"You know, not sure I can prove it but I think it's colder on the North Side." Jimmy ran across to see the two girls sat by the road in a pile of snow. "Let me take you both home" he said sitting down beside them as he blew warm air into his hands.
"I'm not supposed to take rides from strangers. And it's clear that you are a stranger." she answered back annoyed with the man knowing he was screwing over Fiona. "Can't lie I thought your secret would be more interesting than this, but this, it's a load of shit Jimmy, I mean what you left rich side of town for the South side" Maisie scoffed shaking her head not really understanding anything he had done.
"Oh, man. Are you gonna tell Fiona?" he questioned his face looking panicked. "Exactly what are we supposed to tell her? That your name isn't Steve? That you have a family in Chicago she's never met? Or that your mom kisses you on the lips? Which is really gross, by the way." Debbie looked the man she thought she knew up and down in disgust getting defensive over Fiona.
"Life gets really complicated when you're an adult. I mean, you can't possibly understand these things right now." he sighed rubbing his legs nervously. "We understand that you lied to Fiona. And also life gets complicated the minute your born, your life isn't exactly complicated you just make it complicated. Why?" Maisie asked her fists clenching by her side when she knew Debbie felt betrayed and hurt by the man and his actions.
"Because I was raised by a pack of wolves. Just like you two were. Only my wolves went to Harvard. You know they have Red Wolves at Lincoln Park Zoo. Maybe we could go check them out sometime." Steve offered causing Maisie to snigger knowing what the man was doing because her dad used to do it to her all the time so she wouldn't go running to social.
"Trying to distract me by asking us out on a date?" Debbie scoffed shoving her hands in her coat pockets starting to walk of causing Steve to walk after her. "I do not want to be a doctor. I do not want to be like the rest of my family. What I want is Fiona. I love her!" he admitted causing Debbie to turn around in shock.
"Love is fleeting, Jimmy. What are your intentions? You're distracting her, and I need her in the game for at least a few more years. I can't have you breaking her heart, or running off with her. So if you're not serious about sticking around, back off now." Debbie warned.
"I bought her a house. Is that serious enough?" he blurted out Maisie choking on nothing at the mans confession. "You what?" Maisie coughed her mouth hanging open in disbelief. "Come on. I'll show you both" he smiled holding his hand out and the two girls followed him.
*
"This was Mr. Harris's house. They said he died of lung cancer, but we're all pretty sure it was full-blown AIDS." Debbie told the man as if there wasn't a better way to stop someone from living at a house.
"Holy shit. Has Fiona seen it?" Maisie asked looking round the house as Debbie ran from room to room. "No, she doesn't know about it yet. I was going to, you know, fix it up a bit, and surprise her when the time is right." Jimmy admitted to them Debbie looking out the window through the small gap.
"Think we could build an above-ground walkway that connects the two houses?" Debbie asked her voice raising with excitement. "What, like a Habitrail tube?" Jimmy laughed as Debbie let out a gasp at the idea, "that would be awesome."
"Are you going to tell Fiona?" he finally got back to the point rocking back and forth in his spot as both girls turned to face each other with a smirk. "Don't know yet, Jimmy. Saw a really cool pink vest at the mall." Debbie grinned.
"And I saw this real nice hoodie that I could do with in this weather" Maisie joined in as the man crossed his arms realising what the two girls were up to. "And I could use a new rolling pin and flour sifter. Sheila's teaching me how to bake." Debbie smirked secretly high fiving Maisie when Jimmy wasn't watching.
"Anything else?"
"Not for the moment."
"So... which room will be ours when we sleep over?" Maisie smiled sarcastically at the man running her hand along the walls of the house admiring every part of it, mainly because there wasn't fifty kids in yet to destroy the whole place. I mean it wasn't exactly the best house ever but it was perfect for Fiona and Steve, especially when it was only next door to the Gallagher's.
*
Maisie sat in the back of Kev's car waiting for Frank to do whatever he needed to do. He hadn't actually told them what he was doing he just asked Kev for a lift and Maisie insisted on going with them.
"How's Ethel doing" Maisie asked leaning in to the front of the car to talk to Kev. "How's the eye doing" he asked giving her the answer when she knew her eye was getting better but still hurt. She hadn't seen Mickey or Mandy since last week now and she was getting worried.
Mickey had a temper on him and would do anything to protect his sisters which sometimes scared her a little, she wondered if something had happened to him or if he'd been arrested for assault against Terry.
Mandy however was a strange one. She hadn't been to see Ian in over a week and hadn't even called round to see if Maisie was okay. The red haired girl had struggled to process the whole thing and missed the two a lot, finding it hurtful every time the phone rang and she reached to answer it in hope it was one of them for it instead to be Steve or Karen calling for Lip and Fiona.
Maisie didn't ask another question when she noticed Frank running quickly over to the car slamming on the window. "Start the car!" he screamed diving into the front seat and quickly shutting the door making Kev drop his phone in a panic.
"What the fuck, Frank?" Kev cursed when he didn't stop to explain ordering the man to start to engine. "She saw me." he exclaimed as Kev reversed the car out of the spot he was parked in beginning to drive to exit the car park only to be blocked of by a massive black truck.
"What the fuck" Maisie screamed as Kev quickly braked, both of the men sat mouths hanging open as they stared up at it in shock. "I'm gonna rip it off when I catch you!" a woman opened the door pointing at Frank her face full of anger. "What the hell did you do Frank" Maisie cried as Kev reversed the car in a panic.
"Can't this piece of shit go any faster?!" Frank shouted as Kev looked back careful not to damage any cars as he attempted to get rid of the truck that was after Frank. "No." Kev snapped annoyed Frank had gotten him into this mess. "Shit" Kev hissed as his tires skidded because of the sudden brake as a man pulled some carts past, bringing them to a halt, trapped either side of the exits.
The truck horn started to honk before it started driving towards them. "Kev just run the fucking guy over" Maisie screamed as the truck got closer and closer. Kev started to drive towards the ongoing truck causing Maisie to squeeze her eyes shut not wanting to witness whatever was about to happen and Frank to repeatedly shout the words no as they got closer.
"Shut up, Frank!" Kev spat as he got a meter away from the truck looking as though he would crash into it only for him to make a quick swerve past it, the red haired girl in the back letting out a sigh of relief.
"fuck off, lesbos!" Frank called back as Kev continued driving before they managed to catch up to them.
