Shoe Laces

chapter three

Pilot
(s1, e1)

Mal pushed open the front door to her seemingly vacant house. The silence lasted for all of about five seconds before she heard commotion upstairs. She headed towards the stairs, pushing the door closed behind her.

"Excuse me! Don't you be slamming that door in my face," Veronica said, pushing the door back open and brushing past Mal. Mal pushed the door shut and hurried up the stairs behind Veronica.

Veronica barged into the boys' room, where Fiona was examining Lip's foot. Lip had a pained expression on his face while Ian, Debbie and Carl watched him being examined.

"No, no! Always elevate extremities. Move before you give him a fucking embolism."

Veronica and Fiona switched spots as Mal looked between Lip and Ian, both who seemed nervous. "What'd you do?" She asked with a laugh.

"Something stupid," Fiona mumbled.

"You okay, Lip?" Veronica asked. He nodded.

"Just please don't...don't touch it."

Mal beside Ian on his bed as she watched Veronica play nurse.

"Wiggle your toes." Lip grimaced in pain. Veronica turned to Ian. "Go to my house. Top of the freezer, two ice packs."

"Yeah," Ian nodded.

"Second cupboard above the sink," Mal nodded in acknowledgment. "Liquid ibuprofen, freeze spray, ACE bandages."

"Sure," Mal agreed. She followed Ian's lead as he stood up and headed towards the door. He stopped and grabbed his jacket, that was sitting in a messy bundle behind the door. Mal had never taken her too-small winter coat or hat off, so she was ready to go. She shoved past Ian into the hallway, but remained outside the bedroom door.

"Shouldn't we get it X-rayed," Fiona asked, the concern in her voice thick.

"Fuck no. He'll be in the ER forever, and for what? "Sub-metatarsal hematoma". Thanks. Tell us something we didn't know five hours ago."

Mal snickered as she listened to the slightly muffled conversation taking place in the bedroom. Ian opened the door and hadn't even made it into the hallway before Veronica was yelling something more at him.

"My bedroom. Top of the TV. Pack of smokes and a lighter."

"Okay," Ian hurried out of the bedroom, purposefully slamming Mal out of the way as he did. Someone knocked on the door and Ian instantly turned around, this time accidentally slamming into Mal who purposefully tripped him, causing him to fall into his bedroom. He quickly pulled himself to his feet and hid under the top bunk.

"I'm not here. I'm not here!" Lip yelled.

"You don't know us, Fiona," Ian called.

Fiona stared at the two in confusion. "What have you done? What have you done?!"

Fiona hurried down the stairs to answer the door, Carl and Mal following close behind in curiosity. They opened the front door to reveal a large semi delivery truck parked in front of their house.

"When'd we get rich?" Mal asked Fiona.

"Can I get it through here or is it better coming around the back?" A man asked from the back of the truck. He smiled at the three on the porch. "Samsung washer."

Fiona shrugged. "It's not me."

"Gallagher, number 2119?"

"Yeah, but that's not ours."