Hollie was tiredly sitting on the steps on the back porch while Kevin dove bombed into the above ground pool. Ethel clapped for him when he resurfaced.
The commotion this morning when Fiona had been chased around the house had woken Hollie up and now she was awake and couldn't get back to sleep despite the fact she'd only gotten in at three in the morning.
"Ethel, come on," said Kev, "why don't you go upstairs and borrow a swimming suit from Debbie? Come in the pool,"
"I can go find one for you," Hollie offered.
"No thank you," said Ethel,shaking her head, "I wouldn't feel comfortable unless I was in my own swimming costume,"
"All right. Suit yourself, party pooper," said Kev.
Hollie noticed Fiona walking towards the house through the backyard, looking around warily. "It's alright slut, coast is clear," said Hollie, chuckling slightly to herself.
A woman named Lucy-Joe Heisner, Craig Heisner's wife, came by the house this morning and chased Fiona all the way to Sheila's with a bat and a baby strapped to her chest. She wanted to beat the shit out of Fiona for sleeping with her husband.
In all honesty, Hollie found the situation quite funny, she'd always been a fan of karma. She would never let anything bad happen to her sister but a little slap to the face never really hurt anybody.
"Who we dodging today? Bill collectors? Process servers?" Kev questioned as Fiona leaned against the edge of the pool.
"Mrs Craig Heisner," Fiona told him.
"What are you doing? You've been acting like a dude all summer," said Kev. Hollie stood up and leaned against the side of the pool beside Fiona.
"Oh, it's okay for guys to play the field but not me?"
"It's okay, you want guys to start running their dicks through the dishwasher after they bone you?" said Kev making Hollie snicker.
"Shut up," Fiona chuckled, turning towards the house she noted Ethel's outfit, "that's some serious UV protection,"
"I know. She won't loosen up," Kev sighed, "I worry that she doesn't interact with anybody her own age. Should I force her or what?"
Hollie shrugged. "I don't know," said Fiona, "we're just making this shit up as we go along,"
"How'd she find out? Lucy Joe?" Debbie asked Fiona as she came out of the house with the daycare kids.
"Jesus," said Fiona noticing Debbie's arm that was all red and flared up, "what is that, a rash?"
"What? I think it's from that laundry soap I got at the family dollar store," said Debbie, "made in China, probably tainted with melamine,"
"You're not going in the pool. We gotta show that to V."
"What about my kids?" asked Debbie.
"I don't have practice until later," said Kev, "me and Ethel can watch them,"
"I'll stay too," said Hollie.
"Ethel and I," Debbie corrected Kev.
"You and I are gonna go show this to Veronica. Let's go," said Fiona.
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Hollie, Fiona and Debbie were walking down the street together eating popsicles after going to the store.
"Maybe I should give up some shifts and help more with the daycare," Fiona suggested. Turns out Debbie's rash was a stress rash from having too much responsibility placed on her with the daycare.
Debbie shook her head, "your waitress tips are the only thing other than Hollie's extra cover jobs and bar tending that's gonna get through the winter," she said.
"You should not be carrying this much," said Hollie. Debbie shrugged as she ate her popsicle, "it's only for two more weeks," she said.
"Two weeks?"
"School starts."
"Deb you're 11. You need to start acting like it," Fiona told her.
"You want me to start collecting puffy stickers and lipgloss?"
Hollie nodded, "yeah. Maybe hang out at the park some time. Make some friends," she suggested.
"Loitering," Debbie dismissed the suggestion.
"How about you invite some friends over and relax in the pool?" suggested Fiona.
"No lifeguard. Liability,"
"Jeez debs," Hollie sighed, "loosen up. Act like a kid for once,"
"They come over, hang out in the pool and sleep over," Fiona suggested, "it'll be like a birthday-party sleepover-party,"
"My birthday is not until October,"
"Early birthday then," Hollie said.
"Hey." Fiona stopped them, "well it's somebody's birthday somewhere, so we'll celebrate that. Make a guest list." Debbie shifted uncertainly, like she was about to make another excuse. "Make your list or we will," said Fiona sternly.
All of a sudden Fiona was hit by a milkshake that had been thrown out of a car window.
"Slut!" Yelled Lucy-Joe from the car window as they drove past.
"Did you know he was married?" asked Debbie. Hollie have Fiona a look. Fiona wiped some of the milkshake off of her face with her hand," at least it's chocolate," she shrugged as she licked it off of her finger, "come on," she said as they continued their walk home.
