The Hospital.
Jimmy and Fiona returned to the waiting area outside the ER.
Fiona's mind was in turmoil, and she sat down heavily on a chair with a terrible expression.
Fiona's face looked so bad that Debbie knew instantly something had happened, something big. She hurriedly asked, "Fiona, what's wrong?"
Fiona had no energy to speak. She shook her head, wiped her face fiercely, and then closed her eyes.
Seeing this, Debbie hesitated again and again, but in the end, she didn't pursue the question and obediently shut her mouth.
Carl looked at Fiona. Although he could tell something was off with her, he didn't know what to say, so he said nothing.
Fiona closed her eyes, uncontrollably feeling like her whole being was swaying incessantly.
By this time of the day, too many things had happened...
First, Debbie was choked by that bitch Sammi...
Then she had a fight with Sammi and lost...
Then, Frank might die...
After that, Jimmy confirmed he would leave tomorrow for Michigan for a year...
Done with that, the Dexter issue came up, and she accidentally learned that Lip had been kidnapped not too long ago...
Finally, judging by Dexter's attitude, the Gallagher house might be gone, and Lip and the other kids might have nowhere to live...
It had only been half a day, and so many things had happened!
Why? Why was it like this?
Fiona was in immense pain, feeling like she was going to collapse. That swaying sensation grew stronger bit by bit.
Soon, Fiona instinctively chose to escape, unwilling to think anymore.
To hell with it.
Unknowingly, Fiona remained motionless and fell asleep.
Time flew by.
As the sun set in the west, the doors to the operating room opened, and doctors and nurses walked out one after another.
Sammi, who truly loved Frank very much during this period, immediately sprang up as if electrified upon seeing them and rushed to the doctor. "Doctor, how is Frank? Is he still alive?"
The doctor nodded. "Mm, the surgery went very smoothly. Frank should be fine. You'll be able to see him in a little while."
The words came out.
Instantly, Sammi was ecstatic beyond measure and started cheering.
Debbie's reaction was about the same.
Even Carl grinned.
Jimmy chuckled, feeling a bit disappointed, thinking to himself, 'This scumbag really is hard to kill...'
At this time, because of Sammi's cheers, Fiona, who had been sleeping soundly, was woken up and opened her eyes.
Recovering for a moment, Fiona figured out what was happening. Subsequently, not knowing exactly what she felt, she just shook her head gently with very complicated emotions and said nothing.
In a flash, several nurses pushed Frank out, heading towards the ward.
Sammi took the intellectually disabled Chuckie and followed hurriedly. Debbie followed closely behind, and Carl also followed.
Fiona looked at Frank on the hospital bed, hesitated again and again, but finally got up, glanced at Jimmy, and followed along.
Having sat here all afternoon, Jimmy was really getting impatient, so much so that he was somewhat eager for tomorrow to arrive quickly so he could leave this place.
'Sigh,' Jimmy sighed silently and had to follow for the time being.
Inside the ward.
The doctor explained some precautions and stated clearly that Frank wouldn't wake up anytime soon.
After the doctor finished speaking and left the ward.
The very vengeful Fiona looked at Sammi with resentment, then spoke to Debbie and Carl. "Debbie, Carl, let's go back. You can come see Frank again tomorrow."
Hearing this, Carl had no objection and immediately nodded in agreement. "Okay."
Debbie didn't want to leave. She bit her lip. "I want to stay with Frank a little longer. Why don't you guys go first? I'll take the bus back later."
Hearing this, Fiona instinctively opened her mouth to persuade Debbie to go back together, but held back just as the words reached her lips.
"Mm," Fiona was too tired and didn't want to manage it anymore.
Responding simply, Fiona turned around directly, picked up Liam, and walked out.
Jimmy and Carl followed.
Getting in the car, none of the four spoke. The car was silent, and the atmosphere was truly somewhat weird and oppressive.
Jimmy glanced at Fiona quietly, determining that part of the reason for Fiona's state was related to him. But to be honest, he didn't want to explain anymore.
