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Ch. 26

The way our parents raise us doesn't always have to define us. We can break free, spread our wings, stick out our necks, and do things for ourselves. But, if they start young, if they warp our brains, freedom may not always be possible.
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What do you do for those in need?
What do you do when those people need to be freed?
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The months after Karen had the baby were interesting. Sheila wouldn't venture out much, only staying at home or walking to the Gallagher's to help Debbie learn how to cook.

Karen had disappeared a week after leaving the hospital.

It was all I could do to get her to go on walks with me. She just wasn't the same.

Things with Lip were going well, Ian and Mickey were working through their issues. Carl was doing better in school, he only had three detentions in the last two weeks, Fiona was happy about that.

So when Mandy came to talk to Lip I was concerned. It was clear she had feelings for him but he was always with me, so she never said anything to him about it, that I knew of.

"I need your help," She said. I was in the living room after she gave me a sharp look a few moments before in the kitchen.

"What with?" He asked, a little exasperated that her arrival had moved me from the room.

"I have a half-sister."

"You have a sister?" I said incredulously. My eyebrows rose and I checked out my nails and eavesdropped.

"Half. And yes, she called my dad. Apparently her mom OD'ed and died. She doesn't have any other family and she'll go in the system."

"Shit. You gonna go get her?"

"I don't have any way of getting her. Besides she'd probably be better off."

"She's your sister."

"So? I don't know her."

"Then what do you need my help for?"

"I dunno, to talk I guess."

I had left the room to give them their "privacy" but her nonchalant attitude had me walking into the kitchen after hearing all that.

"Why don't you go get her?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why don't you go get her?" I said a little slower.

"You heard me, I don't have a way. Besides, what do you care?"

My eyes narrowed.

"It's your family."

"So is my dad. And we've seen what he's capable of. She's two states over. She's better off."

"We're going to go get her."

I had bought a cheap car with some of the money from the house and planned on getting my license once my leg had finally healed. I had just gotten the ok from the doctor about a week ago.

"I have a car. Lip can drive. You can come with, or give us the address, but that kid isn't going to sit there with a dead mom while the rest of her family sits around with their thumbs up their asses."

"Excuse me?" She said, anger poking through in her normally sour expression.

"You heard me. Are you coming? Or not?"

And that was how Mandy Milkovich became one of my best friends. A crazy, unpredictable, moody best friend, but a friend. The ride was long and tiring but we got her sister back to the Gallagher's by the next day.