04-04-2019, 04:18 PM
Helen took the microphone again. (You all get that "Helen" is Rita by now, right? I'd hate to have lost you there.)
"Thank you again, Susan." She said into the mike. "I know you always have their best interests at heart. That's why I want you to be Vincenzo's godmother. And I'm sure you all know that my oldest, dearest friend in the world; the great American artist Julie Equals, is going to be Byroni's." She looked directly at Lucinda. "Of course, it won't be OFFICIAL until the actual ceremony down at the cathedral, and that might matter to SOME people, but I know that it's what's in your heart that matters." She turned back to me with a loving smile. "And I can see that they'll forever reign in your heart as they do in mine." She turned back to the crowd.
"Some have speculated as to who their godfathers will be. I haven't said anything to the public yet, because I felt that a matter worth serious consideration: Which man in this world do I trust enough to safeguard my boys' souls? And why it's taken me this long to answer that is because the answer was so obvious that I wanted to give other ideas a sporting chance first. I did so, to be fair, and that one name continued to stand out in my mind. The only man that I COULD trust with their future: Generalissimo Hernando Ramirez, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of San Finzione."
Helen gave a few seconds' pause to let the murmurs pass through the crowd before resuming.
"I know that he is the best choice, as he was for the task of defending the entire nation. Some have always questioned his choice for the task, but I never will." She looked to Lucinda again for the conclusion.
"I have faith in him, you see."
That was my secondary objective. It was time for the People to let up on Ramirez. I'd called him and asked if he'd wanted to be a part of things tonight. He thanked me, but rightly pointed out that he's a busy man who doesn't have time for this sort of thing and wasn't why he gave me his direct number. He didn't disapprove of my plan, though. And I knew Helen would like the idea and go along. The whole "bringing our weird little family unit closer together" thing was Helen's primary reason for going through with a baptism. And the Generalissimo is at least a peripheral member of that family. A move like this would restore the People's confidence in him. He agreed to that part of the plan, at least.
While we'd been talking, Jeanne pushed the stroller over by the door closest to us. She bent down, made a sniffing noise, and picked up young Lord Vincenzo. She held him for a second, and then he started fussing, like Byroni did when I took him away from his brother for too long. Looking back down in the stroller, I saw that same look on his tiny face. Jeanne was about to put Vincenzo back down, when I gave her a little hand signal not to. This was the next, most essential step of the plan.
"After we've made our points," I told them back before all of this. "The next part relies on the twins. Luckily, it's a job that newborn babies are totally up for: Give Mommy any excuse whatsoever to take them out of the room." The fussing soon evolved into crying from both of them, giving Helen that excuse.
"I'm sorry, everyone." Helen told the room. "They're babies, they do this kind of thing. We kind of thought something like this might happen. Luckily, Lucinda was kind enough to provide us with a Plan B for the evening. I'm afraid bedtime is going to have to come a bit early. What're ya gonna do, ya know? Susan, dear, would you be so kind as to take charge?"
I nodded. Helen returned the microphone to the stand. She walked over to Jeanne and the babies, made some shushing noises, and the two of them proceeded to push the stroller out together as Rita Delvecchio made her exit from the scene.
And with that, I stepped up to the microphone and proceeded to take charge.
* * *
"Thank you everyone." I said to the room. "Lucinda." I stopped to mention by name. I looked over at her, trying to play cool, but also trying to figure out what "her" Plan B was. Now it was time for MY educational gift to her.
"I guess you were right, Lucinda. It WAS foolish to expect month-old babies to be ready for something like this."
Right on cue, Colleen poked her head out of one of the kitchen exits and gave me a signal. Stavro entered the room with Maria and did the same.
"Contessa Helena de San Finzione is," I told the crowd. "Above all else, the servant of The People. She has always been deeply concerned that their voices be heard. Why, she went so far as to create a Citizens' Grievance Office for that very purpose; to make certain the voices that need hearing the most get heard. When La Contessa mentioned to Lucinda that the boys might not be ready for such fine company as your illustrious selves, Lucinda came up with a brilliant idea to turn it to our advantage. After all, is not the motto of La Familia de San Finzione Malum Pro Bono Mutuamur?" ("We Derive Good from Evil." A long time ago, I said that harnessing evil for good seemed to be the San Finzione way. That was more literal than it may have sounded at the time.)
While I'd been talking, the kitchen staff finished bringing out the trolleys full of what Maria had asked them to stay late earlier to make. It was time to reveal what the signs I'd put up to replace the ones leading to the reception said.
"And so, for the next two hours, I'd like to welcome you all to 'Lucinda de San Finzione, in conjunction with the Citizen's Grievance Office presents A Lock-In With La Familia!"
This was what I needed Stavro and Colleen for, and why I needed to see if the castle had a couple of extra buses on hand. They drove the two largest ones back to Stavro's office, and that's when the Citizens' Grievance Office went to work; calling up everyone on lists C, and especially D, and inviting them to an opportunity to take up their grievances with a member of La Familia directly. As it happened, a number of their grievances happened to BE with members who would be in attendance, and the two buses were swiftly filled, thanks to Colleen's experience organizing a lot of cranky people in and out of large vehicles. (Colleen was a flight attendant when she and Helen met. Now she's the head of HR for Air Finzione. Good things happen when these people like you.)
