Gold Dust Woman- Lip Gallagher

you're lucky your mom's dead

Diana and I walked to school with Ian and Mandy that day.

"My mom showed up today," Ian said, "She just came out of nowhere."

"She's back again?" I said, "With her bitchy girlfriend?"

I couldn't believe it was only last year when Monica showed up trying to take Liam away. Thank god, she wasn't able to go through with it. She might not have been as bad as Frank, but I could never bring myself to like her for abandoning her kids and just showing up like nothing happened. The you were my mother too speech from Fiona hit me so hard, and I couldn't stop crying after that.

"Nah, Bob's gone."

"She staying?" Mandy asked.

"Never does," Ian said.

That was also how Monica was. She'd always say she was there to stay and that things would be different, but that would never happen.

"Lip playing hooky today?"

"Funny story," I said.

"Yeah, he dropped out of school, Fiona gave him the boot, and I think he's staying at Karen's," Ian said, "See, Karen's like cancer. You kill it in one spot, it pops up in another."

"You're telling me. Mandy, how's Mickey holding up in juvie?" Diana said.

"Called me a fuck-twat, so he seems okay," Mandy smiled, "Sent him some more girl-on-girl porn. It's the only thing he wants these days. You two should visit him."

"He's a little pissed at me for something," Ian said, "Thinks I pussied out."

"Did you?"

"Kind of."

Ian waited before speaking again, "You know, Mandy, Mayo, you're lucky your mom's dead."

"Yeah," Mandy said.

I shrugged. I wouldn't necessarily say I was lucky, but it was better than having Monica. I guess.

_________________________________________________________________

Blake had another game that day, so we all went as a family to watch him this time. We sat next to the Gallagher's as we all cheered for Carl and Blake.

"Mayo!" Monica said, "Oh, you look even prettier than the last time I saw you. How are you?"

"Hi Monica," I said flatly, immediately directing my attention back to the game.

Jason and Matt came over and sat down with us.

"Hey, guys," Jason said, wrapping his arm around Diana and kissing her, "How's it going?"

"Good," I said, "Hey, Matt." 

"Hey, Mayo," he said, "I didn't know you got your nose pierced."

I chuckled, pointing to my hoop, "Oh, yeah, over the summer."

"It looks good on you."

I smiled. Matt recently got a new haircut. I didn't usually like it when guys did that, but it suited him. 

Speak of the devil, there he was, with Estefania.

"Lip! Come on and sit down!" Monica said.

"What I'm off the boat for a minute and there's a fucking mutiny?" Lip said.

Oh, shit. Here we go again.

"No one told you to get out," Fiona said.

"Actually, you did."

"Hey, Lip, don't be mad at Fiona," Monica said, "Come on."

"Monica, shut up!" Lip said, "Like most things in my life, this has nothing to do with you."

Estefania found a place to sit, and Fiona noticed, "You babysitting now?"

"Roommate."

Huh, Karen must've kicked him out.

"You're living at Steve's?"

"Yea, no curfews, no ultimatums."

I rolled my eyes, "Come on, Lip. Just sit with us, ok?"

"Fuck off, Mayo," Lip said. He was lucky my dad or Jenna wasn't in earshot of that, or he would've been six feet under.

"Hey, don't be a jerkoff!" Diana said, "Either sit down, or leave!"

Lip shook his head and left.

"Oh, really?" Fiona said, "You're just gonna storm off like a baby?! Too bad there's no door you can slam!"

I shook my head and looked at Matt, "I'm sorry about that."

"You friends with Lip Gallagher?" he said.

"Yea, you can say that," I said, shaking my head.

_________________________________________________

Matt was a nice guy, and we got along. I didn't get around to telling him about my past with Lip, but that was for another time. We were gonna hang out another time, probably within the next few days. 

The next morning, I walked to the Gallagher's because I needed to give Ian a few of his shirts back. When I walked in, Ian was in the kitchen with Frank and Monica, who had a huge bag of ashes in front of them. Frank's mom had recently passed, so I was assuming that was her. 

"Your mother was a real cunt," Monica said.

"Amen," Frank said.

"Breakfast of champions, I see?"

The door opened, and in came a furious Terry Milkovich.

"GALLAGHER!"

I screamed and backed up against the wall.

"I paid you! I paid you, Terry!" Frank said, jumping over the counter.

Instead of going for Frank, Terry went after Ian and punched him in the face.

"What the fuck, Milkovich?!" Monica said.

"Get out of my way, you crazy bitch, this ain't about you!"

"Frank, what the hell did you do?!" I said.

"Why is it always my fault?!"

"My little princess!" 

He continued punching Ian in the face as Monica tried to pry him off of her boy.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Monica said.

"My Mandy's pregnant, and this little shit's gonna pay," Terry said.

Everyone stopped, and Frank gave the thumbs up, "Attaboy."

I stood there, shocked, and unable to move or speak.

Mandy was pregnant? No, she would've told me. It obviously wasn't Ian's, so, whose was it?