The Gallagher House.
After hearing Mandy's words, Lip suddenly felt that Mandy was pathetic and, at the same time, a bit pitiable.
Lip felt a twinge of compassion. He thought for a moment and said, "You don't have to say that. You have a pretty good job now, and Mickey's income is also decent."
"You two will live a good life."
Hearing this, Mandy lifted her head from between her knees, looked at Lip, and smiled faintly. "Maybe that's true."
Lip returned the smile and didn't say anything more.
The two then silently smoked their cigarettes.
After finishing a cigarette, Mandy checked the time and suggested to Lip, "Another round?"
By this time, Lip's mood was already quite relaxed.
The reason was simple.
Having talked things out just now was equivalent to stating clearly that he wouldn't take responsibility for Mandy, and Mandy basically agreed.
In this way, Lip was naturally happy with this kind of relationship and nodded crisply. "Sure."
The two fxxked again.
Past 11 PM, Mandy walked out of the Gallagher house alone, lit a cigarette, and walked home with a complicated mood. At the same time, she pondered about life.
Yeah, things were talked out.
Lip would leave, and this relationship was destined not to last long. Since that was the case, life had to be lived properly... In other words, the job at Dex Restaurant couldn't be lost.
She had to earn money.
Maybe, if she earned enough money, she could follow Lip to university. At that time, Lip would be at the university, and she could rent a place outside the school...
Comrade Mandy, the die-hard romantic, let her thoughts wander and started to have unrealistic fantasies.
It was truly quite pathetic.
...
Days passed one by one.
Frank's condition worsened. He could hardly get out of bed, and his body even emitted a rotting smell.
Samantha took care of Frank with all her heart and tried very hard to replace Fiona's role, taking care of Carl, Debbie, and Liam as best as she could.
Carl still worked every day, having a great time at the shooting range. Occasionally, when no one was around, he would egg Mickey on to practice shooting together. Life was good.
Ian was still trying hard to make money with Kash, preparing for the elopement.
Debbie was too young to find a job and didn't want to repeat the same mistakes by stealing again, so she had to stay home obediently every day to look after Liam.
Fiona came over a few times. Seeing Sammi managing the Gallagher house in an orderly manner, with no problems even in her absence, her mood was very complicated.
On one hand, with Sammi taking care of kids like Carl, she felt she could go to Michigan with more peace of mind.
On the other hand, she felt that her efforts over the past years seemed to have gone down the drain, easily replaced by Sammi, which was really frustrating.
These days, the Gallagher house was generally quite peaceful.
The entire South Side was basically the same.
...
The Jackson House.
Karen hadn't returned yet. She was having a super fun time in Los Angeles and didn't really want to come back.
As a result, Jody and Sheila naturally played again and again.
As the number of times increased, the guilt in both Jody and Sheila's hearts became less and less.
Humans are just such creatures.
---
In a flash, it was August 18th.
Early this morning, a drizzle fell. Chicago welcomed the long-awaited rain. The heat that had lasted for over a month was suppressed by the rain, and there was a rare freshness in the air.
7:30 AM.
The Gallagher House.
Sammi got up early as usual and made breakfast.
At this time, except for Frank on the second floor who was really dying, everyone living in this dilapidated house was sitting at the dining table, eating breakfast.
Before long, breakfast was finished.
Lip, Ian, and Carl got up nimbly one after another, preparing to go to work.
Ian left the fastest. In less than a minute, he walked quickly out the door.
Lip had long felt something was wrong with Ian. Seeing this, he hesitated slightly, then decisively chased after him. "Ian, wait for me. I'll walk with you for a bit."
Hearing this, Ian hesitated slightly, slowed down a bit, and looked at Lip with a somewhat complicated expression. "We're not going the same way."
"It's okay," Lip responded with a smile. "Taking a slight detour is fine. Just wanted to chat with you."
Hearing this, Ian's heart tightened suddenly, a bit panicked. "Chat about what?"
Lip took Ian's behavior into account and became even more certain that Ian had a problem. "You're different from before lately. Did something happen?"
Ian became even more panicked and hurriedly shook his head. "No, maybe it's because the weather is too hot."