"Thank you again, Susan." She said into the mike. "I know you always have their best interests at heart. That's why I want you to be Vincenzo's godmother. And I'm sure you all know that my oldest, dearest friend in the world; the great American artist Julie Equals, is going to be Byroni's." She looked directly at Lucinda. "Of course, it won't be OFFICIAL until the actual ceremony down at the cathedral, and that might matter to SOME people, but I know that it's what's in your heart that matters." She turned back to me with a loving smile. "And I can see that they'll forever reign in your heart as they do in mine." She turned back to the crowd.
"Some have speculated as to who their godfathers will be. I haven't said anything to the public yet, because I felt that a matter worth serious consideration: Which man in this world do I trust enough to safeguard my boys' souls? And why it's taken me this long to answer that is because the answer was so obvious that I wanted to give other ideas a sporting chance first. I did so, to be fair, and that one name continued to stand out in my mind. The only man that I COULD trust with their future: Generalissimo Hernando Ramirez, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of San Finzione."
Helen gave a few seconds' pause to let the murmurs pass through the crowd before resuming.
"I know that he is the best choice, as he was for the task of defending the entire nation. Some have always questioned his choice for the task, but I never will." She looked to Lucinda again for the conclusion.
"I have faith in him, you see."
That was my secondary objective. It was time for the People to let up on Ramirez. I'd called him and asked if he'd wanted to be a part of things tonight. He thanked me, but rightly pointed out that he's a busy man who doesn't have time for this sort of thing and wasn't why he gave me his direct number. He didn't disapprove of my plan, though. And I knew Helen would like the idea and go along. The whole "bringing our weird little family unit closer together" thing was Helen's primary reason for going through with a baptism. And the Generalissimo is at least a peripheral member of that family. A move like this would restore the People's confidence in him. He agreed to that part of the plan, at least.
While we'd been talking, Jeanne pushed the stroller over by the door closest to us. She bent down, made a sniffing noise, and picked up young Lord Vincenzo. She held him for a second, and then he started fussing, like Byroni did when I took him away from his brother for too long. Looking back down in the stroller, I saw that same look on his tiny face. Jeanne was about to put Vincenzo back down, when I gave her a little hand signal not to. This was the next, most essential step of the plan.
"After we've made our points," I told them back before all of this. "The next part relies on the twins. Luckily, it's a job that newborn babies are totally up for: Give Mommy any excuse whatsoever to take them out of the room." The fussing soon evolved into crying from both of them, giving Helen that excuse.
"I'm sorry, everyone." Helen told the room. "They're babies, they do this kind of thing. We kind of thought something like this might happen. Luckily, Lucinda was kind enough to provide us with a Plan B for the evening. I'm afraid bedtime is going to have to come a bit early. What're ya gonna do, ya know? Susan, dear, would you be so kind as to take charge?"
I nodded. Helen returned the microphone to the stand. She walked over to Jeanne and the babies, made some shushing noises, and the two of them proceeded to push the stroller out together as Rita Delvecchio made her exit from the scene.
And with that, I stepped up to the microphone and proceeded to take charge.
* * *
"Thank you everyone." I said to the room. "Lucinda." I stopped to mention by name. I looked over at her, trying to play cool, but also trying to figure out what "her" Plan B was. Now it was time for MY educational gift to her.
"I guess you were right, Lucinda. It WAS foolish to expect month-old babies to be ready for something like this."
Right on cue, Colleen poked her head out of one of the kitchen exits and gave me a signal. Stavro entered the room with Maria and did the same.
"Contessa Helena de San Finzione is," I told the crowd. "Above all else, the servant of The People. She has always been deeply concerned that their voices be heard. Why, she went so far as to create a Citizens' Grievance Office for that very purpose; to make certain the voices that need hearing the most get heard. When La Contessa mentioned to Lucinda that the boys might not be ready for such fine company as your illustrious selves, Lucinda came up with a brilliant idea to turn it to our advantage. After all, is not the motto of La Familia de San Finzione Malum Pro Bono Mutuamur?" ("We Derive Good from Evil." A long time ago, I said that harnessing evil for good seemed to be the San Finzione way. That was more literal than it may have sounded at the time.)
While I'd been talking, the kitchen staff finished bringing out the trolleys full of what Maria had asked them to stay late earlier to make. It was time to reveal what the signs I'd put up to replace the ones leading to the reception said.
"And so, for the next two hours, I'd like to welcome you all to 'Lucinda de San Finzione, in conjunction with the Citizen's Grievance Office presents A Lock-In With La Familia!"
This was what I needed Stavro and Colleen for, and why I needed to see if the castle had a couple of extra buses on hand. They drove the two largest ones back to Stavro's office, and that's when the Citizens' Grievance Office went to work; calling up everyone on lists C, and especially D, and inviting them to an opportunity to take up their grievances with a member of La Familia directly. As it happened, a number of their grievances happened to BE with members who would be in attendance, and the two buses were swiftly filled, thanks to Colleen's experience organizing a lot of cranky people in and out of large vehicles. (Colleen was a flight attendant when she and Helen met. Now she's the head of HR for Air Finzione. Good things happen when these people like you.)
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