I grabbed the bat of the hook and ran into the kitchen with it. "Are you ready Carl?" I asked him and got ready to swing. Fi grabbed the bat off me "go eat your breakfast" she said, "he has a helmet on" I whined but went and sat at the table. "If you break it we can't afford to replace it" Fiona said. "Doesn't matter, seasons over" Carl said. "What?" Fi asked, "coach got arrested for exposing himself at the park" Ian explained "he was peeing behind the shed, couple of 7-year-olds saw ...it!" Debbie said. "She means his penis" I added, "Yeah figured that out" Fi said. "I don't get it. Half the world has penises. Why do people get so upset about seeing them?" Carl asked as he wandered around the kitchen. "Context" Ian said. "What's that?" Carl asked "when, how, where and with who" Fi said "plus they are gross, especially old guys dicks" I said. Ian chuckled. "As if you've seen one" Debbie said. "Don't you know, Lucy has seen and done everything, at the ripe old age of 8" Ian joked, "I have" I told him. "Ian, you played. You could coach" Carl said. "I can't, I gotta work after school bud, sorry" Ian said and grabbed his lunch off the bench. "You're going to school early?" Fi asked him. "Chemistry study group" he said and left. "Can you coach?" Carl asked Fi "I know nothing about football" she answered "I could coach, ran faster! Tackle! Stop touching your dicks! Stop being pussys and tackle!" I said. "That's basically it, just boys crashing into one another" Debbie said and got up "with some pads and some rules" she continued. "Ask Lip" Fi said. "He won't do it" Carl moaned "well ask him, can't hurt" "LIP!" Carl screamed up the steps. "I could have done that, upstairs please" Fi said. Debbie slapped his helmet on her way back to the table.
Carl came back downstairs a few minutes later. "Couldn't wake him" he said and sat down. "Debbie go brush your teeth. Tell Lip that ice cubes are going down his shirt next. He's missed a week of school already" Fi said as she lifted Liam from his highchair into his stroller. The back door opened and Potato came in with his wife. "Morning Gallaghers, who wants coffee and donuts?" He yelled out. Carl grabbed the donuts off him. "Double latte, two sugars" he said and handed a coffee to Fi. She took it "what the fuck are you doing?" Fi asked him as I went over to inspect the donuts. "Thanks Potato" I said as I grab two donuts and quickly took a bite out of each then headed into the lounge-room. "Lucy lunch!" Fi yelled "I've got it" Debbie said and ran up behind me and hit me in the head with the bag. I stood there and ate my donuts while Esti sat on the couch with Liam. She was speaking on her phone in another language.
"Who wants a ride to school?" Potato yelled out from the kitchen. Everyone said yes, "great, let's go" he said being very upbeat. "My hands are full, can you grab my bag Potato?" I asked as I took another bite out of each donut. He grabbed the bag, "what's up with the potato stuff" he asked. I didn't respond and took another bite of the donuts.
I trailed behind them as we headed to the car, Carl was speaking to potato, Debbie didn't seem happy. "Call me coach" Potato said as I caught up to them. "Awesome" Carl said and got in the car. "Not a smart move Jimmy" said Debbie "agreed, not smart Potato" I added as we piled into the back seat. "what's with the Potato?" He asked again as he sped off. "If you get to make up a name for yourself then I get to make up a name too, you are Potato, Jimmy/steve/potato" I told him and wiped my sticky fingers on the back of the chair.
"Lucy!" was screamed out as soon as I got out of the car. Cindi came running towards me and her hugged me then span me around. Debbie blushed and quickly hurried away, a few kids stopped to see what was going on. "What the hell? Your mom got you back?" I asked Cindi when she finally put me down, Lee, Cue and Zuri had also walked over to us.