Lip was very smart; how could he believe such nonsense? However, he didn't expose it directly. "Also, you've been working at the convenience store until midnight every day recently. Is there that much to do?"
"I discussed it with Linda. If I work longer, I can earn more money. Anyway, coming back is just for sleeping," Ian half-bullshitted. "School starts soon. Once Fiona leaves, we need money."
That was a fact.
Lip nodded, not doubting these words. "Don't put too much pressure on yourself about money. Me, you, and Carl, the three of us can hold it up, especially Carl."
"Although it's embarrassing to say, for the next year, we really have to rely on Carl."
Ian smiled. "Yeah, luckily Carl doesn't mind."
Lip smiled too.
After smiling, Lip, who couldn't have imagined that Ian was planning to run away from home, thought for a moment and didn't probe further.
The two brothers chatted idly for a while and separated at an intersection.
Ian went to work at the convenience store, while Lip went to sell burgers at the burger joint.
The convenience store.
Ian and Kash pretended to be serious and busy for a while. Seeing no customers in the store, Kash immediately gave Ian a gay smile, then whispered, "Tonight's the night. My things are packed. What about you?"
Ian shook his head gently. "Still a little left. I'll go back at noon, then bring the luggage here directly. We leave from here tonight."
"Okay," Kash nodded very happily and said with a face full of smiles, "New York. Our future is finally coming true."
Ian smiled too, very gayly. "Yeah."
Just then, another customer pushed the door open and walked in.
Kash and Ian had to hurriedly put away their smiles and pretend to be busy.
---
Past 10:00 AM.
The plane landed.
Having solved the baby problem in Los Angeles and played for more than ten days in one go, Karen, dragging a large suitcase and carrying big and small bags, walked out of the airport accompanied by the female tour guide, got in the car, and returned to the South Side of Chicago.
Arriving at the front door.
Karen got out of the car and walked home in a very good mood.
At this time, Eddie, who looked very listless and had been worrying about Monica and how Karen was doing for so many days, was packing up, preparing to go to work.
Sheila was about the same. She had just changed clothes, planning to go out for a stroll and buy some daily necessities along the way.
Karen opened the door and walked in, shouting cheerfully, "Mom!"
Hearing Karen's voice, instantly, both Eddie and Sheila were jolted into high spirits, turning their heads sharply to look in the direction of the main door.
Karen dragged her suitcase into the living room and casually threw the bags she was carrying onto the sofa.
"Karen!" Seeing Karen with her own eyes, Sheila immediately ran over excitedly and hugged Karen. "Why didn't you say anything about coming back? I could have picked you up."
"I wanted to give you a surprise, so I didn't say anything on purpose," Karen replied with a smile.
Seeing Karen back, Eddie was also very happy. He rarely showed a smile as he spoke to Karen, "Did you have fun in Los Angeles?"
Eddie had long given up on caring about how Karen got the money.
In fact, the thought of his daughter selling her body for money, like a prostitute... Eddie simply dared not let himself think about it.
Hearing Eddie's words, Karen glared at Eddie viciously. "None of your fxxking business."
"..." Eddie was speechless and fell silent. Subsequently, he shook his head, didn't say anymore, took his briefcase, and left to go to work.
"Mom, I brought you a gift," seeing Eddie leave, Karen immediately returned to her smiling face and said to Sheila.
Hearing this, Sheila was very happy, but at the same time, the guilt in her heart uncontrollably churned like overturning seas and rivers.
There was no helping it.
Her daughter was so good, bringing her a gift even when going out to play...
Yet she slept with her daughter's boyfriend...
Truly a beast!
The more Sheila thought, the more guilty she felt. Driven by guilt, a guilty conscience followed closely. "Ah, Karen, you don't need to do this. I don't need gifts, I just need you home safe."
Karen ignored her, smiling as she rummaged for the gift prepared for Sheila and handed it to her. "Mom, what are you saying? Here, take a look, see if you like it."
"..." Sheila was practically dying of guilt. She wanted to confess to Karen about her and Jody honestly, but dared not; she really couldn't say it.
Sheila struggled for several seconds but still couldn't say it. She had to bite the bullet, accept the gift, and open it.
Sheila liked it very much. "Oh, Karen, this is so beautiful. Thank you, thank you."
