The Gallagher House.
Fiona just quit and left, just like that.
Lip stood at the top of the stairs, staring in the direction Fiona had gone. Uncontrollably, his brain buzzed non-stop, unable to settle.
After a good while, thinking that Debbie was about to be late—and if she was late, it would likely mean big trouble—Lip finally snapped out of it a little, sighed, and turned back to go upstairs.
Arriving at Debbie's door, with time running out, Lip was anxious. He raised his hand and banged on the door hard. Bam, bam, bam.
Debbie was woken up. She sat up and shouted unhappily, "Jesus, what's wrong with you?"
"It's almost seven. You have to hurry back to juvie!" Lip was annoyed and had no patience, shouting back.
Hearing this, Debbie jolted awake instantly. While hurriedly getting out of bed, she complained unhappily, "Why didn't anyone wake me up!"
Lip couldn't be bothered to reply. Thinking for a moment, he strode quickly toward Ian's room, rushed straight in, and shook Ian awake. "Ian, I have to take Debbie back to juvie. Can you get up and watch Liam?"
Ian was sleeping groggily. He blinked, realizing what Lip was saying. "I'll bring Liam and go with you to drop Debbie off."
Lip thought for a second. "That works. I have something to talk to you about anyway."
"What is it?" Ian was confused.
"We'll talk on the way down," Lip was in a hurry. Saying that, he turned and walked out. After two steps, he suddenly thought of Carl and added, "Call Carl and tell him to come over. This concerns Carl too."
Ian got up, putting on his clothes while asking even more confusedly, "What is it? Why does it involve Carl now?"
"It's about Fiona," Lip continued walking out, replying, "Just call Carl first."
Hearing it was about Fiona, Ian couldn't help but feel a headache coming on, but he obediently did as told.
Before long.
Lip, Ian, and Debbie arrived on the first floor.
Time was tight. Debbie hadn't even washed her face, let alone eaten breakfast.
"Forget it, let's just go," Debbie didn't want to have to stay in juvie longer because of a late return. She was anxious too and urged them on.
Lip had no objections.
Ian didn't delay and nimbly picked up Liam.
The three moved quickly outside and got into the van Lip used for business.
Just then, Carl arrived.
"Carl, get in quick. I have something to tell you," seeing Carl, Lip immediately called out.
Carl got in the car, looking pretty confused.
Lip stepped on the gas, driving toward the juvenile detention center.
"?????" Carl was even more confused. "Where are we going? I haven't eaten breakfast, and I have work later."
"We're taking Debbie back to juvie. You'll have to be a little late for work today, sorry," Lip lit a cigarette irritably and replied.
"..." Carl was speechless for a moment, but he didn't say much more.
Debbie was his sister after all. After returning to juvie this time, unless someone else in the Gallagher family died, she probably wouldn't be out until she finished her sentence.
Seeing Carl didn't object, Lip felt slightly relieved. Then, not wasting time, he spoke directly. "Alright, let's talk business. Not long ago, Fiona..."
Lip didn't leave anything out, explaining Fiona's situation in detail. Once done, he added solemnly, "I think Fiona is serious this time. She's really washing her hands of it."
Hearing this.
Debbie was severely shocked. At the same time, she couldn't help but feel somewhat speechless.
Debbie wanted Fiona to realize her own problems, make changes, and get better. But the result? Fiona made this decision. Truly fcking absurd.
Carl was a little surprised, but only a little.
After all, Carl had been living out for quite a while, had a daily income, and had no problem supporting himself.
Then, after the surprise passed, Carl couldn't help but sigh in relief.
"This is good too. I've been considering whether to move back these past few days. Now that Fiona chooses not to care, I don't need to consider it anymore. I'll just keep living there," Carl smiled faintly and said.
Lip: "????"
Lip gathered people to talk about this not to make the Gallagher family split apart even more thoroughly, but to get everyone to move back to the Gallagher house and, through their actions, make Fiona change her mind.
So, naturally, Lip panicked. "Carl, what nonsense are you talking about! You're so young, how can you live outside alone!"
"Besides, there's the DCFS issue. What if someone reports you and you get taken by DCFS?"
Speaking anxiously, Lip took a deep breath, tried his best to calm himself down, and spoke again. "My idea is this: Carl, you and I both move back. We both behave well and live well."
