At Last [Lip Gallagher]

Chapter 5:

"I'm saying, if you're in over your head..." Chad said.

I glanced up as I stopped pouring a drink into a customer's cup.

"I'm not." Fiona insisted.

"You can't leave the dinner unattended during busy hours." Chad said, following Fiona.

"I understand." Fiona said.

"Look. I need assurance that this will never happen again. Look, I have to take shit everyday, all day, from a high school dropout who could buy and sell me 'cause that's my job. I don't have time to also do yours." Chad said.

Fiona turned to Chad. "Margo's a high school dropout?"

"That is so not my point." Chad said.

I moved to the next table and started pouring drinks.

"Sorry that I wasted your time. It won't happen again." Fiona said.

"Do better." Chad ordered.

Fiona nodded and Chad left. She put the coffee pot down and started texting. I finished pouring drinks and walked over to her.

"Fiona." I said.

She turned to look at me. "Yeah."

"You good?" I questioned.

She nodded just as her phone started ringing.

"Hello?" She asked annoyed.

She laughed and I gave her a questioning look.

"You have got to be kidding me." She said shaking her head. "No. No. I cannot come right now. No. No. Don't call the police."

I walked over to the counter and started getting together more orders beside Sierra. Fiona looked up at me and shook her head.

"Uh. Yes. I'll be right there." Fiona said.

She hung up and looked at me annoyed before leaving. Once my shift was done I headed back to the Gallagher's and instantly fell asleep. The next morning Fiona called all of us into the kitchen.

"What's going on?" Ian asked walking into the kitchen.

"Called a family meeting, plus Elena." Fiona said sitting down.

"Cause apparently she is the queen." Debbie said.

"Debbie." I said.

"Hey, don't start shit." Lip said.

"You stay up all night with a screaming baby and tell me that." Debbie said.

"I'm not invited?" Ian asked.

"I just didn't want to wake you." Fiona said.

"How'd you sleep?" Lip asked as him and Ian walked towards the table.

"Good. Slept all night." Ian said.

"You guys mind? Elena and I have to get to work." Fiona said.

They both sat down and Fiona started.

"All right. So. It used to be that we had a squirrel fund and everybody contributed what they could, but I carried the bulk of it because I was the only grown up. But time's passed and things have changed. Most of us are grown ups now. Or at least pretending to be. So. I ran the numbers and I came up with a system that I think is fair." Fiona said.

She started passing out pieces of paper to everyone, including me.

"What's this?" Lip asked.

"That's your share. That's what you have to pay every month towards the bills if you want to stay here." Fiona explained.

Debbie took the paper out of everyone's hands and looked at them, comparing them to hers.

"If we want to stay here?" Ian asked.

Fiona nodded. "If you want us all to stay together. To stay a family. Otherwise I'll rent out your rooms or sell the house and everyone can fend for themselves."

"Why is mine higher than Carl's?" Debbie asked.

"Cause Carl doesn't need diapers and rash cream and baby food." Fiona said.

"Well I fired Jolayemi because I can't afford to pay her anymore. How am I gonna afford $375?" Debbie asked.

Fiona shrugged. "You're not in school, Debs. You could get a job."

"Who's gonna watch the baby?" Debbie asked.

"Not my problem." Fiona said.

"The house belongs to me. I'm not gonna be paying rent." Carl said.

"The house and the bills are all in my name and it's my credit that's fucked if we don't pay. And it's not rent. It's water and power and property taxes." Fiona said.

"Since when do you care about your credit?" Lip asked.

"Since now." Fiona said looking at him. "The only one who gets a free ride around here anymore is Liam. So if you're out of work, file for disability or welfare, or get a job."

Everyone remained silent and Fiona sighed.

"Also. I want you all to put me at the bottom of your emergency contact list. Put Lip first, and then Ian, and then Kev and V, and then me. Because I have a plan for my life, and I can't do it if I'm getting a call every five minutes about one of you." Fiona said before looking at Lip. "And just so we're clear, I am just as likely as anybody else in this family to make something of myself, and it's about time you got that, you arrogant shit."

The backdoor opened and I turned to see V.

"You see what Frank's doing down the block?" V asked.

We all stood up and walked outside to see Frank feeding the homeless.

"Wow. My family is really upping the ante, huh?" Fiona asked.

"Tell me about it. I got three kids, a wife, a husband, and a father-in-law with a giant johnson that I've seen twice already." V said.

"What?" Fiona asked.

"We have a lot of catching up." V said.

"What is this? Looks like Communist Russia." Svetlana said.

"Gallagher Home for the Homeless"?" Ian read.

"Shit smells good." Kev said, pushing past us.

"Frank. You can't have a homeless shelter here." Lip said.

"I beg to differ, neighbor." Frank said.

"Mama!" Liam yelled, running toward the blonde girl Frank had his arm around.

We all started walking back to the Gallaghers and I turned to see Kev.

"Oh. Hey Kev." I greeted.

He turned to look at me and it took him a couple seconds to register.

"No fucking way. Elena?" He asked.

I nodded and we hugged, only stopping for a moment to do so.

"Where have you been?" He asked

"Well. My dad forced me to move for a job he got fired from a month later. He then ran off and came back with several different woman months apart. So I had to work until I could get enough money to come back." I explained.

"Damn." He muttered.

"Is that why you left without a goodbye?" Lip asked.

I turned to see him looking at me.

"Yeah." I nodded, the guilt coming back.

"Well thanks for that." He muttered, walking away and into the Gallagher house.

I rolled my eyes and turned back to Kev. "See you later."

He nodded and we waved goodbye to each other. I rushed back into the Gallagher house.