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Later that day Fiona and Hollie jogged up to Veronica on the L platform in their uniforms for the nightclub,"almost didn't make it," Fiona sighed in relief that they hadn't missed their train to work.
"We had to take the long way around so Fi could avoid Lucy Joe and her banner," Hollie explained their tardiness. Lucy Joe had been standing on the street all afternoon with her kids holding up a banner that said: 'Fiona Gallagher boned our daddy'.
"Don't you wish the sex was worth the punishment?" asked V. Fiona had told them it had been terrible and completely not worth it.
Fiona pulled out her phone to leave another voicemail for Craig, "hey Craig, you need to call off your mouth-foaming bitch of a wife. And this is Fiona Gallagher. Thank you bye." She hung up the phone as the L train stopped in front of them.
"Smooth,"
"I still don't understand why he told her." said Fiona as they stepped onto the train.
"He's a pussy. You always pick pussies,"
"Well they are what they eat," said Fiona making Hollie and V laugh. Fiona sat in a seat by the window and Veronica sat next to her while Hollie took the seat in the row in front of them, "oh, Richard's back from France this week." Fiona told them.
"The jasmine set up?"
"Is this another old married guy?" asked Hollie.
"Me, Jasmine, David and him are gonna hang. Maybe you two, Nick and Kev?" Fiona suggested hopefully.
"Pass." said Veronica, "have fun in the viagra triangle,"
Hollie shook her head, "no thanks,"
Fiona sighed, "Deb's having a sleepover party night after next because I told her she had to. You have to come," she told V.
"I can't. I'm working overnight at the home," Veronica said apologetically.
"Do you wanna hear her guest list? Fiona, Hollie, Veronica and Aunt Ginger."
"Poor kid. Four people on her list, two of them stuck in an old age home all night," said V.
"She really not invite anyone else?" Hollie questioned.
Fiona shook her head, "she's got no friends. How did we not see that she had no friends?"
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Hollie stepped into the boys room the next morning, knocking on the door to announce her presence to lip and Ian who were sitting on Ian's bed.
"Hey, you guys think you can hang out Saturday night?" she asked, "Deb's sleepover. Fill out the guest list."
"Sure," Ian nodded.
"I'll bring strippers and a hookah pipe," Hollie have Lip an unamused look at his comment. "I'm kidding," he said.
"I thought it was funny," he muttered as Hollie left the room to go back to her room to try and catch up on some sleep that she'd missed due to her night shifts.
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"Tie me up! Tie me down! is X-rated I said you can watch something R-rated." said Fiona as she sat down at the kitchen table with Hollie and Debbie. Debbie was trying to find a movie to watch at her sleepover.
"It's gotta be edgy and cool." said Debbie.
"The object is to be scared not scarred," said Fiona.
"Hey, maybe lip and Ian have something," Hollie suggested.
The back door opened and Veronica stepped in, "you are not gonna be happy. We gotta work tomorrow night," she informed them.
"We can't. Debbies party's tomorrow night," said Fiona.
"Ivan rented the place for a party," said V.
Debbie huffed, "you guys are the ones who made me have this stupid party. If you flake it's gonna suck. And Nick won't come if Hollie's not there," she complained.
"No it won't suck," said Fiona.
"Yes it will,"
"Hey," said Hollie, "I can ask Nick if he'll still stop by if you really want him to, I'm sure he won't mind if I'm not there,"
"Really?" Debbie asked hopefully. Hollie nodded.
"Can somebody else take my shift?" asked Fiona.
"Some hall of fame party," said Veronica, "said anybody who doesn't work is fired,"
"Maybe we can make the party another night," said Fiona.
"No work your shifts," said Lip as he and Ian walked into the kitchen, "we got the party,"
"You can be here all night?" asked Hollie, turning in her seat to face them.
"Of course," said Ian, "it's gonna be the hottest party ever. Mandy's coming too,"
Debbie got up from her seat and hugged them, "oh my god this is gonna be so cool," she exclaimed.
"Oh my god, oh my god," Lip mimicked in a squeaky voice as they picked her up and carried her into the living room as Debbie giggled, "this is gonna be so cool,"
Hollie and Fiona shared a bummed out look before Fiona got up and stepped into the bathroom.
Hollie pulled her phone from her pocket and called Nick, she waited a few seconds before he answered, "hey babe, what up?"
