Pieces [Lip Gallagher]

Chapter 10:

I sat at the Gallagher's kitchen table and watched as Lip and Ian looked at the heater.

"Oh my God. That's... It's dead." Lip told Fiona.

"You sure?" Fiona asked.

"The element's rusted out." Lip said as he examined the part of the heater he removed.

"Anyone wanna make cookies with me?" Debbie asked.

"How much to replace it?" Fiona asked, ignoring Debbie's question.

"Uh. Two bills used, four new." Lip estimated.

"Shit." Fiona muttered.

"How about pie? I can get started on the crust." Debbie said as she walked around the counter.

"Go take your shower." Fiona ordered.

"I wanna make pie." Debbie said as she started to get stuff down.

"You know what? Hand me the obits. Maybe we can scavenge a dead person's water heater." Lip said.

Fiona handed him the newspaper on the counter.

"Thank you." Lip said as he took it and started looking through it.

He sat down, joining Ian and I at the table.

"Oh. Mrs. Dombrowski." Lip announced after a moment.

"Oh the shaky-neck lady? I thought she drowned a couple years ago." Ian said.

"No. Mrs. Goga had the shaky neck and drowned in her own vomit last Easter." Debbie informed us.

I turned to look at the younger girl to see her putting stuff on the counter to make stuff.

Fiona dropped what she was doing and started gathering the Stuff Debbie put down. "No pie. Get in the shower. I'm not saying it again."

Carl was walking by with something which got Fiona's attention.

"Carl no." Fiona said as she took something from the younger boy.

"I went to school with Kenny Dombrowski. Think he had a crush on me." Fiona said continuing our previous conversation.

"Shh. Wake's this morning. Let's go." Lip said to Ian and I. "Up up up."

I stood up from the seat I was sitting in and made my way to the door with Lip and Ian.

"Can I come?" Debbie asked as she started to spin in circles.

"Um no." Lip said as we reached the door.

"Why? Elena gets to go." Debbie said, still spinning.

"Sorry Debs." I apologized.

She continued to spin in circles. Ian handed me my jacket and I followed after him onto the back porch, Lip following us. After what seemed like a while of walking Lip, Ian, and I stood outside the door of a house waiting behind a set of stairs as people were getting let into a house a few feet away.

"So we're just gonna wait out here?" Ian asked.

"He's a chain-smoking pothead in a stress-inducing situation. He'll be out soon." Lip reassured.

"What are we supposed to say?" I asked looking at Lip.

"I don't know. Just play it cool." Lip shrugged.

"Play what cool?" Ian asked.

"Things people play cool. Jesus Ian." Lip said.

A phone started ringing and Lip started reaching into his pocket.

"You got your own cell?" Ian asked.

"No. Some kid left it in the cafeteria." Lip said before walking away to answer it.

Ian and I shared a look and both shrugged.

"You think this is gonna work?" I asked turning to my best friend.

He shrugged again. "I hope so."

A minute later he came back from his call and after a while of not really focusing we got the heater. I walked beside the cart that had the water heater in it as Lip pushed it and Ian walked on the other side holding it steady.

"How come I never hear of you with anyone?" Lip asked suddenly.

I turned to look at him confused. "What?"

"You always hear how people are together but I've never heard that you've been with anyone." Lip explained.

"Lip." Ian said in a warning tone.

"It's fine. Just never had anyone interested in me." I shrugged.

Lip nodded and it got quiet.

"Why?" I questioned looking at him.

"Why what?" He asked looking at me.

"Why do you care?" I elaborated.

His eyes widened slightly and I raised an eyebrow. I heard a slight laugh and glanced to see Ian shaking his head. Turning back to Lip, I saw him looking at me.

He shrugged. "Just curious."

"Curious?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"Hey!" Someone yelled.

A car pulled up beside us and I turned my head to see Fiona and Steve in a car.

"Hey. Almost new." Lip informed them.

"Debbie stole a baby. We have figure out how to return it." Fiona said ignoring Lip's statement.

"Debbie stole a baby?" Lip asked.

"Yeah." Steve nodded.

"Why?" Ian asked.

"It's Debbie." Fiona pointed out.

"I did not see that coming. Can't we just give it back?" Lip asked.

"I wish we could. It's too late now." Steve said.

"Wow." I muttered.

"Find Carl and get home now." Fiona ordered.

"Yeah." Lip said.

The car drove off and we continued on the way back to the Gallagher house.

"A baby? How do you steal a baby?" I asked confused.

"Let's just find Carl and get home so we can get this sorted out." Lip said.

"Agreed." Ian added.

We eventually found Carl and started making our way back to the Gallagher's. Reaching their backyard, we left the cart with the heater inside it and headed inside the house.