all in favor | ian gallagher

HUMAN DECENCY [THREE]

Levelheaded people would call authorities in the case that a person they know goes missing or doesn't come home for longer than normal. With Gretchen, she wasn't too concerned. Or, as a matter of fact, concerned at all. Her children were obedient and she trusted them to no end.

News got out a week later about how her daughter was at the house where the police had arrived.

Once she read the title of the daily newspaper that morning, Gretchen sent her other kids to track her down. While they left, she and her husband kept an eye on their own home.

Little did Petal know that her siblings were on their way to debunk every myth they had heard. For the time being she had decided to stay with the Gallaghers, sleeping on their couch and cooking her own food although Ian offered to make her breakfast every morning.

Directly by his side is where she felt most safe and content. Ian could say the same.

"Someone's at the door," murmured Fiona plainly, sighing to herself as she scrubbed off the dish she'd ate on.

A clink blew across their kitchen when two spoons fell onto the floor. Carl apologized for the startle it gave everyone before giving Debbie her silverware and placing his bowl in the sink.

Liam, who was still significantly little, sat next to a pile of blocks and flipped them all over to entertain himself. Letters and numbers were on the back side. He pursed his lips at the sight of Petal, not fully knowing who she was but still taking a liking to her.

"Hello, Liam," she beamed, crouching to be at his eye level. She had learned of his name when she'd first got there.

The young boy acknowledged her with a small grin and handed her a block. "Play wit' me."

Petal began to say each number aloud while tying her shoelaces, knowing that she'd have to stop by the Kash 'N Grab later for more food. No matter how much fun she was having with the Gallaghers, she remained respectful toward them by sparing them any expenses.

Lip complained as another round of knocks sang through the front door like carolers. His palm wrapped around the knob and turned it, revealing whoever was waiting on the porch. A set of twins glared straight at him.

"I think you've got the wrong house," he told them, folding his arms over his chest.

One of the twins - the taller one - scoffed and welcomed himself inside the house.

"Is my sister here?"

Dumbfounded, Lip turned to face Petal. That's when he realized that her siblings had somehow found their address and were taking her home. He knew these were her siblings because the three of them had resemblance between their features.

Wavy hair, round heads, and plump cheeks. Was she a triplet?

"We're going home," the other one sneered, pushing Lip out of her way and approaching her sister.

When Liam moved away from Petal, she became confused but felt the urge to dig her eyes out once her older brother spoke.

His fingers tugged on her wrist as he demanded, "Come on, let's go," under his breath.

Fiona blocked their path, her lips in a flat line. "Who's this?" she questioned Petal.

"Oh," replied the girl with a nervous chuckle, "this is my brother River."

River sent Fiona a mocking smile then proceeded to remove his sister from the area.

"And her?" Fiona added.