Monica had yet to split, Lip was still living with Jimmy and Terry Milkovich was terrorising Ian because Mandy was pregnant.
When Hollie rolled out of bed for breakfast she noticed that the kids were all moping around like they hadn't had a second of sleep for a week.
"Morning zombies," she greeted.
"The house could use a spring clean," said Monica as she looked around.
"It's November," said Fiona.
Hollie was about to walk over to the clean laundry to find something to wear for the day but immediately rushed into the bathroom and pulled in the toilet as she was hit with a wave of nausea.
When she stepped back out Fiona was grinning at her, "karma bitch,"
Hollie flipped her off as she started to search for something to wear for work.
"Debbie can you get your father up?" said Monica, "he's out in the alley by the Chopiaks' garbage cans. Help him to bed."
"Ian left for work early. Did you hear? I kicked Terry Milkovich's ass," Monica boasted as she took the dirty plates to the sink.
"Not the first time someone's come in here fists first," said Fiona.
"Probably won't be the last either," Hollie hummed as she changed her shirt.
"Fi, Why don't you go for a run?" Monica suggested, "when's the last time you did that?"
"I've got too much to do," Fiona dismissed.
"Like?"
"Uh, make lunches, get Liam dressed, take him for his check-up," Fiona listed.
Hollie walked over to the table and shook Carl's shoulder as he had fallen asleep, "did you even sleep at all last night? Jeez,"
"I made lunches already," said Monica, "I'm here it doesn't all have to fall on you guys. I'm doing better I promise,"
While Monica tried to convince Fiona to step back and go for a run, Hollie made herself some toast before heading back upstairs to find some pants that were clean.
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Later that day Veronica came over to the Gallagher house with some box wine, "need to get shit-faced. Don't wanna do it alone," she said shortly.
"I'll pour, you talk," said Fiona.
"I'll get the cups," said Veronica.
Fiona's phone started to ring so she handed the laundry basket to Hollie while she answered, "what do you want?...what date?" A few seconds later she hung up the phone.
"Jimmy?" Hollie asked as she moved the wet clothes into the dryer.
"Yeah," Fiona sighed.
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They went out onto the porch and Veronica told Fiona and Hollie that the doctor at the clinic said that she may not be able to get pregnant. Hollie could tell she was pretty upset about it despite acting like she wasn't.
Fiona and Veronica had drunk halfway through the box of wine and to change the subject Fiona told them about what Meg had told her earlier.
"On top of managing the upstairs bar, I could've got my own night to promote?" Fiona told them, recounting what Meg said.
"Why are we talking about a job you didn't get?" Veronica asked.
"I really wanted it,"
"Don't spend time thinking about things you can't have," said V as she poured herself more wine.
"Doctor didn't say it was impossible," said Hollie.
"Close to it," said V.
"Since when do you take no for an answer?"
"Since when do you?" V retaliated.
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"We running a goddamn bakery now or something?" Hollie questioned as she took her coat off and hung it on the back of a chair.
Most of the surfaces in the kitchen were covered with plates of home-baked cookies.
"We're doing a fundraiser for Mandy," Ian informed her.
"Where's the tape?" Debbie questioned, "can't find anything in this kitchen,"
"Back of the bottom drawer, I think Debs," said Hollie she crouched down and rifled through the drawer in question and found the tape at the back, "here,"
"Thanks, Hollie,"
"Why's the couch in the kitchen?" Hollie questioned, noticing that a lot of the living room furniture was now shoved in the kitchen.
"Oh I'm going to steam the living room rug," Monica explained.
"When are we moving the furniture back?" Debbie asked.
Ignoring her daughter's question, Monica gasped, "oh Debbie I love your poster. Where did you get your artistic talent from? Who wants to sample a cookie?"
"Me," said Frank as he walked down the stairs.
"Uh, they're for the fundraiser," said Ian.
"Blood sugars dipping trying to keep up with your mother," said Frank, "she's wearing me out,"
Hollie looked at him in disgust, "TMI dad,"
"I'm done with the flyer," said Carl, holding up the price of paper he was writing on which said the words 'fun razor'.
"Uh, it's fundraiser not 'fun razor'," said Ian.
"Want them to show up, make them think someone's getting cut," said Carl, imitating a slicing sound.
"All right, make copies man," Ian shrugged.
"Ooh! I'll take him," said Monica, "come on you and me carl. We can take the new car. Can't get enough carl and mommy time," she slung her arm around Carl's shoulders and guided him towards the front door, "do you need new clothes? We could stop at JC Penny."
Hollie watched Carl and Monica leave with a frown, "new car?"
"I don't know," Ian shrugged.
Hollie picked up Debbies poster from the couch and read it, "did you organise all this?" She questioned, gesturing around the kitchen.
Ian nodded, "Mandy needs me. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't help her,"
A smile graced her features at his words, "I'm proud of you, you know," she said, "you really are a great kid,"
"Thanks, Hollie,"
"I'm proud of you too Debs," she said pressing a kiss to her younger sister's head. Hollie glanced around the kitchen, "Christ it's a mess in here," she muttered as she began to clean up some of the mess.
"Mom's never gonna shampoo the rug is she?" Debbie questioned staring disappointedly at the carpet cleaner.
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Monica had been arrested. She had also stolen the entire squirrel fund which explained how she had bought a car and a bunch of dolls and things that Lip and Hollie had found.
After returning a shit tonne of American girl dolls they had found in Debbies room, Lip and Hollie had managed to scrape some hail money together for Monica.
"Your bother was driving," the officer that was leading them through the station told them, "he got a nasty bump but he'll be fine. I told my captain your mom was driving under the influence."
"You feel powerful locking me up!" Monica yelled as she squirmed inside the cell that she was in. Her hands were handcuffed behind her back on the bench so she could move much.
"She's not making it easy," said the officer.
"I'm not invisible!" Monica yelled.
Hollie crouched down in front of Carl, "hey buddy. You doing okay?" She asked. He had blood running down the side of his head, "how's your head?" She pushed his hair back so she could look at the cut on his forehead but luckily it wasn't too deep.
"I'm right here!" Monica yelled.
Hollie sighed as she stood up again, "come on Carl. We'll go get your head checked out,"
A/N
Not much happened this chapter as it was a bit of a filler.
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