Chapter 12 - Debbie's dolls (still needs to be expanded)
I picked up the doll, it didn't smell like a thrift shop doll and it didn't look like a cheap one either. I waited until Debbie came back into our room. "You're the doll thief?" I asked, she went bright red. "Don't go through my things!" she yelled at me and tried to snatch the doll off me. "They all think I did it, got into a big fight today because of it. Why would you do this?" I said as I dodged her. "Shut up Lucy!" she yelled, she sounded close to tears. "Whatever. You need to get rid of the dolls before someone sees you with them" I told her and passed her the doll as I left the room.
"Another doll has been stolen" Cindi yelled as she run over to us. "What the fuck?! God damn it. I'm going to … Fuck!" I yelled and stormed away.
I couldn't find Debbie but found her doll stash. She had taken 5, there was also a box of baby clothes and other baby stuff with them. I realised she wasn't going to listen to me, I needed someone smarter to get her to stop.
I burst into the boys room. Ian was sitting in his bed with a book in front of him, he immediately put the book down over his lap and turned bright red. I jumped so I could see into Lips bed, he wasn't there. "Where's Lip?" I asked. "Van" Ian mumbled. I rushed down the stairs, he wasn't in the front seats so I went to open the back door but paused. The anger at what Debbie was doing and how much trouble I was getting into because of it disappeared. She needed to stop what she was doing but telling Lip felt like I was dobbing her in and we don't do that. I took a deep breath and opened the van, Lip was laying there smoking. I sat down next to him, I couldn't figure out how to tell him. "Lucy? What have you done?" he asked. "Nothing" I said "you look guilty" I didn't say anything. "Is it about the dolls?" I still didn't say anything. "Did you take them?" I shook my head. "Lucy?" "I didn't, I'm not the one that plays with stupid dolls" I told him getting a bit angry, it didn't occur to me that he would think I took them. He sat up and moved up right next to me. "Debbie?" he asked quietly. I nodded. "Damn it" he mumbled.
Lip stood in my room and looked at all the dolls, I could tell he was coming up with a plan on how to handle this. I heard footsteps in the corridor then Debbie's scream, she charged into me and pushed me to the ground. She was lifted of me before she was able to throw a punch. "You betrayed me!" She yelled and started crying. "I told you not to steal any more!" I yelled back at her. "Hey! What the hell were you thinking Debbie!" Lip yelled at her. Debbie pushed him away then backed into the corner and slumped down onto the ground sobbing. Ian walked into the room. "Debbie?" I said quietly and crawled over to her. I had seen her upset before but Fiona was always there and she would comfort her, I looked at Lip for help but he seemed as lost as I did. "Shit!" he said and ran his fingers through his hair. Ian walked over to Debbie and sat next to her, she grabbed him and cried into his shoulder, he put his hand on her knee but didn't say anything.
"She's not going to give them up" Lip said. He had tried to explain to her how much trouble she would be in if someone found out she had the dolls and had suggested we get rid of them but she refused. Carl suggesting we burn them hadn't helped. Lip, Ian, Carl and I were brainstorming ideas. "Do you think she will stop stealing them?" I asked. "I don't know Lucy" Lip sighed. "We need to get rid of them, they think Lucy did it and will want to check sooner or later" Ian said.
It hurt more then it should, getting beaten up by a bunch of girls that still played with dolls sucked. Their punches weren't hard but they had kicked me when I fell down, pulled my hair and scratched me. "Lucy" Mr Munroe sighed as he came out of his office. Fiona got up, I reluctantly followed her. "I was hoping to speak to a parent" he said. "Sorry, they are both working" Fiona mumbled as she sat down. "Well, it seems Lucy has been stealing dolls from some of the girls at this school. 5 dolls to be exact" he said. Fiona didn't even glance at me before responding. "It seems? What proof do you have?" she said. "The girls involved all insist it was her and she doesn't have the best track record" Mr Munroe said. "That's not proof. Did you catch her? Are the dolls in her locker?" Fiona asked. "No but it's assumed that she has taken them home already. The girls and their parents who she has stolen from would like to check her room for them, these dolls hold a lot of sentimental value to the children" he said. "Fine. You won't find them, I know my sister and she would not steal dolls. She doesn't even play with dolls" Fiona said.
The girls moms marched into my room and searched everywhere, Debbie had tried to stop them when they arrived at the house but Fiona had let them come in. Lip had grabbed Debbie and kept her downstairs, she still thought the dolls were in her hidey spot and was clearly panicking. The moms pulled the blankets off the box and searched through it, it was the last place they had to look. They didn't find anything. "I didn't take them, I don't play with dolls" I told them as they walked out. "We all know what you Gallaghers are like. If my girls say you took them then I have no reason to doubt them" one of the moms said. "And I don't doubt Lucy, she's 7 where else is she going to hide them? They clearly aren't here. Feel free to look in the other rooms if you want but I know Lucy hasn't taken them" Fiona said. The moms glanced at each other but didn't look in the other rooms. "I do know your girls beat her up though, look at her! I will take it further if you don't drop the doll bullshit" Fiona yelled out to them. They all just kept on walking.
Debbie charged up the stairs and ran over to the box where the dolls were, "what did you do with them?!" she screamed. "Debbie?" Fiona asked shocked. Debbie froze and her mouth dropped open. Fiona looked over her shoulder at me then looked up, I turned around and realised Lip, Ian and Carl were standing in the doorway. "Oh god, what is going on?" Fi asked sounding shrill.
Fiona stomped down the stairs, Conner followed her. "She need to be punished for what she did Fiona" Conner said angrily "enough, I'm not going to do that" Fiona told him. She glanced at me then Lip who was doing homework at the kitchen bench, she grabbed the pack of smokes off the table and headed outside. Conner followed her. I soon heard them arguing again. "Let's go watch some tv" Lip said and led me into the lounge-room. Carl put Liam on my lap as soon as I sat down.
"Jesus, what is going on" V asked as she walked into the lounge-room. "It's been a busy day" Lip said as he took another swing of his beer. "Lucy, what the hell? Who did this? Look at those scratches!" V said and grabbed my arm. "Bitches" I said. "Damn, I'm going to grab my first aid bag then you all need to tell me what is going on. You Gallaghers and your shit always creating drama" she said as she hurried out.