Hi! Hope you like this. Idea just popped into my head and I couldn't get it out.
Chapter One – The Luck You Got
"Think of all the luck you got
Know that it's not for naught
You were beaming once before
But it's not like that anymore…"
– The High Strung
'God it's hot...' Mae groaned inwardly. She felt the sweat beading on the back of her neck as she leaned her head back against the sticky blue seat. The bus she was on seemed extra stuffy and crowded as it huffed through the late-afternoon streets of muggy, summertime Chicago. She was glad that she had worn a dress that was at least a little flowy. It was a light blue hand me down that she had almost grown out of, but even if it was a bit short now, it was better than anything else she had in the sizable canvas bag sitting on her lap. A sizable canvas bag that was filled with all she had left in the world...
Mae sighed.
Her feet were sore. She felt as though she had been walking all day long, though really she had only been sitting on planes, buses and the L since the time she had left San Francisco. As Mae watched the familiar dilapidated homes pass by through the bus' window, she thought of the last time she had been here. The houses had all been covered in snow and she had to pile on every piece of clothing that she had brought with her on her visit in order to stay warm.
That had been just over five months ago, she had been a junior in high school on Christmas break. Dionne, Mae's mom, had shipped her off to see her half-brother also known as Mae's long ignored Uncle. Her mom had said it was to get to know the family, but Mae knew it had been so that Di could be free to take her 25 year old boyfriend to Hawaii.
Mae hadn't really minded though, she wound up loving spending time with her Uncle. He had such an interesting way of looking at stuff and was generally a fun person to be around. His wife hadn't been so bad either at first, though Mae got the sense she had wanted her gone by the end of the trip.
So much had happened since then...
'Seems like a lifetime ago...' Mae sighed, pushing the light brown hair that had escaped her messy bun out of her mossy, hazel eyes.
Here she was again. Mae wasn't sure if she'd even be welcomed back, she had tried reaching her Uncle over the phone to say she was coming but he must have changed his number. She had his address but even if she mailed him a head's up she would have arrived before he got the letter anyway and mailing him anything express wasn't an option, she needed to save what little money she had.
So now she was riding on a bus in a city she barely knew, just hoping that her last resort hadn't moved away.
"Honey." A croaky voice from the seat beside her broke Mae's train of thought.
Mae looked at the elderly, white haired woman sitting next to her and nodded for her continue.
"Could you help an old woman up? This is my stop coming up."
Mae resisted the urge to grimace, she really did not want to get up if she didn't need to, her feet were killing her and yet "Ah yeah..." was her reluctant reply, before she glanced outside the window and continued with a smile "Actually, you know what? This is my stop too."
"Wonderful." The older woman grinned, though something about it was off.
With a grunt Mae picked herself up and hauled the canvas backpack on to her shoulders, before holding out an arm to the older woman. She was surprised to see how short the woman was, Mae was only 5'4" but still had to look down at the light haired lady.
"Thank you!" Mae shouted to the bus driver as they exited the bus through the back doors.
Once they were on the street with the bus wheezing away, Mae noticed the older woman was staring up at her strangely.
"Everything all right?"
"You thanked him." The woman said bluntly.
Mae shrugged, she wasn't the best mannered person in the world but she tried to be polite when she could.
"You'll be all right from here?" She asked the woman, who simply nodded in reply. "Ok." Mae smiled, as she began her walk towards her Uncle's house.
'God damn shoes...' Mae cursed. Sandals weren't exactly the best for walking in, but right at this moment she didn't really have many options.
Strolling past yards filled with trash, pavement with weeds growing up through the many cracks in it and houses filled with sounds of squealing children Mae allowed her mind to wander.
'Should have brought more...' she dwelled on the strain of the backpack straps on her shoulders. It wasn't quite as bad as she thought it would have been, she could have taken more of her books… some more clothes at least. 'Oh well… shoulda, coulda, woulda...' she scoffed humourlessly to herself. That appeared to have become her motto over the past couple of months.