"You're welcome. Then Mom, I'll go upstairs to sleep for a while. I got up early this morning and didn't sleep well on the plane," Karen said, about to go upstairs.
Sheila hesitated again and again but didn't stop her. "Okay, then rest well. I'll make something you like to eat."
"Okay," Karen responded without looking back as she went upstairs.
Back in her room, Karen immediately turned on the air conditioner, lay on the bed, closed her eyes with satisfaction, and silently recalled every bit of this trip, feeling deeply moved.
"The outside world is truly wonderful. Having money is so good!" Karen muttered to herself.
From this moment on, Karen had a very firm, arguably unswerving goal for her life: to make money and enjoy this wonderful world.
It is worth mentioning that after this trip, Karen's enthusiasm for fxxk was not as high as before.
Although, this was normal.
In this world, there are many, many things more interesting than fxxking. Karen discovered this, so of course, she had to pursue those more interesting things.
---
Inside Jimmy's newly rented house.
Noon.
After lunch.
Fiona got up silently, walked to the window, looked at the Gallagher house, lit a cigarette, took a fierce drag, and was lost in thought.
The date to go to Michigan had been set.
The morning after tomorrow, she and Jimmy would go to Michigan and stay there for a year.
Jimmy had already rented a house there...
She had also told the bar manager she would leave on the 20th and quit.
It meant that all aspects of moving to Michigan were basically ready; there was no turning back.
Just like that...
Thinking that she had to leave the day after tomorrow, truly leaving the Gallagher house, leaving this South Side where she had lived for more than twenty years... Fiona was incredibly reluctant to part, even a bit wanting to cry.
Because she wanted to cry, Fiona took a silent deep breath, suppressed the impulse, and subconsciously accelerated her smoking speed.
Jimmy walked over, came behind Fiona, hugged her, and said softly, "Don't be sad. At most two weeks, I'll accompany you back."
Hearing this, Fiona nodded gently. "Okay."
Subsequently, Fiona spoke up. "Tomorrow night, let's go out for dinner together as a farewell."
"Mm, okay. I'll book a nicer restaurant," Jimmy said very obediently.
Fiona's mood didn't improve with it. She still looked at the Gallagher house, was silent for a short while, and spoke again. "Frank really doesn't have many days left. Once I leave, when I come back, he will probably be dead."
Jimmy understood Frank's situation relatively well and knew that normally speaking, what Fiona said was correct, but...
"I don't know why, I always feel Frank won't die."
"He's as tough as a cockroach, not that easy to die."
Hearing this, Fiona couldn't help but laugh. "Many people have said that, but cockroaches also have a time to die."
"I don't care if he dies."
"But if he dies, I definitely have to come back immediately. Not for him, but for those kids."
"They are all too young to handle Frank's funeral properly."
"Sammi is a crazy person; I don't trust her."
"Okay," Jimmy nodded. "Come back then. I'll try my best to come back with you."
"Mm," Fiona responded.
---
1:00 PM.
The rain got heavier. Under the pouring rain, a certain port in Chicago welcomed a luxury cruise ship.
The cruise ship slowly came to a steady stop.
Nando, holding a grape, walked out of the cabin, came under the parasol on the deck, tossed the grape dashingly into his mouth, and looked around.
"Chicago, truly a beautiful city, right," Nando asked the bodyguard Beto beside him with a smile.
Beto nodded cooperatively. "Yes."
"Estefania should like this city very much," Nando said again. "Let's go find her. But first, we have to find that little bastard Steve."
"Okay," Beto nodded.
Soon.
Nando led a group of subordinates off the ship, walking away unhurriedly in the rain.
In a flash, more than two hours passed.
Nando got cars. The group took three cars and arrived diagonally opposite outside the house Jimmy rented. No one got out for the time being; they just stared at that house, waiting for Jimmy to appear.
Inside the house.
Jimmy and Fiona, who actually didn't have much common language, were fxxking on the living room sofa, having a great time.
Neither of them knew, nor could they possibly imagine, that Nando's gang was watching outside.
But, someone thought of it, or rather, someone knew.
Dexter knew.
Because Little Wu saw it from the tree.