"Alex!" I yelled out as I saw her car pull up. We all skidded to a holt on our bikes, I was dinking on the back of Lees, Cue had his bike to himself while Cindi and Zuri shared as well. I dragged Cindi over to the car while the others hung back. "Hi Lucy" Alexs mom yelled as Alex got out of the car. "Hi Alex's mom" I yelled back as Alex got her cello out of the boot. Her sister and brother were in the car too, both were staring at my friends. I turned around to see why but couldn't figure it out. Alex joined me and Cindi on the sidewalk, "this is Cindi, she's back from foster care. It's the funniest story ever" I told Alex. "Hi" Alex quietly said. "That's a big arse violin, I know that one Lucy plays is little coz she's is but that's ridic" Cindi said. "It's a cello, different" I told Cindi. "Can we go now?" Zuri yelled out. Cindi span around, "don't you hurry me up, I'm making new friends." "We got to go" I told Cindi and pointed to Mr McKenzie who was standing in the doorway. "See you at 5:30" Lee yelled out. Cue flicked the butt of his smoke at me as he got on his bike. I flipped him off. "Hey!" Mr McKenzie yelled out to them but they were already riding off. His attention turned to me "Lucy" he said sternly and pointed at the butt on the ground. I stamped on it and went to walk off, "pick it up" he yelled out. I did but wasn't sure why "there's nothing left in it" I told him as we went up the stairs. "Put it in the bin please and we need to talk about appropriate behaviour for you and your friends after our session today" he said. I groaned as he guided me inside.
"What are you doing?" I asked Fi, she was sitting on her bed with some books. "Studying" she said "what?" "I'm taking the ged" "what?" "Doesn't matter, I don't know what I'm doing anyway" Fi sighed. "I'll help you study" I told her. "You could do your homework with me?" she suggested. "I have some music stuff to go over" "how about school stuff? do we need to do some reading?" she asked. I just scrunched my face up at her. "Fine, read this out loud then. We will do your stuff after dinner" Fi sighed and handed me a book.
I swirled the spaghetti around on my fork. "You guys ready for the best story ever?" I said. Everyone was busy eating and no one replied. "You know how Cindi got taken away when her baby brother died?" I started. "The retarded one?" Carl asked. "Nah the other one" "pretty sure she's a bit retarded too" Debbie said. "Shut up Debbie" I told her. "You found out where she went?" Fi asked sounding a bit surprised, we had looked for ages but no one would tell us anything. "She's back. Her mom wasn't her real mom. It was some random cousin who just pretended to be her mom. Her real mom was in prison. Well her real mom got out and got Cindi back too so now Cindi's back" I excitedly said. "What?" Ian asked. "How does that even happen?" Debbie asked. "The cousin chick told Cindi she was her mom and Cindi was too young to realise and no one in the family cared or something. Cindi's not the best at telling stuff" "That's great Luce, I'm glad she's back" Fi said. "Yeah, it's so good" I said and filled my mouth with spaghetti.
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"Morning" Fi said as she came downstairs. Debbie had cooked us eggs and was dishing them out. "Meg texted you. Says your last pay checks in. I told her you'd go get it today" Debbie said to Fi and handed over her phone. "Please don't take my phone, and please don't impersonate me" Fi told her. "You left it in the bathroom. Liam almost dropped it in the toilet" Debbie said, "where's Ian?" Fi asked "he left early again" Debbie said. "You coming to my scrimmage?" Carl asked "wouldn't miss it" Fi said. Carl came over to me and asked the same questions while Debbie kept talking "Should I bring some breakfast over to Grammy? She gets hungry after her morning cigarettes" Debbie said. I nodded to Carl. "Shelia has food at her house, she'll feed her" Fi said and went over to the stairs "Lip! Up!" She yelled and banged on the wall. "I don't have class til 10. I'm gonna go help Kev" Lip said from the lounge room. "You like your classes this year?" Fi asked "I love them. Thanks" Lip said and grabbed his lunch. "I don't" I said but no one responded. "Quite welcome" Fi said to Lip as he walked past her. "Go learn your state capitals" Lip said to Fi. "Go fuck yourself" Fi replied "will do" Lip said and left. Fi started tidying up the table. There was a big bang in the kitchen. Debbie had the bat in her hands. I jumped up to see what was going on. Carl was laying on the ground. "Not fair, I wanted to do that!" I yelled. "What the fuck! Really Debbie" Fiona yelled and knelt down next to Carl. "Awesome" he whispered. Fiona slapped him on the arm. "Get up and get to school" she said.
