Loving a Gallagher (A Shameless Lip Fanfiction)

Let the fun begin (part 2)

The door creaked open and you could hear her father mumbling on his way to the door. Clarissa had a hold of me so tight I could feel my circulation cutting off. When the door finally swung open it was her father, sitting helplessly in a wheel chair, he had no hair on his head and was as thin as he could be. She stepped back for a second to make sure it was him and it was. He had become a frail man, ill if you want to get technical and had no longer than maybe a month left to live, which is how he got out of jail so early. "Come on in" he said with a scratchy voice as I shut the door behind me. His hands were so shaky that he couldn't even put on his glasses by himself. "Here", Clarissa said handing him his specs and moving over to the couch quickly. "You came!" He said surprised as much as I was. She nodded her head and took a deep breath. Before finally replying "yep, I'm here" she said "so your sick?" She asked him as she uncomfortably moved on from side to side on his couch. I rubbed her back to soothe her but it didnt seem to be helping. "Yeah..... yeah. stage. stage 4 cancer" he finally said forcing the words out with his shaky voice. "I... I dont have . Have. Long left" he added taking a sip of his coffee. Clarissa shook her head and began to look around the room. I could see her lips trying to tremble the more he spoke. "Your. Your man tells me yall are. Are. Fixing to move" he said unable to say a full sentence without repeating himself. "Yeah.... next week", she said "look
.... I'll. I'll make this short
... short... and sweet, I found myself and, and have seen the damage and the sinful things that got me to.. to where I am now... I'm I'm not asking for full forgiveness I'm I'm just aski....asking that you... you forgive me..... someday...." he said finally getting his sentence out. Clarissa's mouth dropped I wasn't for sure if it was from shock or disbelief of maybe even disgust. Then she stood up, "You've done alot of horrible, unforgivable things to me in my life..... things I will have to live with forever that I just can't forget... not ever... And soon you will answer for your wrong doings, I have learned how I want my life and my children's lives to be they will not fear me... or Lip. I will not repeat your mistakes and I want to move on.... but I cant fully forgive you I'm sorry.... I do appreciate the effort and maybe if you had more time.... there may have been time to heal old wounds but as for now.... the best I can give you dad, is a prayer for an easy painless way to go, and to know that I have taken your sympathy into consideration but its alot to take in." She said touching him on his shaky arm and going out the front door. I was kind of at a cross roads, I didnt know what to say to him.... but I think he was okay with it he smiled and shook my hand. I never thought I would even give this man the time of day but in that moment i felt a huge weight lift off of his and Rissa's heart it was better than nothing.

"I'm sorry things have took a wrong turn on this special night...." I said as I gave her a couple of tissues. She smiled at me and hugged me tightly.  "No, I get why you did it... I appreciate it the idea but-" Clarissa said when i cut her off. "I know babe. I know" i replied with my forehead pressed against hers as i held her for a brief moment. Making her feel safe again. "Everything is going to be okay. Now that wasn't suppose to be romantic so please don't run away!" I said pulling away from her making her laugh.  "Are you ready for the real romance now?" I asked as she giggled and shook her head. "Okay come on" I said wrapping my arm around her as we loaded back into the taxi. Where I handed the driver another address on a sheet of paper.

Clarissa kept trying to fix the makeup underneath her eyes from all of the crying she had done, when the car came to a complete stop. At the old Chicago park that was mostly for scenery when I made her close her eyes as i helped her out of the car. I gave the driver an estimated time to be back and slipped him some extra cash for the wait and he drove off.

As we made it close enough to the lights, I let her uncover her eyes and walk with me. "Lip.... what's going on...?" She asked curiously maybe even a little frightened. Until we got closer to the trail of paper lights and she saw all of the red, white and pink roses all gathered around a white sheet laid on top of the ground. There was candles and a heart made out of rose petals sitting in the middle. With a small picnic basket and white Christmas lights strung up in the trees above us.

Clarissa's smile never faded as she looked around continuously in aw, of what all of this was for. It was so cute seeing her comment on everything I had done or had help with and her appreciation just soared the more excited she got. I walked over next to her while she was smelling the pink roses and grabbed her and twirled her around. That smile. Clarissa's smile made me believe in true love, and made me feel like my life was complete.

"I love you so much baby" I said as she rested her head on my shoulder and we rocked back and forth in the night air, under the stars. "I love you too Lip" she said giving me one of those precious kisses I craved on the daily.

The night had gone even better than i could have imagined. We sipped champagne that Kev had graciously given us and sat under the stars with a small picnic talking just enjoying one another when I almost lost track of the time. If it hadn't of been for Ian's relentless way of sending me back to back messages i might have screwed up our time frame.

"What's wrong?" Clarissa laughed seeing that I was constantly checking my phone. I shook my head and played it off as nothing but it in fact was something. A big something that was about to change the both of our lives forever... in a good way. I just hoped it went as good as I pictured it going in my head.