Nick and Hollie walked hand in hand along the damp sand, there was a slight breeze and the moon was reflecting off of the water. Hollie was slightly tipsy, unlike Nick who was driving. She had her black strappy heels in her hand since she'd taken them off so that they didn't sink into the sand as she walked.
"You think your dad will ever stop hating me?" Nick questioned, swinging their conjoined hands slightly.
Hollie laughed wryly, "there's a better chance of him getting sober," she said, "and not for money,"
"What's his problem with me anyway?"
Hollie shrugged. "No idea. He doesn't like Steve either so I wouldn't take it personally," she said, "he's a rambling drunk,"
Nick chuckled, "yeah, okay."
"Why'd you want to go out tonight?" she asked. Nick stopped walking and turned her so that they were facing each other, "what, I need a reason to take my girl out now do I?" He asked as he placed his hands on her hips.
Hollie shook her head, "no," she said as she wrapped her arms loosely around his neck, "we just never go out. Normally we just hang out at my place,"
"Yeah, well I felt like we could use a change of pace," he said leaning in and placing a soft kiss on her lips, "you look beautiful, by the way," he said running his hands along the sides of her navy blue dress, "this dress is very sexy," he said.
"Glad you like it," she whispered as she pulled him down slightly to reconnect their lips.
|🚬|
Hollie returned home the next morning and almost hit Steve with the front door as he was crouched down in front of it talking to Debbie.
"Truth? I'm in the CIA and this is all just a cover," he whispered to Debbie as Hollie squeezed past them into the house. "Hollie," he nodded as he stood up again and left through the front door.
Hollie furrowed her brows slightly before sighing and shaking her head, walking into the living room and taking off her heels.
Fiona peered into the living room, "hey Hollie, walk of shame?" She asked slyly. Hollie rolled her eyes as she walked into the kitchen. "You know it," she said dryly as she made herself a slice of toast.
She kissed Liam's head before heading up the stairs, "I'm going to bed for a bit before work, if you need me let me know," she told Fiona as she walked up the stairs eating her toast.
She finished her toast by the time she got to her room, she put her shoes on the floor beside her dresser before taking her jewellery off and putting them in the little basket on top of her dresser.
She exchanged her blue dress and black thin cardigan for one of Nick's t-shirts that he'd left at her house before climbing into bed.
|🚬|
"She opened an ING Direct savings account," said Hollie as she leaned against the doorway of Liam and Debbie's room.
Fiona was changing Liam and Lip had just tipped Debbie's savings tin, which she kept hidden in her dollhouse, out onto her bed but it was empty save for a few coins.
"Yeah, she hadn't kept any large bills in there for months." Said Fiona as she finished changing Liam, "believe me, I've looked,"
Lip shifted his gaze to his older sisters, "either of you knows where she is?" He asked.
"Not a clue," Hollie shrugged.
"No idea. How much you need?" asked Fiona.
"Gotta buy concert tickets," Lip grumbled.
"Yikes." Fiona grimaced, "wish I had it. Maybe you should take Mrs Niedereiter up on her offer," she suggested jokingly.
Mrs Niedereiter was an older woman in the neighbourhood who'd propositioned lip when he was doing some work for her in her garden.
Lip was quiet for a moment before standing up, "thanks for the idea," he said.
"Your not seriously gonna do it?" questioned Hollie.
"Mommy," Liam babbled.
Lip shook his head, "no. But I could smash her birdhouse again." He shrugged before leaving.
"Hey," said Fiona making Hollie turn to her, "...what do you think of Steve?" She asked.
"Ass is kinda small. Not really my type." Hollie joked, Fiona looked down at Liam and stoked his hair, "you about to retreat and count your wounded?" Hollie asked her.
Fiona shook her head as she lifted Liam onto her lap, "no, just...I just wanna know if I should trust him." she said.
"That's like asking if you should believe in god," said Hollie making Fiona look down at Liam.
"I gotta go to work," said Hollie as she started to head towards the stairs, "see you later,"
|🚬|
"No, no don't,"
"Hell hath no fury like popcorn burned," said Fiona as she walked into the living room with a bowl of popcorn.
The Gallaghers, save for Frank and Debbie who were both at Sheila's, were all sitting together in the living room getting ready to watch a movie. Veronica had brought Ethel and her son Jonah over and Nick had come too.
"Steve coming?" asked Veronica.
"Hope so," said Fiona.
"Are you guys gonna make a baby while we watch cosmos?" asked Carl as he placed a few plastic bowls on the coffee table, "because that's gonna make me throw up,"
"Billions and Billions of sperm," said Fiona in a weird alien voice as Hollie snuck up behind carl and tickled his sides. "Ew!" Carl retched as he pushed Hollie's hands away.
"Can you hurry up and turn it on already?" asked Lip as he handed out bottles of beer to the adults.
