"Fuck off mom" Emma Anderson says to her mother as she walks out of their small apartment for what she swears will be the last time, but she swears that all the time. When Emma was born her father never showed up to the hospital and her mother swore they didnt need him. She was wrong. As Emma grew up her mother fell back into her old ways and started back on the drugs and constant drinking. It didnt bother Emma like it should have. She learned how to take care of herself, and then when she was seven her mother informed her in just nine short months she would have a baby sister. To Emma this meant she had nine months to learn how to take care of a baby. For a seven year old it wasnt easy, but as Emma suspected her mother was only sober enough to make sure Madison wasnt born fucked up.
Emma is now a junior in highschool and balancing raising now ten year old Madison, school, a job, and making sure her mother doesnt destroy the town. Frank Gallagher does a good enough job of that himself. Everyone in town knew the Gallagher family. Emma was in the same school as Phillip, but shes pretty sure he had never laid eyes on her. She isnt hard to miss. She's average height, average body, average brown hair that laid wavy just below her collarbone, and lets not forget her slightly above average brown eyes. She dresses in the clothes that her mother manages to not ruin while out partying with her wild 'friends'.
"Come on Mads" Emma says to the smaller girl, grabbing her by the hand and pulling her on their walk to school. "Lisa barely looked like she was breathing this time" Madison mentions. Emma sighs at her failed attempt to not make Maddie grow up the way she did. She prayed every night that a miracle would happen so the smaller version of herself could stay as innocent as a ten year old should be, but Lisa made it damn near impossible. "After school today I want you to go straight to the diner and I'll be there shortly after. When I get there I'll get you a snack. Probably wouldnt hurt to get a jump start on your homework" Emma says before the girl walk into the elementary school. Maddie nods before running after her friend Heather who she often had sleepovers with when things at home got too extreme.
After school all Emma could think about her piles of homework and her late shift at the diner. She had started working there as soon as they would hire her at 15, even though she had been begging since 12 when she got tired of doing the petty side jobs around the town that no one else wanted to do. When Emma walks in the diner she sees her little sister talking to a dark haired lady, didnt seem to be too much older than herself. "Hey Madison. I'm gonna change and then I'll get you a snack okay?" Emma tells her, even though she hadnt noticed her older sister standing there. As Emma spoke the dark haired girl turned and revealed herself as Fiona Gallagher. Emma had never actually spoken to any of the Gallagher's before. "Hi. Does this cutie belong to you?" Fiona spoke. Emma nodded in response, almost scared to talk to the older girl. Emma knew that the Gallagher's had it rough and at such a young age Fiona has been a mother figure to all of her younger siblings. "I'm Fiona by the way" the dark haired girl urged the slightly younger girl to speak. "I'm Emma. That's Madison. I've been trying to teach her she should always introduce herself" Emma said sending a slight smile to the smaller girl who just blushed in response. "Can I have cherry pie today?" Maddie asks and Emma laughs. "Maybe if your lucky" She says and heads to the bathroom to change fro her shift. As she was getting changed Emma looked at herself under the mirror. She wished she had some makeup good enough to hide the dark bags under her eyes. She saw the door open in the mirror and Fiona walked in. "Your too young to be that girls mother" She tells Emma. "She's my sister. I raised her though" Emma tells her reluctantly. "I dont normally go out of my way to talk to people I dont know. But for some reason I feel like we are a lot alike but younger. Exactly how young?" Fiona questions. "17" It came out barely a mumble. Fiona shakes her head. "You look exhausted sweetie. But I know how it is. You go to school, you go to work, you come home and take care of Madison, and just as shes going to sleep your drunk or high... mom or dad?" Fiona starts. "Mom" Emma says and Fiona nods. "Just as the little one gets so sleep your mom comes stumbling in or dragged in by the cops and once you get her situated theres homework and housework that needs to be done" Fiona finishes her last sentence. "Its almost like you live with me" Emma says as she shoves past Fiona to go start her shift.
