FBI storms this place and I make sure that word on the street is you gave this place up," Mirana smiles at the man. "Now I wonder what Rafael would do if he heard that?"
"You could have run this whole business, not Rafael," The man says. "Why didn't you?"
"Becoming Griselda was never an aspiration of mine," Mirana says. "So what do you say?"
"Fine, I'll do it," The man says.
"I need your name," Mirana says.
"Anton Castaneda," Anton says and Mirana writes his name down before writing her cell number on a piece of paper.
"Here," Mirana hands him the slip of paper. "If I ever need you, I'll come and find you"
Mirana walks out of the shop, a triumphant grin on her face as she turns to face Tim.