He wanted to go to Michigan, wanted to change his way of living.
Just like that, the silence in the car continued.
---
2119 North Wallace Street.
Jimmy parked the car, got out, lit a cigarette, took a fierce drag, and then followed Fiona towards the Gallagher house like a lackey.
It is worth mentioning that from leaving Dex Restaurant at noon until now, Fiona hadn't said a single word to Jimmy, nor even looked at him much.
But, the problem had to be solved eventually.
Entering the house, Fiona gently placed Liam, who had fallen asleep on the way, on the sofa, then slowly turned her head to survey this home.
Fiona still didn't know what she really felt inside. So, she took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down and solve problems one by one.
Then, the first thing to solve was naturally Jimmy's matter.
Fiona turned slightly, looked at Jimmy, and spoke with a complicated tone. "Jimmy, let's talk."
Jimmy knew this conversation was destined to happen and smiled bitterly. "Okay."
The two walked towards the back door of the Gallagher house. Before long, they were outside the back door.
Looking to the side from this position, one could clearly see that Carl's house next door was completely finished. Theoretically speaking, it was ready for move-in anytime.
Of course, in reality, the smell of paint would need some time to dissipate.
Fiona looked at Carl's house, lost in thought for a short while, withdrew her gaze, lit a cigarette, and took a fierce drag. "To be honest, when I told you at noon that I couldn't go to Michigan, did you ever think about staying for me?"
The truth was, Jimmy hadn't thought about it.
However, Jimmy wasn't stupid and was used to lying. He nodded and said with a serious face, "I did."
Hearing this, Fiona turned her head and stared at Jimmy without blinking. After staring for a few seconds, unsure if it was the truth, she thought about it and let it go, not dwelling on it. "Then with you leaving, what about us?"
"It's just a year. I'll come back often, and you can visit often. We can get through this year," Jimmy didn't want to end things with Fiona just like this, and these words were sincere.
But at the same time... Jimmy didn't hold too much hope.
Not because of the distance, but because... Fiona was Fiona.
Jimmy believed that before long, Fiona would go fxxk other men.
"Don't make it sound like a year is short," interestingly enough, Fiona herself didn't think she could last a year without fxxking other men.
Naturally, Fiona wouldn't admit it.
"I understand, the time is indeed not short," Jimmy said, taking out a cigarette and lighting another one. "But I believe we can do it. We can meet every week, stay together for two days, no problem."
Fiona chuckled. "Are you sure? There are many young girls in college. You should be fxxking other women before long."
"I won't!" Jimmy denied decisively.
"Hehe," Fiona sneered.
Jimmy didn't know how to respond to this sneer, so he shut his mouth and didn't make a sound.
Fiona didn't say more either.
The two just smoked silently like this, their thoughts racing in tacit understanding.
Until the cigarette between her fingers burned out, Fiona took another deep breath and spoke again. "I'm willing to believe you. I also hope we can get through this year."
"So, how about this. After you go to Michigan, don't lie to me. If you betray me, tell me immediately, and we end it directly."
"I won't betray you," Jimmy guaranteed again.
Fiona actually didn't quite believe it. Living in the big pit of the Gallagher family, Fiona had major trust issues... Of course, Fiona herself wasn't worth trusting either.
"Mm, hope so," Fiona said. "That's it then. I'm too tired."
Dropping this sentence, Fiona turned and returned to the Gallagher house.
Jimmy looked at Fiona helplessly, sighed silently, and followed inside.
"Help with dinner," Fiona didn't look back, hearing footsteps, she said.
"Okay," Jimmy responded obediently.
---
Past 7 PM.
Lip finished a day's work. Carrying annoyance and the feeling that living like this was a complete waste of life, with a cigarette in his mouth, he hurried back to the Gallagher house.
Fiona was still there, sitting on the sofa, smoking and drinking beer, waiting for Lip.
Therefore, seeing Lip, Fiona immediately got up and walked towards him. "Lip, we need to talk."
