South Side (A Shameless Fanfiction)

Chapter Twenty Five

I awoke to the smell of pancakes and coffee the next morning. The scents tickled my nostrils and I opened my eyes, looking around my room. Debs was awake too, sitting up in her bed with a confused expression on her face.

I sat up and she looked at me.

"Do you smell bacon too?" I asked her.

She nodded.

I got out of bed and started to head downstairs. Debs followed me, taking Liam out of his crib before we left our room.

When we got into the kitchen, I saw Frank sitting at the table drinking a mix of beer and orange juice...and my mom making pancakes.

She look up when Debs and I came downstairs and smiled.

"Good morning, sweetheart." She said brightly to me.

My heart thudded in my chest and my mouth went dry.

"Monica." I managed to say.

She stared at me for a few seconds, not saying anything.

"We don't have any money." I said, clearer this time.

Just then, Fiona walked through the living room, rubbing her eyes. When she saw Monica cooking breakfast, she stopped short.

"Hi, Fiona." She said.

Fiona glared at her.

Her cell phone rang in her hand, and Fiona broke her gaze away from Monica for a moment to answer it.

"Hello? What?"

Fiona's expression turned from shocked to sad.

"When?" She asked softly.

I glanced at Monica. She was giving Frank some sort of look, and she was mouthing the words Tell them.

"How much is that gonna cost?" asked Fiona.

There was silence for a moment, then Fi sighed, her eyes glassy.

"I-I have to call you back with an answer. Thank you." She said, hanging up.

"What happened, Fi?" I asked.

She looked at Frank.

"Grammy died?" She asked him.

I gasped.

"No!" Debbie cried.

"Honey, I am so sorry." Monica said, reaching out for Fiona. She recoiled and walked towards the fridge.

"She's my mother, I'm the one who's hurting here." Frank said.

I rolled my eyes and went to get a mug from the cabinet, pouring myself some coffee.

"That was the Cook Country Hospital Morgue. You need to claim her body or they're gonna cremate her." said Fiona.

"I am done to running around trying to please that woman." Frank said, getting up from the table.

"Grammy died?" Ian said now as he walked into the kitchen.

Monica rushed over to Ian, throwing her arms around him.

"Ian!"

Ian stepped back. He looked at Fiona and I.

"How long is she staying?" He asked.

I shrugged.