As she walked, Mae became vaguely aware of the sound of shuffling behind her. Bristling at the idea of someone following her, Mae made an attempt at casually stealing a look over her shoulder. There she saw that the old woman had been trailing the same path as her.
'That's how slow you're walking Esmae. Even an old timer can keep up!' Mae criticized herself, causing her sore feet to throb in response.
'Is she following me?' The brown haired girl asked herself. She wondered if this lady was one of those stories you hear about... crazy people you picked up on the transit system that wanted to come home like strays.
'But you're not going home.' A bitter voice in Mae's head remarked.
'Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!'
The hairs that had fallen out of her bun were starting to stick to her neck now and Mae couldn't wait to reach her destination.
'Almost there...' she encouraged herself, walking by some rusted and beaten up fences, ignoring a couple of losers on the road, leaning out of the passenger side of a car whistling at her.
'Almost there...'
"What baby? You too good for us?"
Slowing her pace, Mae decided to linger back so that she was walking closer to the old lady from the bus. Even though the elderly woman wouldn't be able to defend either of them and was probably somewhat deranged herself, Mae would gladly choose her company over the boys in the car.
"Oh, what's that? Your granma baby?" The men laughed, slowing down even more. "We ain't picky honey. We could eat you both up."
The girl nervously eyed the old lady who had stopped in her tracks to glare at the boys. Everyone had come to a stop. Mae held her breath anxiously waiting.
"Think you're so tough, talkin' all kinds of shit to a little girl and an old lady? Think you're big men, huh?" The grey haired woman had practically shouted as she moved towards the car. "How about I come over there and you show me how big those balls are?"
"Yo, man go, go! Old bitch ain't kidding." One of the panicked looking boys in the passenger seat urged the driver. Soon enough with a screech of tires the car had disappeared around the block.
"Fucking assholes" the light eyed lady spat at the spot where the car had been, before hobbling back to the sidewalk.
'Holy shit.' Mae knew her mouth was hanging open but she couldn't make it close just yet.
The old lady smiled triumphantly, "Just gotta show 'em a little muscle is all."
"Uh huh," Mae nodded, still in awe.
"Not from around here I take it." The older lady said, as she gestured for them to carry on walking.
"Ah… no. I've visited but San Francisco's my hometown."
"So here for another family visit?"
"How'd you know I came for family last time?"
"Sweetheart, this is South Side. Canaryville, Chicago. If you're here for anything other than family you've hit rock bottom or you're in hiding."
Looking around the less than picturesque streets in the setting sunlight, Mae admitted "I guess you're right."
"I usually am, hun." The old woman grinned knowingly "Ah! Here we are." She suddenly remarked, clearly having laid eyes on where she had been heading.
Mae followed her gaze. Her heart skipped a beat.
"Here?" The young girl pointed as they came to a stop outside a house Mae knew all too well. "You live here?" she asked, looking at the woman in disbelief.
"My son does."
"Who's your son?"
"Frank Gallagher. Why? You know him?"
A series of memories from last Winter flashed through Mae's mind. Frank Gallagher... yeah, she knew him. That drunk who could barely take care of himself, let alone his kids. 'His kids...' Mae heart and head were pounding.
"S-sort of. I babysat for Fiona a few times while I was here."
"Really? How many kids does she have?"
"No. They weren't..." Mae's brow furrowed, surely their grandmother would know. "They were all Frank's," she explained.
"Right, right..." the older woman pursed her lips "...remind me of them again."
Skeptical, Mae frowned at the lady. She wasn't sure she wanted to be giving out information about Fiona's family without her knowing. This lady might not even be who she said she was.
Obviously seeing her distrust the woman smiled reassuringly. "Look, I've just been away awhile. I was dropped off at the wrong place, it's been stressful enough. I haven't seen my grandbabies in years and my memory's not what it used to be. Ian and Lip came to visit me some time back, and I felt awful that I didn't recognize them. So please just help me out here."
