Mess // Carl Gallagher (COMPLETED)

2

Mickey drove her to a rundown apartment building and sat in the car whispering to himself for a few seconds. "Right you go in" he said while tapping the steering wheel but she turned her whole body around to stare at him. "What the fuck is going on Mickey. Where did you get the money for a truck this nice" she asked dead seriously as she kept her gaze on his pistol that was right next to her feet but he just shrugged. "I have to help cousin whats his face. So just go see Carl, okay" he said annoyed as she took the gun and walked into the apartment building infront of her.

There was an eery feeling to it and she had a feeling that she shouldn't have gone there but she oppressed it and opted for taking the stairs so she could take in everything about the building her daughter was being raised in. She missed a lot and she was dealing with that trauma but at that moment she had to focus on building a relationship with the little girl.

She stopped at the third floor to catch her breath when she noticed a familiar face leaving the mailbox and walking down the hallway. "Mike" she shouted while running up to him as the boy turned around in shock. "Missy" he whispered through the widest smile ever as he dropped his mail all over the floor and ran to greet her. He picked her up and spun her around while Missy hugged him the tightest she'd ever hugged anyone before. "What are you doing here" she asked while wiping a happy tear from her cheek as he tried to contain his excitement by picking up the envelopes on the floor. "I live here" he said while nodding at the pile in his hands. "I was wondering why this weeks letter said return to sender" he said, trying to catch his breath as she kept smiling.

"Still as beautiful as I remember. How have you been ? Prison ? Murder ? Igg told me" he said as she shrugged. "It was prison. But where the fuck have you been" she shouted while swatting him as he laughed. "I met this girl" he began as her face lit up but he shook his head. "Didn't work. I moved to fucking Oklahoma. It was a mess, but it took that to realize that this shithole is my home" he said as she tapped his arm before stepping back. "Guess who moved in to my family home" she said with wide eyes as he tried to think but gave up and shook his head. "Half my family. Even my grandma" she said through a laugh as it took him a second to think. "Nice grandma or the one voted the second most dangerous woman in America" he said while closing his eyes, praying it was the first option as she ran a hand through her hair. "And tenth in the word. I checked. She's home" she said while laughing as he opened his eyes.

"You could just call it a free security alarm. Is she the woman I've been seeing with Mickey" he questioned as she nodded. "You've seen Mick" she said confused as he shook his head. "Kept a low profile. I met up with Iggy at the L station. I saw the rest while I was out. I didn't say hi though and it kind of killed me because I was practicing Kev and I's handshake for the longest time" he said as she couldn't help but feel whole, that was what she needed. Normality, happiness. "Your grandma doesn't speak English from what I've seen" he said as she rolled her eyes. "Russian" she whispered as he raised an eyebrow. "We were all were forced to learn it as kids. None of us use it" she explained as they continued to catch up until she realized it was probably time to see the people she was dreading to see the whole time.

"Carl's only two floors up right ? You should come home sometime. They'd love to see you" she said about to walk away but he grabbed her wrist. "No" he blurted out as she furrowed her eyebrows. "What do you mean" she questioned as he looked up at the ceiling before looking back at her. "What do you know" he whispered as she shook her head. "Nothing. No one will tell me anything" she shouted as he took a step back. "Well. I live right there if you need me. Just, don't go up their with hope, it won't be what I know you expect" he whispered while squeezing her hand a little tighter before walking away and leaving her there.

She put on a fake smile and told herself everything would be fine. It was a big joke everyone in her life was in on and it was really a welcome home party. She ran up the two flights of stairs to apartment 223, the door Mickey told her. The door swung open and she was greeted by Carl, he wasn't looking at her, he was looking back laughing at something someone inside had said. He was shirtless, all she could see were grey sweatpants. He'd been working out, she could see it instantly.