Shameless

28| The Helpful Gallaghers

Carla watched as Carl packed his bags. "Do you have to leave?" Carla asked."Guess so. What Frank told me." Carl said as he picked up the bag as the two ran downstairs."Shh,Shh,Shh." Frank hushed them."You all packed?" Frank asked."I need a sleeping bag." Carl told him,"Just staple some sheets together." Frank said.

"This camp's got a rifle range,woods all around a lake. I'm definitely gonna kill something... like a grizzly mountain lion,may a tiger. Or i migjt go out in the canoe and shoot some fish. " Carl said,"Lucky." Carla groaned."Cancer's opening up a whole wonderful world for you. A world your other siblings will never get to experience. But they don't know this camp is only for kids with cancer. So, like I said before,you must keep that secret. Are you still someone I can trust?" Frank asked the two.

They both silently nodded. "Why am I the only one who caught cancer from Grammy?" Carl asked."Life is a rife with questions that baffle. All we can do is carry on. " Frank said,"Am I going to die?" Carl asked Frank shrugged."Time will tell. But don't you worry,I'm working on a cure." Frank said as Ian, Fiona, and jimmy came downstairs.

"You all packed up?" Ian asked."Shh." Frank hushed,"yep." Carl said "what's Hymie doing here?" Fiona asked "I'm babysitting." Frank explained "Sheila popping pills again?" Ian asked "Sheila happens to think very highly of my ability to raise bright,independent children." Frank said.

"You're not leaving Hymie here,Frank. Debbie can't take a special-needs kid on top of daycare." Fiona said,"challenges foster growth. You can't prevent Debbie from an opportunity to grow." Frank said,"not happening. I already told Carla not to now, Debbie. Carl, what are you doing?" Fiona asked ,making a sleeping bag." He examined.

"These are lip's sheets." Fiona said, taking the sheets,"not anymore." Carla said,"All right,take my ROTC sleeping bag." Ian said,"Really?" Carl asked happily."Yeah,I'll grab it from upstairs." Ian said going upstairs. "Why couldn't you win a raffle for a camp when I was little,frank?" Fiona asked Frank.

"Fortune dispenses randomly." Frank said,"I hated camp." Jimmy said,"Don't listen to Jamie,Carl." Frank told him,"Jimmy." Jimmy corrected. Carla followed Carl into the living room. "You okay holding down the fort with Debbie's daycare insanity staring up again?" Fiona asked."Jamie's got it. Jamie is all over it." Jimmy said.

"Okay, little man,see you in a week." Fiona said as Carl gave her a hug."I just wanna say thanks for being a great sister. I may have never said that, but now i did. " Carl said,"You okay,Carl?" Fiona asked."Yeah." Carl said, pulling away and hugging Carla."I love you, Carla." Carl said, a small smile tugged on Carla's mouth."I love you too, Carl." Carla said.

The twins pulled away and sat on the couch "Okay,I left a list of stuff we need at the store. Are you kicking in for the squirrel fund this month?" Fiona asked."Absolutely. I'm living here,gotta do my part." Jimmy said,"Don't have to." Fiona said.

"Want. Want to." Jimmy gave Fiona a kiss as Ian came downstairs,"Debbie,daycare starting!" Fiona called out as Ian put the sleeping bag next to Carl. "Wow,thanks,Ian." Carl said with a smile. "I got a couple more things for camp, too. Bug spray and Swiss army knife. For comfort and convenience,not as weapons." Ian explained, handing Carl them.

"Awesome." Carl said as Ian kissed his bald head."See you in a week,pal." Ian said, smacking his bald head, then kissing Carla's head and walking away."See you." Carl said. "Dad, we should go." Carl called out as he stood up. "Coming." Frank said.

Carla stood up. "See you in a week." She seeing you." Carl said as he gave her another hug. When they separated, Carl crouched down by Liam, "Stay away from people with cancer little dude." Carl said,"Okay. Who's ready for breakfast burritos?" Debbie asked, walking in as Carl stood up and picked up his things, then walked outside.

~~

Carla sat on the couch knee, bouncing up and down as she watched TV after she finished dinner. "This is boring." She said to herself as she stood up and walked outside and set on the back porch steps and now watching Ian time Debbie for how long she could hold her breath underwater.

"Hey carly." Ian said, sitting next to her."Hey Ian." She said "how you dealing with Carl gone?" He asked."Eh. It's weird. Too quiet. I don't have anyone to throw rocks at animals." Carla shrugged."What happened to your little friend,Avery?" Ian asked. "started dating that Hank kid."

They walked back inside soon as they sun started to set, and the kids went home. "You gues I up to 75 seconds." Debbie said excitedly,"doing what Debs?" Lip asked,"prepping to be drowned at the city pool." Ian explained."Oh, cool. Debs,Carla, this is molly,Mandy's sister. Can one of you show her the bathroom?" Lip  asked."You have a sister?" Debbie and Carla asked in union. Mandy just nodded and walked upstairs behind the girls.

Carla went into her and Debbie's room and sat on her bed, bored out of her mind. She made noises with her mouth while she patted her hands on her legs, trying to figure out what she could do.

She changed into some sweatpants and a tank top as she kicked her shoes off and flopped on her bed. "Night, Carla." Lip said "night Lip." She said as she watched him walk away.

About 5 minutes later, she heard Lip yelled causing her to jump up and run to the boy's room. "What's going on?" Fiona asked as her,Carla,and jimmy walked in."Oh." Fiona said, turning away and covering Carla's eyes."Whoa dad,where's your clothes?" Jimmy asked.

"I was gonna take a shower. And i came into the wrong room." Lloyd explained,"Yeah, and then you hopped in my bed with a full chub." Lip said,"What?" Fiona and Jimmy asked. "Jimmy's dad tried to go balls-deep on me." Lip pointed at Lloyd."No,no,I didn't -" Lloyd said. "Then why'd you grab my sack?" Lip asked angrily as mandy,Debbie and molly came in.

"Cover up." Jimmy said,"Okay." Fiona said,"Is everything all right?" Debbie asked "doesn't seem to be." Fiona said as Jimmy and Lloyd walked out."molly,Debs,carly,back to bed." Mandy said as she walked the girls out of the room and into their own.

"Night." Mandy told Carla and Debbie "night, " the girls said in Union as mandy shut the light and door.

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