"Yeah, hurry up, I gotta get back to work," said Ian as he sat down. Veronica turned the tv on and Steve walked through the front door.
"Hey," said Fiona as she handed Liam to Hollie. Hollie sat down on the sofa with Liam on her lap and Nick wrapped his arm back around her waist.
"Missed you, stranger," said Fiona as Steve leaned down to kiss her, "you too," he said.
"Get a room," said Carl.
"Get your tickets?" Steve asked Lip as he sat down in a spare space next to Fiona.
"Uh, yeah," said Lip as he took the concert tickets out of his pocket and held them up to show Steve.
"Glad I could help," said Steve.
"Glad you're glad," said Lip as he handed Steve a beer out of the pack that was on the coffee table. "Steve"
Steve ate some popcorn, "this popcorn is burnt," he commented.
"Our microwave sucks," said Hollie.
Fiona pointed her finger in his face, "that doesn't mean I want you to buy us a new one," she said warningly.
A few minutes later Debbie walked through the front door looking like she was on the verge of tears. "Debs?"
"Honey, what happened?" questioned Fiona.
"Dad have one too many again?" Lip inquired. Ian shook his head, "you just gotta ignore him when he's like that, Debs," he told her.
Hollie put her arm out for Debbie to hug her, "come on, Debs, come watch Cosmos with us. Forget dad," she said.
"Why do you always blame dad first?" asked Debbie.
"Who else is there?"
"She's over at Sheila's," said Debbie making everyone look at her confused.
"Who?" asked Steve.
"Monica," said Debbie. Everyone but Steve shared a knowing look. "Who the hell is Monica?" asked Steve.
"Our mother," said Lip.
Fiona stood up and walked towards Debbie, intending to comfort her, "Debs, did you s—?"
Debbie jumped back, tears rolling down her face, "What do you care?" she snapped, "you'll be living with Steve in that house he bought next door." She sobbed before running up the stairs.
Everyone turned to look at Steve who shifted uncomfortably, "surprise," he said awkwardly.
Ian sighed and stood up, "I'm going to work," he announced as he headed towards the door.
Fiona tried to stop him as he walked past her and grabbed his coat, "Ian come on, wait,"
"Mommy. Mommy," Liam babbled sadly. Hollie softly stroked his hair, "I know,"
"Mommy," Fiona sighed deeply as she leaned her back against the wall and slid down so that she was sitting on the floor.
|🚬|
"Apologies? For walking out on this price of shit?" asked Monica incredulously as she stood in front of Frank in Sheila's living room.
Sheila shook her head, "No. For walking out on them," she said gesturing to Hollie, Fiona, Lip, Debbie, Carl and Liam in his stroller, Veronica was with them too, who had all just walked through the front door and were now standing in the living room doorway.
Monica turned to face them. Hollie felt like she'd been punched in the gut, she hadn't seen her mother for years and there she was standing in the middle of Sheila's living room.
"Oh, my god." Monica gasped. Veronica stuck her head through the doorway to make herself visible. "It's alright. I'm not one of yours. Just came to rubberneck." She said shooting Monica a dirty look.
Monica raised her hand to her mouth as she looked at six of her seven children standing in front of her and began to cry.
|🚬|
Liam babbled incoherently as he sat in his stroller in front of the plastic-wrapped couch. Fiona and lip both sat in the armchairs while Hollie sat on the edge of the couch closest to Fiona and furthest away from Monica, Carl sat beside her and Debbie sat beside their mother.
Monica looked around at all of their faces, "you're all so big," she said fondly, "I missed you so much,"
Debbie wrapped her arms around her legs that she had pulled up to her chest, "why didn't you take us with you?" she asked.
"Because..." Monica's gaze shifted from Debbie to Fiona and Hollie, "...I knew you'd be fine with Fiona and Hollie," she said making them both scoff quietly.
A little while later, Lip had gone outside for a smoke and Monica and Frank had started arguing again.
"I can't believe you sucked me back in here for money!" Monica yelled at Frank.
"I did no such thing!" Frank denied, "but since you're in town, why don't you sign up for this little thing and I'll cut you in."
"Fuck you frank!" Monica yelled as she sat back down on the couch beside Debbie.
"Wait you brought her back here?" asked Lip as he came back inside, this time with Ian.
Monica turned to them noticing Ian, "oh Ian,"
"Wait. You knew where she was this whole time?" asked Hollie.
"Okay look," said Roberta or 'Bob' who was Monica's girlfriend, "this little reunion was bound to happen sooner or later, anyway." She said, turning to Frank, "we were thinking about coming around to talk to you about something—"
Monica stood up again from the couch, "No. no. Not now," she said.
"Yes, now! Yes, now!" Roberta insisted, "Moni and I wanna take Liam to live with us."
Fiona and Hollie both stood up, "what?"
