Part Twenty-Nine: Target Practice

Mickey has the day off so it's just me at the Kash 'N' Grab today. It's been a busy day. I haven't got all my stocking done yet. I'm halfway through stocking when Ned speaks to me. You'd think after having his ass kicked by Mickey, he'd know better than to come around.

He doesn't touch me. That was the great thing about Ned; he never touched me without my permission unlike Kash. He does flirt though and I see him check me out.

"Red," says Ned softly as if speaking to me as a lover. "I'm sorry truly." He and his wife divorced, Jimmy let him stay with us and he tried to get into my bed, but wound up going balls deep on Lip. "Can you forgive a man who is falling apart?"

"Yeah," I say.

"Can I kiss you?"

I hold a box up, "No." and walk away. Not happening.

"So listen, I need someone to rob my house. I'm hoping you could help."

"You want me to rob your house?"

"Candace changed the locks. It's my goddamn house. She won't let me in. I need someone to steal my stuff. If I do it the neighbors will recognize me. If you go in during day light hours you'll look like movers."

He lists off a bunch of shit that he wants me to take with the promise that I can get something of value that my family can sell for money. If I do this I'm going to need some help.

I meet up with Mickey on the rooftop of some old condemned buildings. He's firing off his guns at different targets he's set up. We arrange an obstacle course for me to run to practice my ROTC training.

"You ever fire one of these?" Mickey asks holding up his gun and pointing it at a target. I notice on the target is a picture of Frank. I smile at Mickey. He nods his head and starts to laugh. "I thought you'd like that. I couldn't find one of Monica though. Not quite sure what she fucking looks like."

"The generic mom look, only she wasn't one."

"Yeah, around here there aren't any normal moms."

"Sheila," I say. Mickey shrugs and then nods in agreement. Sheila Jackson may be a little crazy but she's kind and she's clean, and she's motherly.

I take Mickey's gun from him and aim it at Frank's stupid face and pull the trigger. I shoot him in the eye. I look at Mickey he seems impressed. He takes the gun back and shoots out Frank's other eye.

"We should make a cardboard standee of Frank and shoot him in the nuts," I suggest taking the gun back and firing multiple rounds into Frank's head.

"You're really fucking good with that thing."

"You seem surprised," I say taking his cigarette out of his mouth.

"Nah, man, just impressed. How many Gallaghers can fire a fucking gun?"

"That sounds like a riddle. I think all of them except Debbie and Liam, but he's a toddler."

"You going to teach Debbie? She is your little sister, man. If she were my little sister I would fucking teach her. There are a lot of fucking creeps out there."

"Since when do you care so much about Debbie?" I ask.

"Fuck off. I'm just saying you should protect her."

"I do protect her."

"With what your fucking looks? No offense, but you're about as intimidating as the fluffy fucking cat we had in juvie." He's grinning really big. I punch him in the arm. He laughs.

"You're an asshole."

Mickey laughs. I shove him. He doesn't shove me back. He nods towards my obstacle course. I get ready to run it. Mickey loads his gun and fires them off as I complete the course. He goes through three cigarettes. He needs to cut back.

"So you know that guy whose ass you kicked?" I ask. Mickey fires his gun. "He wants me to rob his house." Mickey fires several shots at the ground. I move to avoid them. "Jesus, use blanks maybe." He fires more. "You want in?"

"Can I bring my cousins?"

"Yeah," I say.

Mickey goes quiet for a moment. He's squinting from the bright sunlight shining in his eyes. He looks down at me from his perch. "I don't know what you see in that geriatric vigaroid."

"He buys me stuff, orders me room service," I say, "and he's not afraid to kiss me."

Mickey doesn't speak. He doesn't look happy, that's for sure. I wonder if he's still going to help me or not. He motions for me to come over to him. He sets up a new target. This one is a picture of Kash. I burst out laughing.

"Where did you get that?"

"I stole it from the fucking store," Mickey says with a smile.

I continue to laugh as he tapes it over the damaged photo of Frank. Mickey hands me the gun. I smile at him. "Oh I get to go first?"

"You're the one he molested, man."

"He didn't molest me."

"Whatever you say, tough guy," says Mickey.

I fire at the photo of Kash and shoot him right between the eyes. I pass the gun to Mickey. He shoots his teeth out. We destroy the photo of Kash and Mickey surprises me with an even funnier one. It's a photograph of Justin Timberlake. I glare at him.

"That's uncalled for."

"Nope," says Mickey firing into Justin Timberlake until there is nothing left to look at. I am almost rolling with laughter. Mickey slugs me on the arm. "Not so pretty now is he?"

"You're a fucking asshole," I say, "Who's next James Franco? Van Damme?"

"I'd shoot the fuck out of Van Damme. Who the fuck is James Franco?"

"He was in Spider-Man."

"I don't watch that fucking shit."

"We're going to fucking watch it," I tell him.

"Fuck you. No we're not."

Mickey pushes me. I push back. He chases me through my obstacle course and tackles me. He starts to tickle me. That's so unfair. I laugh until I can't breathe and Mickey wins. He sits on top of me as if waiting for me to catch my breath before tickling me again.

"You win, but we're still watching Spider-Man."

"Okay, Spidey, if we're watching your fucking movies, then we're watching one of mine."

"Oh, fuck, what? Some gun-toting thugs rob banks and drive fast cars," I say rolling my eyes.

"Sounds like a great fucking movie. But I'm not telling."

"Okay. Sounds like a fucking date," I say.

"Does it? When we doing this?"

"Tomorrow night?"

"My house or yours?"

"Depends how would your dad feel about us watching Spider-Man and me drooling over James Franco?"

"So your house," Mickey says with a smile.

"You bring the beer."

"Will your family be there?"

"Probably," I say, "Oh shit. Is that going to be a problem for you?"

"Nah, we'll tell them I lost a fucking bet."

"Sounds good," I say. I wish we didn't have to lie.

"What time are we robbing this jerk's house tomorrow?"

"Early. He said his wife will be in bed until at least noon."

Mickey packs up his gear. I say "fuck it" and leave the obstacle course up. We walk down together. Mickey and I hold hands until we reach the street. Then we just walk side by side until we get to my house.

"Why does your yard smell like shit?" Mickey asks.

"We're digging up a body," I tell Mickey. Anyone else would probably have thought that was weird. Mickey just nods.

"Need any help?"

"I'll get back to you."

"See ya tomorrow, Spider-Man," says Mickey. He leaves and gives me the finger. Bright and early.