Shoe Laces

prologue

"Nobody's saying our neighborhood's the Garden of Eden. Hell, some people say God avoids this place altogether. But it's been a good home to us, to me and my kids, who I'm proud of because every single one of them reminds me a little bit of me."

"Fiona, my rock, huge help. Has all the best qualities of her mother, except she's not a raging psycho bitch."

"Lip, smart as a whip. Straight "A's" and the honor roll. Boy's definitely going somewhere."

"Ian, industrious, conscientious, ambitious, incredible work ethic. Don't have a clue where he got that from. Wants to be a paratrooper. Knows how to disembowel an enemy with a roll of dimes and an old gym sock."

"Malorie, won't step down from a fight, which I'm proud to say she got from me. She's a pretty good kid most of the time, makes me think I accidentally took someone elses daughter sometimes."

"Carl...um, I don't really know that much about Carl. Oh, loves animals. Always dragging home some poor stray he found, taking them up to his room."

"Ah, Debbie. Sent by God, total angel. Raises money for UNICEF year-round, some of which she actually turns in."

"Liam, gonna be a star. I'm no biologist, but he looks a little bit like my first sponsor. He and the ex were close."

"Kev and Veronica, fantastic neighbors. There's nothing they won't do for each other, or to each other. I never realized how little sex I was having until V and Kev moved next door."

"And me, Frank Gallagher, father, teacher, mentor. Captain of our little ship. We may not have much, but all of us, to a man knows the most important thing in this life: we know how to fucking party!"