Southside ~ Shameless

Chapter 33

The Gallaghers and company made their way home that night, miserable and tired. Nick carried Carl into the house as he had fallen asleep in the back of his car.

"I'll clear the table," said Veronica when they entered the house with sullen expressions.

Nick carried Carl upstairs to his room followed by Ian who hadn't said a word since being at the hospital.

Kevin carried Liam upstairs while Veronica and Debbie began to clear the plates of food from the table.

Jimmy lingered behind them as Hollie and Fiona hesitantly walked into the kitchen which was still a mess with Monica's blood on the floor and cabinets.

"Debs bedtime," said Veronica when Debbie tried to enter the kitchen with some of the plates.

Jimmy passed them and grabbed a bucket, filling it with soapy water in the sink.

Hollie took her coat off and hung it up on the pegs by the back door before crouching down and picking up the bloody towels from the floor as Fiona grabbed the trash can from under the sink.

Fiona helped Hollie pick up the towels while Steve used a cloth and soapy water to clean the blood up from the floor. Tears stung her eyes, blurring her vision as she cleaned up the mess.

Fiona abruptly let out a sob, "fuck," she swore before composing herself and continuing to clean up.

Hollie had blocked out the voices around her as she cleaned up. She hadn't realised she'd been crying much until Nick came back downstairs and placed his hand on her arm, gently guiding her to her feet.

She choked out a sob as he wrapped his arms around her holding her to his chest.

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The kitchen was relatively quiet as they finished cleaning up. They had gotten rid of the blood. Fiona and Veronica were doing the dishes.

Jimmy was mopping. Nick and Kev had put all the tables and chairs back and put the furniture where it was supposed to go and Hollie was tidying the worktops from when they'd been cooking.

Veronica and Kevin bid them goodbye once they were mostly done and took the trash out with them when they left to go home.

Hollie kissed her sister's cheek goodnight before holding her hand out to Nick. He took her hand and she pulled him up the stairs with her to go to bed for the night.

They had only just gotten into bed when there was a knock on her bedroom door, "Hollie?"

"Carl?" Hollie questioned as he opened the door. He had a saddened expression on his face, "Debbie's crying in Fiona's room." he told her.

She sat on the edge of her bed and held her arm out to him. Carl walked over and hugged her, "it's okay," she whispered to him.

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Hollie had barely gotten any sleep. The next morning she lay staring at the ceiling with Carl tucked into her side sleeping and Nick asleep on the other side of her.

She closed her eyes again, attempting to drift back off again so that she wasn't like a zombie at work later that day and she felt Carl's hand slide over her stomach.

"Is there really a baby in there?" He whispered as he moved his hand across her flat stomach.

Hollie glanced down at him, "yeah." She whispered, "it doesn't look like a baby right now but it will in a couple of months,"

"That's weird,"

Hollie nodded, "yeah it is,"

"Your gonna get all fat and waddle when you walk,"