Fiona's face was still quite gloomy. Seeing this and hearing these words, Lip guessed Fiona wanted to talk about Dexter, so he nodded and followed towards the back door.
Arriving outside the back door.
Fiona took several puffs of her cigarette, didn't waste time, and went straight to recounting the communication with Dexter at noon.
Lip smoked, listening silently.
As he listened, Lip's face uncontrollably became uglier and uglier. Following that, veins on his forehead bulged one after another...
After listening.
Thinking of the kidnapping experience that day, the terrified Lip instinctively questioned Fiona, "Why? I clearly emphasized to you to apologize to him properly, but you specifically ran over and scolded him again?"
Fiona actually knew in her heart that she had messed this up.
However, admitting mistakes wasn't Fiona's style, or even the Gallagher style.
"Seeing his arrogant and domineering look, I just couldn't stand it!" Fiona argued with what she thought was reason. "That bastard is too arrogant. What right does he have to treat you like that?"
"..." Lip wanted to curse. He took two deep breaths and held back. "My matter is in the past. Now it's you, it's about this house."
"Leaving the house aside for now," Lip was truly very worried. "He had someone saw off Frank's arm, he had someone kidnap me..."
Saying this, Lip paused, hesitating whether to tell Fiona about a suspicion he had later.
Hesitating again and again, looking at Fiona's face twisted with anger... Lip suddenly realized it was necessary to say it. Otherwise, with Fiona's temper and IQ, who knew what stupid things she would do next.
"Also, I thought about it carefully later. Since Dexter came to our South Side, too many people in the South Side have been murdered one after another!"
Lip lowered his voice and said, "I think Dexter is very likely related to those murders!"
The words entered her ears.
With truly limited IQ and indeed not having thought of this layer, Fiona was instantly shocked dumbfounded. "Impossible..."
Hearing this sentence, looking at such a Fiona, Lip felt very helpless, feeling like he encountered an idiot at work again...
"What's impossible?" Lip said firmly. "What's Dexter's background? Who among us knows? No one knows!"
"But what I know is, even someone like Mickey is afraid of Dexter! Mickey even warned Ian several times, telling Ian absolutely not to provoke Dexter!"
"Why do you think that is?"
"Why would Mickey be so afraid of Dexter?"
After listening, Fiona's body started trembling immediately, as if falling into an ice cave, unable to speak.
Lip blinked, thought for a moment, and said again, "Don't provoke him. We really can't afford to. I admit, I'm also very angry, I also really want to kill him!"
"But we really can't do it."
"Fiona, put away your temper and apologize to him properly. Otherwise, maybe one day, you will be thrown into some stinking ditch and become a floating corpse."
Thump!
Holy sht!
Although life was so hard, Fiona had never thought about dying... Now, hearing Lip say this, fxxk, death seemed close at hand.
How could Fiona stand this? She immediately turned pale with fright, her lips trembling.
Lip could fully understand Fiona's reaction. After all, Lip had gone through this back then too;
Because he could understand, Lip didn't say more, just waited quietly.
After a long while.
Fiona suppressed a bit of the panic and nodded. "Okay, I, I will apologize to him properly."
---
The Alibi Room.
Past 8 PM.
At this time, the Alibi was basically full of old drunkards. In other words, all old acquaintances.
Therefore, as the news spread that Svetlana was getting married, and to a woman at that, the bar naturally became bustling with noise and excitement.
Amidst the excitement, Tommy couldn't help shaking his head with an abnormal expression, muttering, "This world changes too fast. Women marrying women is legal now. Marriage should be sacred..."
Dexter was sitting not far away. Hearing this, he couldn't help grinning, turning his head to Tommy. "Tommy, didn't see that coming. You're a homophobe?"
Hearing this, Tommy immediately shook his head to deny. "No, I'm absolutely not. I have no opinion on them. I just think their marriage isn't quite appropriate."
Dexter laughed. "Tommy, did you know? Scientific research shows that all homophobes are actually gay by nature."
"Tommy, you're probably gay too."
Tommy: "!!!"