Little Morgan Gallagher

56- Gabriels demons

My phone hadn't stopped ringing since I'd left. Only Mickey at first, but then Ian, Fiona, Lip, Debbie.. every one of them trying to get through to me. Eventually I just turned my phone off.

"You're gonna love Florida Yev, it's fantastic," I cheered as I drove along a sunny road with Yevgeny in the back seat, "nothing but sun and beaches, palm trees and pools. Fucking incredible! Wait shit I should watch my language.. oh shit.. FUCK! I said shit," I went on before just laughing to myself.

I was so excited to get out of Chicago, away from everyone telling me I was sick and psych ward bullshit. I just kept ignoring my phone ringing every few minutes.

"Your uncle Lip.. well kinda best friend uncle showed me some pictures from when he was down here, amazing! This is gonna be great Yev. Just you and me, you and, I guess step mom? Shit I'm a step mom. Me and you against the world Yev. All of our problems are just vanishing right now!" I exclaimed happily, "even though I guess you don't have problems, you're a baby. You might have daddy issues when you grow up though."

I laughed at myself again, watching all the fields fly past us, "NO MORE FUCKING PROBLEMS! You know, your dad and all the damn Gallaghers can shove the psych ward up their asses!"

I kept driving, singing along to the radio and talking to Yev until it reached evening. It was still bright at 10pm.

     "The sunset is fucking beautiful!" I screamed as I got out of the car, going around the back to get Yevgeny out of his car seat.

     "Hey Yev, come on and dance with your step mom," I giggled as I held him amd ball danced around with him in the middle of nowhere.

     "You're having fun right Yev? We make great partners in crime," I laughed, still dancing with him in my arms as the sun slowly set.

***

     I woke up to the sound of Yevgeny crying. I looked back and saw he was still safe in his car seat.

     "Good morning Illinois!" I shouted as I got out of the car to get him. I danced and sung to him as I changed him.

     "What about breakfast huh Yev?," I went on as I drove to the nearest gas station. "pancakes would be fucking amazing right now. Coffee.. maybe eggs! And you can have the same baby food you always have I guess. It sucks you can't have real food yet."

     I pulled up to a gas station that served breakfast too thank god. I was fucking starving.  I carried Yevgeny inside with me.

      After I bought diapers, gas and baby food I went to get breakfast.

     "Hey! Gooood morning I'll have a black coffee and a waffles. And drown the fuckers in maple syrup," I giggled to the woman behind the counter.

"Yea ok," she grunted in response.

I sat down with Yevgeny on my lap, waiting for food until a man approached me. He was in his thirties.

     "What's a pretty little thing like you doing here on your own?" He smiled.

"On a road trip. We're going to Florida to the sunny beaches," I grinned back.

"You not from around here?"

"Nope, south side of Chicago."