Just as Fiona had said herself, Lip and the other kids were her life.
So, naturally, the moment she stepped out of the prison gates and ran up to Lip and the others, she didn't hesitate. With tears in her eyes, she fussed over them, asking about every little detail of their well-being.
As for Steve...
He didn't matter.
It was a long while before she finished being affectionate with her siblings. Only then, with tears still in her eyes, did Fiona turn to Steve and say, "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Get in the car. Let's go back and celebrate," Steve said with a smile, embodying the role of a simp perfectly.
Soon, everyone was in the car.
Steve transformed into a tool, playing the role of the chauffeur.
With one more Gallagher added to the mix, the noise level inside the van reached new heights.
Steve, thoroughly ignored, listened to the racket and felt a headache coming on. He lit a cigarette and smoked silently, feeling a bit helpless.
It was a drive of several hours. If they kept up this noise the whole way, it was going to be annoying as hell.
Sigh...
---
Frank slept at Sheila's house until noon. He got up, ate the lunch Sheila prepared, wiped his mouth, and left straight away, heading for the Gallagher house.
Arriving at the house, Frank habitually tried to push the front door open.
Locked.
He went around to the back door. Same thing.
Moreover, the house was dead silent. No sign of movement inside.
"Fuck. Where did all these little shits go?" Frank cursed irritably. Then, his eyes darted around. Abandoning his plan to take Liam begging, he quickly found a rock in the backyard, smashed a window, and climbed in.
Once inside.
Frank didn't waste a second. He immediately started rummaging through drawers and cabinets, desperate to find money to pay back the black guy and avoid a severe beating.
However, after searching for over an hour, he only found a few scattered coins. It didn't even add up to ten bucks.
"Fuck!" Frank stomped his foot in rage, cursing up a storm.
After venting for a bit, Frank walked angrily to the fridge, opened it, grabbed a beer, and downed it in one go. Glug, glug, glug.
Done. He started thinking.
Thinking, thinking...
Ding!
Got it.
There was no one else in the house. No one would know...
Frank grinned. He strode into the living room, yanked the plugs out of the flat-screen TV, hugged it to his chest, and walked out the back door!
One trip, two trips, three trips...
The flat-screen TV, the laptop, the microwave, the washing machine...
Anything remotely valuable was hauled away to be sold!
For the sake of money, Frank worked surprisingly hard.
About two hours later.
Goods sold, cash in hand. Frank had harvested about two hundred dollars.
Looking at the money in his hand, Frank thought again...
Two hundred dollars. That was a long way off from ten thousand.
Giving this money to the thug probably wouldn't mean anything.
Plus, he had just sold all the valuable stuff in the Gallagher house. When Lip and those ungrateful dogs came back tonight, they would definitely raise hell...
Frank thought for a long while and made a decision!
Pay back the money? My ass!
Buy drugs! Get high! Then find a place to lay low and hide for a while. He didn't believe the thug would keep looking for him forever!
No sooner said than done.
Frank immediately jogged toward his familiar drug dealer.
---
Lunch service ended.
Dexter, cigarette dangling from his lips, strolled over to the flower shop he visited yesterday afternoon. He selected another spectacular bouquet and paid. "Same as yesterday. Send it to Dr. Bianca."
The female owner beamed, though she muttered a few jealous comments.
Dexter played along with the banter before leaving the shop. He got in his car to pick up the custom meal vouchers and envelopes he ordered yesterday.
After collecting everything, Dexter returned to the restaurant. He started putting the priority meal vouchers into the envelopes one by one and sealing them shut.
He finished twenty sets.
"You see how it's done? You guys do the rest. I'm going to find Kevin," Dexter instructed Veronica and the others.
The three nodded and got to work.
The Alibi Room.
Now that he was the owner and not just an employee, Kevin stayed at the bar all day, trying hard to make money.
Unfortunately, at this time of the afternoon, customers were scarce.
Kevin was bored, sitting behind the bar staring into space like a wooden statue.
Seeing Dexter walk in, Kevin perked up. Before Dexter even reached the bar, Kevin proactively poured him a beer. "Done with work?"
Dexter sat down and smiled. "You know me. I only work a few hours a day."
Kevin sounded helpless. "Don't rub it in. You make more in a few hours than I make in a fucking month."
"Haha," Dexter laughed. "That's why I'm here to bring you money."
Saying that, Dexter placed ten envelopes on the bar. "The thing we talked about before is ready. Remember, neither you nor anyone else can open this envelope. If it's opened, I won't honor it."
Kevin didn't understand. "Huh? Why?"
"To prevent counterfeiting. You live around here; couldn't you figure that out?" Dexter asked with a smile.
Kevin understood immediately. He thought for a moment. "But even so, if people want to fake it, they can still fake it."
Dexter nodded. "It makes it harder. It's not easy. It reduces the chance of forgery a bit."
"True," Kevin agreed. Then he grinned, rubbing his hands together excitedly. "Alright! Now we can make some extra cash!!"
Hearing about money, Dexter thought of something. "Speaking of money, when are you and Veronica having the wedding?"
Kevin paused. "We haven't set a date yet. Why?"
"Just asking. So I can prepare a big gift for you," Dexter smiled. "How about I send you on a honeymoon trip?"
The words hit Kevin's ears.
Kevin was instantly stunned. He froze, his face full of disbelief. "Dexter! Don't joke with me about this! I'll take it seriously!!!"
Dexter smiled. "How does Costa Rica sound?"
"!!!!" Kevin froze again. Two seconds later, he suddenly reached out and grabbed Dexter's hand tightly. "Yes, yes, yes! My brother! I'm counting on you! Want me to get on my knees for you?"
Dexter: "...Let go. You're disgusting. Let go now."
Kevin let go, grinning like an idiot.
"You're really gross when you do that. I'm leaving. Bye," Dexter laughed, dropped the line, stood up, and briskly walked out, heading toward Dex Fruit Stand.
Less than a minute later.
Veronica received a text from Kevin: [V, Dexter just told me that when we have our wedding, he's sending us to Costa Rica for our honeymoon.]
Veronica saw it and instinctively blinked several times, genuinely suspecting she misread it. [Really?]
[Really!]
[Holy shit!!] Veronica was ecstatic. [Let's get married soon! I want to go to Costa Rica!]
[Okay! Let's discuss dates tonight and set one as soon as possible!]
[See you tonight.]
---
Hospital.
In the office.
Bianca looked at the freshly delivered flowers on her desk. The corners of her mouth curled up, revealing a joyful smile she didn't even notice herself.
After smiling for a moment.
Bianca leaned in and smelled the flowers.
They smelled wonderful.
It was comforting.
Then, after a brief hesitation, Bianca took out her phone and texted a female colleague: [Want to go to Dex Restaurant for dinner tonight?]