Mae's heart was still calming down from earlier and she was on hyper aware alert of how the woman was behaving, but Mae had to hand it to her, the lady was disarmingly convincing. 'No doubt. She must be a Gallagher' Mae relented, figuring that it couldn't hurt just to remind her of the names.
"There's Liam, the youngest. Then Carl and Debbie. I didn't watch..." clearing her throat when the words got caught Mae swallowed thickly "... you know the others."
Clasping Mae's small hand in her large ones the older Gallagher thanked Mae. "You certainly are a sweetheart..." she trailed off, plainly waiting for Mae to introduce herself.
"Ah, Esmae, but everyone calls me Mae."
"I'm Peg." The grey haired woman replied, "Would you like to come in and meet them with me? Sure they'd love to see you."
Mae's throat suddenly became thick.
"Um, maybe another time. I gotta get to my Uncle's."
"All right then."
Mae made a move to step back but Peg pulled her into a hug before she did.
"The only way say bye properly, honey." The grandma said, as Mae awkwardly returned the hug. "Take it easy." Peg pulled away and waddled towards the Gallagher's front porch.
"You too." Mae offered as farewell. She didn't really wanna be around when that door opened, so she rushed to get as much distance between that house and her as she could. However, that distance didn't really add up to a lot.
Before she knew it, she was a door down on her Uncle's front steps. Taking a deep breath, her greenish-hazel eyes zeroed in on the dark door. She could hear the sound of Peg being invited in at the neighbours and was doing her best to block it out. Mae had to stop her mind from drifting and wondering about who had answered the door and what they had been doing over the past months. 'Focus on this house damnnit!' Mae forced herself to think. She prayed for a moment that if anyone was home at all it would be her Uncle and not his wife.
When she heard the door close at the next house over, Mae finally made herself knock. At first there was no answer, she felt her stomach twist in panic before she knocked again harder and waited. Soon enough she could hear shuffling and swearing.
"What the fuc..." her Uncle had opened the door, in his boxers, hair messed up, clearly bleary eyed from sleep and ready to rip whoever had disturbed his rest a new one. But all that dropped once he saw who it was. "What the fuck?" He stated with more softness. He rubbed his eyes and took another look at Mae.
"Hey, Uncle Kev" Mae smiled lamely, waving her hand. Once again, before she knew what was happening, Mae was drawn into yet another hug. But this one she welcomed. She felt herself release some of the tension she had been holding since the year had started.
"Hiya kid." Her Uncle kissed the top of her head. "Wanna tell me what you're doing here?"
Wrapping her arms around her Uncle, Mae squeezed him tighter "I have some news."
As soon as she had done it, she knew he knew. He had immediately tensed up.
Pulling back and holding her shoulders, he looked down at her. She could see the mix of anger and worry in his brown eyes "I'd fucking say so."
"Ah, yeah." Mae's head dropped, she looked at her swollen ankles and worn out shoes. Seemed ankles and boobs were the only things really affected so far everything else about her was still small, her belly had only just started to pop out.
"Dionne kick you out?"
Unable to bring herself to speak or even look at him, Mae simply nodded.
"What a remarkable bitch" he hissed under his breath, his tone changed though as he asked "How far along?"
"About five months."
Mae suddenly felt his fingers clench around her shoulders "Mae, about five months or over?" all at once she knew why he had tightened his grip. A little over five months ago she had been here. "Esmae Loche look at me." Slowly raising her eyes, she looked at her already fuming Uncle.
"Over..." she said quietly.
"Son of a bitch! I'm gonna kill that little shit!" Like a shot her Uncle was gone. Passed Mae and out on to the sidewalk in bare feet and boxers.
Springing out of her stupor and into action Mae chased after him. "Wait! Kevin! Stop! Where are you even going?" she asked her breathing already laboured.
"To murder Phillip fucking Gallagher!"
Hope you enjoyed it so far. Obviously changed Grammy's arrival up a bit. Let me know. Next chapter soon!