"Fiona has never been a very firm person. As long as we all go back, after a while, Fiona will definitely change her mind."
Hearing this, Ian immediately spoke up. "So, we all have to try hard to suck up to Fiona?"
Lip didn't like those words. He subconsciously raised his eyebrows, his temper flaring a little, but he held it back. "Not suck up. It's to bring this family back together. Do you want this family to cease to exist just like that?"
Ian hesitated, silence falling for a moment. "Maybe that would be better."
Lip was shocked. He whipped his head around to look at Ian. "What does that mean?"
Ian was very calm. "It means, what do we do when we gather together? Nothing good happens. Someone always has problems, and then everyone else gets dragged down."
"Your smuggling operation, Fiona's alcoholism, men, drug use... I have my problems too."
"Maybe separating temporarily and working on ourselves individually would be better."
Lip couldn't accept this logic. "Ian, what kind of crazy are you talking? This is our home. If this home is gone, what do we have left?"
Ian wasn't holding a grudge against Fiona and Lip for their crap; he genuinely felt he had had enough. "Even if we separate, we are still a family. That fact doesn't change just because we don't live together."
"Lip, you're so smart. You should be able to understand."
Lip could understand, but he couldn't accept it. He fell silent, not knowing what to say.
At this moment, Debbie, who was about to return to juvie and wouldn't be back for a long time—meaning she wasn't really affected by this matter—turned to look at Ian and asked, "Ian, you say separating might be better, so what do you plan to do? Can you afford all the expenses?"
"Since Fiona said that, she probably won't cover your expenses anymore."
The fact was, before speaking just now, Ian was indeed thinking about this problem. Hearing this, he was a bit troubled. "When Fiona comes back, I'll talk to her and see specifically how much I need to cover... I probably can't afford it."
"Besides, since Fiona said she can absolutely live better without us."
"I actually don't want to drag her down either. I'm not very willing to live there anymore."
Saying that, Ian turned to Carl, hesitating slightly. "Carl, can I live with you? I'm basically working during the day, only staying for a bit at night. I'll pay."
Carl was never stingy. Hearing this, he smiled immediately. "Of course, you're welcome. No need to pay. I'm your brother, and I can earn money now."
As soon as these words came out.
Ian smiled. "Still have to pay something. Then it's settled."
Lip was going crazy, his eyes wide with anxiety. "What are you guys doing? Ian, if you move out, there's probably really no turning back. Fiona will very likely stick to it!"
Ian rolled his eyes and smiled back. "Lip, from my perspective, Fiona has taken care of us for so many years. Now she has a chance to live a good life. So, letting her live a good life—what's the problem with that? Why should we continue to drag her down?"
Lip: "..."
The truth was, Lip really hadn't thought about it from that angle. His focus had always been on preventing the Gallagher family from truly falling apart.
At this moment, hearing Ian say this, Lip was struck dumb, speechless. He fell silent again, and at the same time, started thinking.
A moment of thought later...
Lip, who was indeed very smart, had to admit that Ian was right.
Fiona had sacrificed a lot. Now that she wanted to live her own life, they should let her fulfill that wish, not drag her down.
Even if the price was the Gallagher family existing in name only.
But understanding was one thing; accepting was another...
Lip couldn't speak, continuing his silence.
This silence lasted for a long time before there was sound again.
"Then, what about Liam?" Lip asked.
Ian looked at Liam. "Monica is back. Let Monica take care of him. Liam is her son."
Hearing this, Lip and Debbie, with perfect tacit understanding, spoke up instantly to object.
"No way! Monica absolutely cannot take care of Liam!" Lip shouted.
"Monica will get Liam killed!" Debbie said urgently.
Regarding Liam, Ian was the same as before—he actually had no interest and wasn't willing to take care of him. But with things developing to this point, it seemed there was no choice.
Facing Lip and Debbie's reaction, Ian gritted his teeth. "Then we take turns taking care of him."
Lip sighed. Honestly, he felt a huge amount of pressure.
Liam was only three years old...
How long would he have to be taken care of?
Even if they didn't need to take care of him until eighteen, just until eight or nine...
That was still five or six years...
But if not this, what else could they do?
"We can only do this for now," Lip bit the bullet and said.
With that.
The four Gallaghers had basically agreed on a response plan to the storm Fiona had stirred up.
It was just an agreement.
As for what the future held.
No one knew, and no one dared to say.