Being a Gallgher isn't easy, especially not for Ian's twin Alyssa Gallagher who lives on the southside with her many sibling and alcoholic father who drops in and out whenever he pleases.
Then there's the emotionless asshole who Alyssa just can't s...
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We saw Lip sitting on Sheila's porch smoking. I had attempted to wipe Mickey's blood off my hand but the parts I'd missed had dried into a crust. Lip looked up when he noticed our feet. "Thought you guys were at work."
I settled on the porch next to him, "There was a shooting, you know Mickey and Kash," I told him pulling the sleeves of my jumper over my hands. Lip's eyes widened, "Shit! Mickey shot Kash?"
"Kash shot Mickey," I muttered, Lip looked confused, "Huh?" I shook my head, "He'll be fine, it was just the leg. Ian got us out before the cops showed up," I found myself feeling bad about leaving him laying there with a bullet in his leg.
"What did we miss with the mom situation?" Ian wondered as he stood in front of us. Lip scoffed, "You know how dad's a fucking asshole?" Ian and I nodded.
"Turns out he's the good one."
///
As soon as the three of us step through the door, yelling was the only thing we could hear. My mom and dad were screaming at each other about how Frank lured her back for money. I stayed by my twins' side in the living room doorway.
"You brought her back here?" Lip shouted over them, Monica wiped her head in his direction, which also happened to be in mine and Ian's directions. She looked the same as she did the last we saw her.
Her face softened when she saw us, "Oh...my favourite redheads. Ian, Alyssa... you're so big." I glared at her when our eyes met.
Lip raised his hands and looked at Frank, "Hold up, you knew where she was. This whole time?"
Monica's new girlfriend, Bob... or Roberta as she prefers stepped forward. "This little reunion was bound to happen anyway, we were thinking about coming to talk to you," She tells us, I folded my arms.
Monica rushes in front of her, "No, No not now," She tries but Roberta shakes her head, "Yes now," She turns to Frank, "Moni and I wanna take Liam to live with us."
My heart sinks and Fiona gets up out of the armchair, "What?"
"Over my dead body," Frank yelled angrily. Roberta cocked her head, "How about Moni signs what you need signed and we take Liam," Roberta suggested.
Frank nodded, "Done," He takes a seat on the couch.
"No fucking way! You can't have Liam!" Fiona almost screamed, her face turning red. Monica stared at her, "Why the hell not? He's not even Frank's."
"Fact is, Liam is black. All you white folks with white babies like they're fashion accessories," Roberta continued to rant. I felt my face get hot with anger as I shot glares to Monica and Roberta. "Liam needs me and we're taking him."
"Out of the fucking question Roberta!" Lip shouted, his knuckles were turning white as he gripped the back of the couch. Monica glanced around at us, "Roberta and I wanna start a family of our own."
I stepped forward from the wall I was leaning against, "Well how about you finish this one first!" I barked. "They're taking Liam?" Debbie cried out, her face as red as her hair.
"Yeah!" Roberta answered.
"No!" The rest of us shout. "Nobody's taking anyone," I tried to reassure her.
Fiona walked out in front of Monica, "You don't get to abandon your kids and then show up one day to take your pick of the litter!" She hissed. Frank stood up, "That's not fair Fiona. Your mother has made mistakes but she's here now."
"Shut up Frank!" Fiona shouted making Frank immediately sit back down, "This isn't about you!"
She looks at Monica, "This is about you." Monica's shoulders fall and I feel Ian hold my hand.
"This is about what you didn't do. It's about what I did, and you know what? I did a fucking great job!" Tears fill Fiona's eyes making a lump appear in my throat.
"Debbie is class president, she's on the debate team going to nationals," Fiona points as Debbie as she rants. "And Lip, he's top of his class. He set the curve," She continues as her voice raises.
"Ian was promoted in ROTC and he tested out of English!" Tears begin to roll down my cheeks as she lists each one of us, "Alyssa, she's on the track team, she's captain!"
"And Carl made something blow up for his science fair!" she takes a breath, "And you know what?"
Fiona pointed at Monica, "They did it all. No thanks to you. Because you weren't here!" she yelled crying. Ian was crying now too, squeezing my hand tighter.
Monica takes a breath, "And I appreciate that Fiona, but I'm here now... and Liam belongs with me," she sniffed as she also began crying.
Fiona shook, "He doesn't even know who you are!"
"I'm his mother!" Monica shouted.
"You were my mother too!" Fiona cried before she began to sob quietly.
Monica looked hurt, "Maybe I'll never be able to make things right with you, but there's still time with Liam," she tried, moving to the couch where my younger sibling sat. "And Debbie and Carl."
Monica kneeled in front of the pair, "I am so sorry if I hurt you. Please, I love you so much, please let me be your mommy again... please?" She begged them. After a moment they both leaned forward to hug her.
Ian unlinked our hands and pulled me into his side as we watch crying. Fiona walks past us and returns with her jacket and scarf.
"You know what? You're right, you are their mother. And you're here now" She sniffed, Monica looked up at her. "So I'm done, I'm done with the school and the bills and the clinics. I'm done," she states, I choked back a small sob.
"They're all yours now Mom. Good luck," Fiona sets the house keys on a table and walks away out the door. I look up at Ian in shock and hug him.
