My dad, as per usual, was buried underneath a car with coveralls practically drenched in grease. He'd been working for Hank's Auto for eleven years now and with everyone in the house working minus our Rottweiler Back-Up, he could finally afford to only work at Hank's. He wouldn't have had to if Mom hadn't fucked everything up but she did and he never complained, not once.
Giving his shin a little kick, he shouted before rolling out from beneath the shitty old station wagon to stare up at me, his look of annoyance quickly becoming one of joy. "Tavi? Baby girl, what're you doing here?" His shouts echoed throughout the near empty garage as he stood up and bear hugged me.
"I left Stanford." I shrugged, pulling away and reaching up wipe some motor oil from his face. His hands were a lost cause, they were essentially permanently stained with the gunk.
"You didn't drop out did ya?" First Finnerty to go to college, my baby girl, that's what he announced to everyone at the Alibi. I had been the only one who wanted to go actually.
"No Pop, I transferred to Chicago Polytechnic." I cringed at the name. After Mandy had lost in rock, paper, scissors with Ian and Mickey, she'd broken the news that I'd be sharing a campus with Lip. But if I could figure out a way into Stanford, I could figure out a way to avoid him right?
"Isn't that where L-" I cut him off with a hand and nodded, stilling making the cringe face.
"Yeah, yeah, it is. I didn't know that then but I know it now and I can't transfer again so I'm stuck." I decided it was time to change the subject and produced a brown rolled up paper bag that held my famous sub sandwich. Specifically, a steak and swiss cheese with jalapeños and tomatoes, all drowned in mayo. Just the way Pops likes it. "My coming back gift to you for letting me take my old room back."
"Ah, you're bribing your old man. Nice job baby girl but you know that you don't need to do that to come back. We always love you at the house, it's your home." He smiled as he snatched the bag and walked towards the kitchen to wash his hands. I followed slowly behind. "So, since you made it clear that your brothers and I beating up the young man that broke your heart was out of the question, what're you gonna do about him?"
It was a loaded question. What does one do when faced with having to continue to attend school with the same boy that you just travelled two thousand miles to get away from? Here's the answer that kept me up all night besides Mickey's boner pressing against my back as Ian spooned him.
"Nothing. I'm gonna do nothing."
I'm a fucking genius huh?
The long way to Hank's takes forty minutes from Mickey's but an hour from mine, when you're walking that is. The short way, the way I had taken most of my life, took twenty minutes to get to my house and it involved passing by the Gallagher house. Earlier, when the sun was out and I was wearing my big parka, I took the long way. But I'm not an idiot, the long way involves passing by enough alleys that getting into some serious trouble was inevitable.
So I took the short way. In hindsight, I could've dealt with the long way had push come to shove. I had a switchblade.
The lights were all on, as per usual, and noise drifted out onto the streets. Maybe I should say hi. He'd be back at college this time of year anyways so I'd say hi and get it over with. Decent enough idea.
My feet made very little noise as I walked up the stairs towards the door and I knocked. I waited a beat as I heard Debbie yell something to Carl before opening the door. " -k you Carl! You're disgusting!" She screamed over her shoulder, not looking at me.
"Isn't he though?" I quirked an eyebrow as Debbie whipped her head to look at me before screaming. I grinned as she practically knocked me back while hugging me. She didn't waste a second pulling me into the house and planting me on the couch, the very one with all my favorite and least favorite memories. Oh joy.