Only You - [Lip Gallagher]

back to school

"How much did we make in the squirrel fund this summer?" Lip asks, "A little over nine grand." Fiona sighs, "That's all we made to get through the winter?" Lip asks, "No," I say and hand Fiona another six thousand, "I haven't been depositing in the squirrel fund but I've been saving." I say and drink my coffee, "Holy shit." Fiona says, "Shit." Lip says, shocked, "Well, take one back and go school shopping for all six of you guys." Fiona says to me, I nod "Got it." "Can't believe you two are gonna be seniors." Fiona says to Lip and I, "I'm super excited for school this year." I say as I sit on the table, Lip is silent, I know he's plotting something. "Lip and Ian, clean out the pool. Debs get the backpacks out of the basement." Fiona says, "What's my assignment mommy?" Jasmine comes out of the bathroom downstairs, I scoff, "Go home to your family Jasmine." Fiona says, "Can't gotta go get the boat ready, two o'clock." She says to Fiona as she leaves. "You're still friends with her?" I ask, "She won't go away!" Fiona complains. Lip gets up and slowly creeps next to the stairs, "Rooster in the hen house! Hide the money!" Lip whispers and we all panic to put the squirrel fund away and leave the house to do our tasks.

"Hey, can I go school shopping with you?" Lip asks, "Don't you have to clean the pool with Ian?" I ask, "Nah, he said he's good." Lip says with a smile, "Sure." I roll my eyes, "So, what are you plotting?" I ask, "What do you mean?" he lights his cigarette, "You didn't say anything when Fiona said we are gonna be seniors, something is on your mind." I say, looking at him, "You know everything I do?" He asks, I nod, "It's my job." I tease, "I'm dropping out of school, I gotta get a job. Karen isn't aborting that thing and I can't just abandon my kid, you know?" Lip says, taking a drag from his cigarette, my heart drops, "Yeah, I get it." I hide my disappointment because I know it's the right thing for him to do, "But, what if it's not yours?" I ask, "Then I'm gonna be pissed she's been telling me it's mine. But, we fucked a lot, sorry." Lip sounds nervous "All good." I sigh, "Well, I hope this all works out for you." I smile at him softly.

++

Lip ditched me as soon as we got to the store, I shrugged it off and brought everyone the supplies they needed and went back home, "For the first day of school should I wear this red top with these blue shorts?" Debs asked Ian and I, "Must be nice not to get hand-me-downs." Ian says as he is doing sit ups, "Or is the pink top better?" "I like the flowers but I think you'd look very grown up in the red top." I say to her knowing that's exactly what she wanted to hear. "Red top, blue shorts." Lip says to Debbie as he comes inside, knowing what she was gonna ask. "Uh, I have some news. Karen and I are getting back together. She ditched Jody, now I can step up." Lip announces, my heart shatters, "Cool, good luck." I shoot him a smile and walk into the kitchen to put all the bags down and put the change in the squirrel fund.

"You can have any life you choose and this is it?" I hear Ian ask Lip, "I'm not splitting on my kid like Frank." Lip defends, "Pathetic." Ian scoffs and walks into the kitchen, "You know what, you're the one pretending to date Mandy so you can fuck her brother." Lip insults, "Hey, at least he didn't get a whore pregnant, or maybe it wasn't even you. You're making a mistake, kid." I defend Ian, "Fuck both of you." Lip says, "You'll probably quit school, start working at Best Buy." Ian says and shoves him, Lip looks at me, I shake my head because I didn't tell Ian anything, "Don't talk to her like that, either." Ian says, "Fuck off." Lip says, "Hey!" Grammy Gallager says and walks into the living room, "Stop fighting in the house, go outside." She says and walks into the basement with Carl as he is carrying bags. "No fighting, we're cool." I say, "I support you but I think you're making a big mistake." I say to Lip and pat his shoulder then go upstairs to lay down and get my school things together.

++

"Thanks for the coffee, Jimmy." I say to Jimmy with a smile, "Ha ha so funny." Jimmy says back, "Hey, I'm not the one who told." I mutter to him as I sip my iced coffee. "Why is he here?" Fiona asks, "Thought I'd stop by, it's time to get ready for school and we were already getting coffee." Jimmy explains and I walk away to leave for school. Lip still isn't coming, I tried to persuade him for the past week, he's not breaking.