Mickey - The View From Here PART TWO - Gallavich

Shuffle

Franny played in her old room while Debbie explained the latest developments to Ian and I. She and her new girlfriend had broken up, leaving Debbie and Franny without a home. “She didn’t have to be such a bitch about it,” Debbie grumbled about her ex. “I have a child, she can’t just throw us out!”

“Well, she can,” Ian corrected his little sister.

“’Cause she did,” I added under my breath, spurring a glare from Debbie.

Debbie dragged her hands down her face in frustration. “I love girls but I am sick of dating bitches!”

As if on cue, my phone vibrated with a message from my cousin. “Speaking of bitches you’ve dated—”

“Shit. That’s today?” Ian wondered, smacking me in the arm as though it was my fault he had forgotten. Shaking away the realization, he set his focus back onto his sister. “So, what’s the plan? You guys gonna stay with Lip and Tammi?”

“…No,” Debbie replied, watching my fingers dart across the screen of my phone as I wrote a text. “Is that Sandy?”

“Yep,” I said before placing my phone in my pocket.

“Why can’t you stay at Lip’s?” Ian continued his line of questioning.

Debbie sunk in her chair. “They’re full up. Fred and Tammi have the flu. It’s just a no-go.”

“What about Carl?” I suggested in a snarky tone.

Her deep green eyes met mine and held my gaze. “Carl’s fuck-pad? Gross.”

“Deb, it isn’t like you can afford to be picky,” Ian reminded her.

“Well, he said no. I think he’s scared I’ll steal his girlfriend again,” she smirked.

Ian made a face. “You didn’t steal her.”

“That’s not how I remember it,” she grinned before a slight pause. “So…”

“Fuck no,” I spat before I could stop myself.

“Mickey,” my husband gently scolded me. Looking to Debbie, he tried to explain, “it isn’t a great time for us to have houseguests. I’m sure Carl will let you stay. Let me talk to him.”

“Wow!” Debbie said, amazed. “Can’t believe you’re turning family away because it’s inconvenient. What about Franny? You think she should be jammed into Carl’s bachelor pad?”

“No,” Ian replied, his temper flaring. “But I am not her parent. You are! Stop trying to make the rest of us feel like shit because you don't wanna be a mom anymore! Stop being Monica and step the fuck up,” he growled.

Debbie stared her brother down, contemplating violence. “How dare you?”

“Me?” Ian snapped. “I’m not the one who abandoned Franny for months. How dare you?”

“You fucking dick,” Debbie hissed. “Who the fuck are you to judge me? You have no idea what I’ve been through in being a single parent.”

“So, tell me,” he snapped. “Don’t ghost everybody then show up on our doorstep expecting us to jump at the chance to help you. I can’t help you if I’m in the dark.”

I nodded in agreement. We wanted to help Debbie, we just needed her to stop acting stupid.

Debbie opened her mouth to speak, but stopped when a knock came at the door. With an inkling as to who it was, Debbie took it upon herself to answer. As the door swung open, my cousin, Sandy’s surprised face came into view. All I knew about their status was that they’d broken up and hated each other, but something seemed different.

After a moment of uncertainty, Sandy almost backed away when Debbie smiled and embraced her.

As Ian and I exchanged perplexed glances, I could hear Debbie whisper to Sandy, “I’m so sorry.”