"Fiona!" Cindi yelled and charged over to us. She gave Fi a big hug, Fi gave me a questioning look. "Did Lucy tell you what happened, how weird right?" Cindi said and laughed. She grabbed my hand and pulled me forward. "Lee and Cue are over there" she told me, I quickened my pace to keep up with her. Carls team ran onto the field, we cheered and clapped. Debbie as standing next to Potato with a clip board. "What does he think he is doing?" Lee asked. "No idea" I mumbled and shook my head.
Fiona handed me Liam then went and sat back down in the stand. "She looks pissed" Cue said. "Yeah, probably about Potato" I said as I bounced Liam on my hip. Cindi pulled faces at him and he happily cooed and giggled. Not much as happening in the game so Lee and Cue started to play slaps and Cindi climbed on the fence. I sat Liam on top of it. I could hear Fiona yelling, I glanced over my shoulder at her. She was on her phone, I couldn't make out what she was saying. "Not Potato then" I mumbled to no one. Carl took off towards the ball and the kid who had just caught it and tackled him to the ground. "Go Carl!" I yelled. Liam put his hands up to his ears and grizzled a bit.
Fiona was making us do homework at the table while she fed Liam. Potato and Estefania came in the back door "do you have a paring knife?" He asked. "You're not cooking dinner" Fi told him. "Come on" Debbie said "let him" Carl said. Someone came in the front door, Fi rushed into the lounge room. "What? You like him again? After all that lying?" I whispered to Debbie. "Hey!" Fiona yelled "hey" I heard Lip say. "Expelled?" Fi asked. We got up to see what was going on "I win? That's all you have to say?" Fi said, "I lose" lip mumbled. "well you're lucky for a loser. Mr Healey got you into another school" fi said "yeah I'm not going" lip said and went to walk up the stairs "you are" fi said "no, I'm not" lip said louder. "guys, guys, calm down" potato said "hey, Jimmy butt the fuck out!" Fi yelled at him then turned back to Lip. I quickly glared at him over my shoulder. "you are finishing high school" fi told Lip, "I've done more than you." "This isn't about me." "soyou want me to bust my ass, get a diploma and a high paying job so I can buy you all houses while you lay around doing fuck all?" Lip yell, "I'm down for that" Carl said. Ian appeared on the stairs. "Why is that on me, huh?" Lip yelled. "Because I've done all right on some tests? No, I'll pull my weight, but I'm not gonna be the fucking golden goose!" Lip continued "school or out" Fi yelled, "what?" Lip said "my job is to keep this house going, busting my arse for you, working 8 jobs, making meals, keeping everything straight. Your job is school. School or leave" Lip ran up the stairs. Fiona turned around to us, tears in her eyes. She looked at Potato then walked past us and started to set the table. Ian grabbed Carl and Debbies shoulders as he walked past. Lip came back down the stairs with a bag. "What are you doing?" Fi said rushing back into the lounge-room. "Well, I'm not going back to school, so I guess that means I'm leaving" Lip said and left. Carl ran after him. Ian grabbed Debbies shoulders. Fi looked back at him, she looked shocked and scared. "How could you do that!" Carl yelled as he ran back inside, "You're such a bitch!" He pushed past her and ran up the stairs. Debbie started to cry and ran upstairs too. Ian and Fiona looked at each other again then Ian went upstairs too. Liam started to cry. "Fuck!" Fi yelled and ran upstairs. I looked at Potato "just go" I told him and went into the kitchen then pulled Liam out of his highchair.
Debbie was finally asleep, so I sneaked out of our room and headed downstairs for some food, everyone was too upset for dinner but now my tummy was rumbling. I grabbed the bowl of leftovers from the night before and started to eat it. "Lip?" I heard Fi say as she walked into the kitchen "oh Lucy, what are you doin up?" "I'm hungry" I said. She smiled at me and rubbed the top of my head then took the spoon off me, she filled up a bowl and put it in the microwave. Once it was warm she took it over to the table and sat down, she patted her lap so I sat on her and started to eat. Fi wrapped her arms around my waist and rested her head on my shoulder. I sat there and ate.