girl crush, Carl Gallagher

forty-four

"morning Gallaghers." Tessa exclaimed, walking through the back door with CJ on her hip and Carl trailing her. "morning, Tess." Lip smiled, pouring his coffee.

"Debbie! turn my water on!" Fiona shouted from upstairs. "hey, did you turn the water off on her?" Lip asked the red-head. "yep ." Debbie nodded, closing the basement door.

"glad we're not living here anymore." Tessa whispered to her boyfriend. "me too." Carl whispered back. "give her a break." Lip told Debbie, stopping at Tess, "hi, CJ. can i take her?" "yeah." Tessa nodded, handing off her daughter.

Carl noticed a small bruise on Tess's arm as she handed Cora to Lip. "what's this from?" Carl asked, grabbing Tess's arm and examining the bruise. "oh, i-uh bumped into our dresser." Tessa told her boyfriend, who nodded. "right. we should get the rubber corner protectors." Carl stated, letting go of Tess's arm.

"turn the water back on." Fiona yelled at Debbie, as she came downstairs in a towel. Fiona and Debbie argued as Tess walked an applesauce pouch over to her daughter. Lip yelled at the women about someone being at the door with Cora in his lap.

"hello." a man said, pulling everyone from the argument. Ford. "oh, fuck, no." Fiona yelled, walking into the living room. Lip jumped up, handing CJ to Carl. they all walked into the living room, Debbie armed with a knife, and Liam with a can of aerosol spray and a lighter.

"my carpenter tools. they're missing." Ford told Fiona. "well, why would i know about that?" Fiona asked the man. "come on, Fiona." he rolled his eyes. Carl looked over to Tess and noticed her pinching that spot on her arm that was bruised. she was zoned out and not at all paying attention to the scene in front of her.

he grabbed Tess's hand and held it in his. making her glance over to him and then look back towards Fiona and Ford. "no. you egotistical fuck." Fiona shouted in the man's face, " i haven't thought about you in a weeks!" "we thought about you, though." Debbie stated, crossing her arms making the knife very visible.

"guess i'll be going, then." Ford stated, turning towards the door. Fiona, Debbie, and Liam followed him out the door. Tessa turned and walked into the kitchen. Carl noticed as Tess rubbed over that spot on her arm. not pinching this time, just running her fingers over it.

"is Tess okay?" Lip whispering to his brother, as they watched the girl pace the kitchen. "i don't know. did you see the bruise on her arm?" Carl asked his brother, not taking his eyes off his girl. "yeah. i thought it was just like a sex bruise or something." Lip shrugged, looking to his brother.

"it's not. she's hurting herself." Carl shook his head. "like cutting?" Lip asked, his eyes going wide. "no." Carl shook his head again, "she's pinching her arm. that's what the bruise is from."

"you think she's off her meds?" Lip questioned. "at least her anxiety meds." Carl said finally looking at Lip. "i gotta go, but if you need anything call me." Lip told Carl, patting him on the back. "okay." Carl nodded, as his brother walked away.

later that day, Tess sat on the floor and played with CJ. Liam sat on the couch, and Debbie worked on the bills. V walked in with Kevin and their new foster kid behind them.

Veronica talked to Debbie, and their foster kid picked up a broom. Tessa got up and walked over to the spanish kid. "hola." (hello.) Tessa smiled, standing infront of him. "¿hablas español?" (you speak spanish?) the kid asked, his eyes lighting up.

"sí. con fluidez." (yes. fluently.) Tessa nodded, extending her hand to the kid, "Tessa." "hola. soy Santiago." (hi. i'm Santiago.) he grinned, shaking Tess's hand before placing a kiss on the back of it.

"i forgot you speak spanish." Kevin said to Tessa. "yeah. everyone seems to forget." Tessa rolled her eyes and shook her head. "¿Eres español?" (are you spanish?) Santiago asked the blonde. "no. mi papá me enseñó mientras crecía." (no. my dad taught me growing up.) Tessa explained to the boy.