Frank stood up too, "over my dead body!" He said making Roberta turn to him, "how about Moni sign whatever the hell it is you need, we get Liam?" She asked.
Frank nodded, "Done,"
"Not not done! Absolutely not," Hollie fumed.
"No fucking way!" Fiona exclaimed, "you can't have Liam,"
"Why the hell not? He's not even Frank's," said Monica making Frank look at her.
"Fact is Liam is black." Roberta stated, "all you white folks scooping up black babies like fashion accessories have a rude awakening coming." She said.
"What the fuck are you even talking about?" said Hollie.
Roberta continued her little rant, "no. There will be a backlash if people don't stop underestimating the cultural importance of a black parent raising a black baby. Liam needs me and he's coming with us,"
"No, out of the Fucking question Roberta," yelled Lip.
"Roberta and I want to start a family of our own," said Monica. Hollie laughed humourlessly, "how about you finish this one first?" She said.
"They're taking Liam?" Debbie sobbed.
"Yes!" Roberta insisted.
"No."
"No, nobody's taking anyone anywhere," said Lip.
"You don't get to abandon you kids and then show up one day to take your pick of the litter," said Hollie.
"Oh now that's not fair," said Frank, "your mothers made mistakes, but she's here now. That's got to count for something."
"Shut up Frank!" Fiona snapped making Frank shut up and sit down, "this isn't about you," she said before turning to Monica, "this is about you. This is about what you didn't do. This is about what I- what we did." She said gesturing between herself and Hollie.
"And you know what? We did a fucking great job." said Hollie, "Debbie is class president. She's on the debate team going to nationals." She gestured to her younger sister who was sitting on the couch with tears flowing down her face.
Fiona pointed to Lip, "and lip, he's top of his class. He set the curve. Ian was promoted in ROTC and he tested out of English," she gestured to the redhead before pointing at Carl, "and Carl made something blow up for his science fair. And you know what? They did it all, no thanks to you because you weren't hear," she yelled through her tears, angrily pointing her finger at Monica.
"And I appreciate that Fiona, Hollie, but I'm here now." Monica whimpered, "and Liam belongs with me,"
"He doesn't even know who you are!" Hollie exclaimed.
"I'm his mother!"
"You were my mother too!" Yelled Fiona, "you were our mother," she gestured between herself and Hollie angrily as tears ran down her face.
Hollie sniffed as she wiped the tears from her eyes with her shirt sleeve though it didn't do much as they kept flowing.
"Maybe I'll never be able to make things right with you two..." Monica sobbed as her eyes shifted between her two oldest daughters, "...but there's still time with Liam. And Debbie and Carl..." she kneeled in front of the two who were sitting side by side on the couch, "...I am so sorry if I hurt you. Please. I love you so much." She cried, "please let me be your mommy again. Please."
They both hesitated before leaning forward and hugging Monica. Fiona sighed shakily, walking towards the front door, "you know what?" she said as she grabbed her coat and scarf from the hook, "you're right. You are their mother." She waved her hand, "and you're here now, so I'm done. We're done." She said, emphasising her last sentence as she looked at Hollie so that she knew it was directed at her.
"We're done with the school and the bills and the clinics. We're done," she looked around at her siblings, "they're all yours now, Mom. Good luck," she dumped her keys on the side table and walked out.
Hollie wordlessly walked over to the door and grabbed her coat, shrugging it on.
"Hollie-"
Hollie ignored her mother and walked out the door, biting her tongue as she heard Debbie's sobs get louder. She stepped into the cold night air, closing the door a little harder than intended before starting to walk down the street that was lined with snow.
She shivered as she walked, snowflakes falling into her hair as she dug her hands into her pockets.
She eventually made it to Nick's house and knocked on the door, she wiped her face as she waited, trying to rid herself of the tears.
A few minutes later Leona, Nick's older sister, answered the door, "Gallagher," she not-so-warmly greeted.
"Hey, Leona," Hollie shivered, "Nick here?" She asked.
Leona stepped aside opening the door wider so Hollie could step inside the house, "he's in the kitchen," she said.
"Thanks," said Hollie. Leona closed the front door and disappeared into the living room.
Hollie took her coat off and walked into the kitchen after handing it up on the coat hook by the door.
"Hey," Nick greeted her warmly as she walked into the kitchen where he was cleaning up, "I didn't expect to see you until tomorrow," his face turned sympathetic when he looked over at her and saw her tear-stained face.
He dried his hands and walked over to her, "hey, it's okay baby," he mumbled into her hair as he wrapped his arms around her in a hug.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and hurried her face into the side of his neck trying to stop the tears from falling again.
"I take it, it didn't go so well with your mom then?" he questioned softly making her shake her head.
"No. Is it okay if I stay with you for a little bit?" she whispered.
"Of course," he mumbled before pressing a kiss to the side of her head.