South Side, Baby ~ Shameless

21

All Ollie does all night to cry and it gets to the point I'm about to have a mental breakdown. It's messing with my sugar too.

Fiona and Steve both come into my room and try to help.

"I'm sorry. He won't stop crying." I sob as Fiona hugs me. Steve takes Ollie and finally gets him to quiet down. "I can't even give him enough milk I'm lactating when he cries and my sugar is bottoming out because of it." I sob.

Fiona just holds me and gives me my time to cry. She knows I miss my siblings and this is the only time I haven't been taken with them.

"Just breathe, Livy." She tells me putting Ollie into his crib.

"He's asleep. Try to do the same." She says. I lay down and try to sleep but Ollie doesn't ever let that happen.

——

"Hey, Its court day. Do you want to come?" Fiona asks. I shake my head into the pillow.

"Just let me die." I tell her and sit up. "I was up with Ollie all night." I say.

"I can see if V will watch him so you can sleep. How's your sugar?" She asks grabbing my monitor. "Drink some OJ." She says grabbing Ollie as he starts to fuss.

I go downstairs with Fiona and grab a cup for some orange juice.

"Hey we'll get them back." Fiona says when I start to tear up.

"Fuck! I hate these fucking hormones since I had him. Everything makes me cry." I say wiping at my tears.

Fiona hugs me while holding Ollie.

"Go get dressed. We leave in thirty." She says going to change Ollie. I change into something nice, wearing leggings instead of jeans because of my csection scar.

——

Frank goes on this spew about how he doesn't want to lose his kids.

"Mrs. Gallagher, tell me why you think your father should be declared unfit." He says to Fiona.

"We were living out of a car once. Uncle nick had kicked us out and we couldn't find anywhere that would take us. Lip, Ian, Livy and me were sleeping in the back seat when Frank pulled over. Livy had been sick for a few days and I said she needed to be taken to a hospital but they wouldn't. They took her and left her behind a dumpster. I didn't know what happened to her. He told me to take the boys and he'd be right back. A few hours later we're still sitting on the curb so I take the boys and go walking. I found Livy behind a dumpster where they dumped her." My eyes start tearing up as I remember this night.

"She was freezing and shaking. She went into a seizure and I couldn't get her to wake up. I tried to score a ride but it would have been easier to score crack. I walked on foot to the clinic with her in my arms and the boys walking with me. My baby sister went into a coma for a week and was diagnosed with type 1 which could have been prevented he they been parents." Fiona puts her arm around me. "I wish that was the only time but it was just the first. I had to work to buy her insulin so when I turned eighteen I got custody of Livy which they were reluctant to give up because they couldn't afford her."

They end up giving guardianship to Fiona but it's shared with Frank.

We go home and I sit down with Ollie letting Lip hold him. "I missed you guys." I say leaning onto him. "I don't think I can raise him on my own. I'm going to give up the apartment."

Lip kisses the top of my head. I stand up holding my stomach because my wound hurts.

"Go get some sleep." Lip says holding Ollie. I go upstairs and go to bed.