Hollie sighed, "I gotta miss Debbie's party for work, do you think you can still stop by, just to show your face?" She asked, "she was really bummed out when she found out I couldn't come, Fiona and Veronica can't come either,"
"Sure, I can stop by," he said.
"Thank you so much," said Hollie, "hold on, I'll put her on so you can tell her," she stood up and walked into the living room where Lip was spinning Debbie around, "hey debs, someone on the phone for you," Lip put Debbie down and Hollie handed her the phone.
Debbie held the phone to her ear and Hollie watched as a wide smile formed on her face as she spoke to Nick, "oh my god, thank you, thank you, my party's gonna be so cool!" Debbie squealed as she jumped up and down.
Debbie hugged Hollie, still jumping slightly, "thank you," she squealed as she handed Hollie her phone back.
Hollie raised the phone back to her ear, "thank you," she said.
"Anything for you," said Nick before he chuckled, "I think she may have burst my eardrum,"
Hollie laughed, "same here, I don't think she's ever been this excited about anything. I love you, bye,"
"I love you too, bye,"
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Hollie and Fiona got home the next night after work and found Polly Herkimer storming angrily out the house with her stuff. They had ran into Adam on the way home and he offered to give them a ride, though fiona drove as he was drunk.
"Polly?"
They ran into the house, "what happened?" The lights were on and Debbie was on a rampage. Nick was standing on the stairs, hair askew like he'd just woken up. Hollie walked over to him, "what's going on?"
Nick shrugged, "I don't know, everything was fine when I went up to your room,"
"Polly left my party because of something Lip did," said Debbie angrily.
"You didn't."
"No I didn't," said Lip, "I blew her off and she split,"
"You could have just done her so my party wouldn't suck," yelled Debbie, hitting him with a pillow.
"Debs she's 14," said Lip.
"Which one's Polly?" asked Adam, he was drunk so he was a little behind.
"She left." Debbie yelled, "And little Hank left too," She said miserably before slouching on the couch.
"Deb," Fiona crouched in front of her, "I'm sure the rest of the party was awesome,"
"How would you know? You weren't here," Debbie grumbled, she looked over at Adam, "you Craig?"
"Who?"
"No," said Fiona.
"Who is that?" Nick asked Hollie quietly."Adam," she whispered, "some guy Fiona boned a few times,"
Simon tried to offer Debbie her present but Debbie yelled at him making him leave. Ethel left too and Debbie started to blame lip.
Hollie and Nick went upstairs as Lip was trying to make it up to Debbie.
"Jesus Christ," Hollie sighed as she flopped onto her bed, "I need to sleep, long night,"
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The next day, Hollie, Nick, Kev, V, Ian, Debbie and Lip were all messing around in the pool.
Fiona was inside the house with Adam, Lucy Joe and Craig Heisner. The Heisners had come round to do a weird therapy forgiveness thing that made no sense at all.
Veronica was on Kev's shoulder and Debbie was on Lip's shoulders playing chicken fights when Fiona came out of the house with Adam behind her. Debbie fell back of Lips shoulders with a splash.
"Looks like your rash is clearing up," Fiona commented.
"Yeah," said Debbie, "you guys done with your therapy?"
Fiona shook her head, "they're still in the house, he's singing 'your body is a wonderland'"
"Who's this?" Asked Kev, motioning to Adam as lip climbed out of the pool.
"Oh, Kevin, Adam. Adam, Kevin," Fiona introduced. Kevin lifted his hand out of the water to shake Adams hand, splashing him with water, "nice to meet you, oh, sorry bro,"
Hollie noticed Karen walking angrily through the yard towards Lip, "hey you okay?" He asked.
Karen didn't reply, instead she kneed him in the balls making him groan and keel over. Karen pushed him to the ground, "why the fuck was Mandy Milkovich at my house trying to screw Jody?" She demanded, "he turned her down and told me what happened." She yelled.
"Yeah, because he's a fucking pussy," Lip coughed out.
"Fuck you," Karen kicked Lip in the stomach.
"Hey, hey," Fiona yelled getting between them.
"Stay the fuck away from me," she managed to kick Lip again making Hollie get out of the pool and pull her back, "Stay the fuck away from Jody and stay the fuck away from this baby," she breathed heavily as she pulled herself out of Hollie's grip.
Everyone stared between Karen and Lip in shock at her words as Karen walked away.