• • • • •
𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦
( 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘶𝘴 )
STEVE WILTON surely had won over the Gallaghers. At least for the most part. It wasn't long before he had practically became a member of their household; helping with dishes, picking up dinner, doing laundry (even though he had the very valid excuse to get out of it just by saying he had bought the washer), and even helping out with the younger kids homework a few times. Thanks to him, Jodi now understood long division. Overall, Steve was a great guy, and great was a rare quality to be able describe a boyfriend (or fling—no one was really sure of their title yet) of Fiona Gallagher's; so let's just say the Gallaghers were appreciative of the man, no matter how poorly they showed it.
"You got it, Jo?" Ian says as he hands her the bag of burgers they had just picked up, Steve being the chauffeur and taking care of expenses. Jodi nodded dismissively, biting her lip as she concentrated on levelling out the heavy, grease-soaked bag with her hands. She slowly walked up the front steps, eyes still focused on the bag as she hears Steve lock his expensive—as well as stolen—car. Well, Jodi didn't know that for sure, but from what she had gathered when gossiping with Debbie about their oldest sister's new boyfriend; his money wasn't exactly clean. Not that that mattered to Jodi as long as she was getting dinner outside of a prison cell.
Once finally in the house, Ian took her bag into the kitchen as Jodi settled herself onto the floor next to Debbie, leaning on the back of the couch. "Burgers coming through!" Ian warned, a paper plates in each hand with a wrapped burger on each. Steve follows behind him rushing out from the kitchen into the living room, burger filled paper plates in his hands too.
Fiona messes with the remote control for the television as she calls out, "Uh, Lip. Napkins." Karen, Lip's new girlfriend says something about her being able to get them, but Lip quickly shoots her down. Jodi scrunches her nose at that: Fiona's got a boyfriend, Lip's got a girlfriend. If Ian got a boyfriend then Jodi would start to feel as if she missed a memo. She didn't want to miss out on the dating scene, no matter what her older brothers said.
"Only ketchup?" Steve starts calling out the orders. Debbie takes it from him, as he calls out the next. "Extra onions, jalapenos?"
Veronica walks into the room, taking the burger from him, a box of cookies in her hand. "Make room!" She steps over the couch to sit next to Fiona. Carl quickly takes the seat next to her, stepping over Jodi to sit there. He reaches for the package of Oreos. "Ah ah ah," V slaps his hand away, "After you finish your shake and fries."
"Extra lettuce?" Steve reads the writing on the paper wrapper. Jodi shouts out and he hands it to her, she quickly unwraps it taking a bite into the calorie-filled sandwich.
"Who's this?" Veronica questions her attention drawn to the blonde bimbo (Or that was the name Carl and Jodi had taken to calling her after learning that she had sucked off both Ian and Lip. Gross.) sitting in her practically family's living room.
"Karen," Lip reached for a napkin as Karen smiled slightly, unwrapping her own burger.
"Hey Karen, nice top." Veronica smiled, "What size are you?"
"Shh!" Fiona jumped up, shaking her hand at Veronica as the TV show began. "Shut up." The show was of fishermen who fished for crab off a factory boat, it was boring to anyone else but for some reason the Gallagher family made it into a habit of watching together. Beers were passed around the adults as the kids settled into their seats, sipping on their shakes. Jodi leaned back into Carl's legs, her eyes fixated on the program in front of her.
Steve took a sip of his beer as his gaze tore from the show to watching the family interact with eachother. It was silent as they all were invested in the television, but their actions and behaviours didn't go unnoticed by Steve. His gaze wandered from Fiona who was leaning forwards in her seat, to Debbie and Jodi who were leaning into eachother as Carl leaned over Jodi, his hand occasionally yanking on her hair. On purpose, of course—they were still brothers and sisters and what would they be for if they didn't annoy eachother twenty-four seven. He watched as Lip and Karen got closer together and how Ian leaned forwards to get a better look at the TV, much like Carl and Fiona had done. Their mannerisms were eerily similar, he noticed, but that was undoubtedly the last thing that made them into the family they were. Steve had never felt more like a family then he did with their family.
Like a calm before a storm; because the second that thought ran through his mind, the front door slammed open, ripping all attention from the TV to the bloody, drunk Frank who's nose looked much like Lauren Smith's had after Jodi fought her. "You okay, Frank?"
"Hey," Ian stood up, walking towards their drunk and beaten father. "Is that my shirt?" He looks down to the blood stained shirt, most likely now permanently stained.
Frank turned around, a flash of something incomprehensible in his eyes. Jodi gripped Debbies hand, receiving a squeeze in return. "Yeah," Frank nodded, before turning around to face Ian, taking a step towards him.
Ian takes a step back as Frank takes another step forwards, "Uh, i'm just asking." Ian stutters, a slight fear forming towards his father—a fear no one should need to feel towards a parent.
Frank doesn't say anything as he whips his head back before wretching it forwards into Ian's nose. Ian falls backwards into the coffee table as everyone let's out some type of gasp at the situation. "Jesus!" Fiona rushes off the couch, Steve following in tow as they rush towards Frank who spits out an excuse.
"Guy in the bar said to pass it on."
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Steve shoves Frank.
Fiona sits over Ian, holding his head back to try and stop the blood from pouring out of his nose. "Jesus Christ, dad!"
Jodi tried not pay attention, only focusing on Ian before she noticed Steve and Frank's argument grow more aggressive, so she took the liberty to rush to the kitchen—full intention on protecting her family, whether that be Steve or Frank, Jodi didn't know. Veronica ushers Debbie onto the couch next to her, covering her and Carl's ears with her hands as she pulls their heads closer to her body to block out the noise. It wasn't as successful as Veronica was probably hoping, Steve's shouting far too loud. "You're drunk, Frank. Drunk."
"This-this is drunk?" Frank slurs, arms out as if to make his point. "This isn't drunk, you wanna see drunk?" No, Jodi thinks.
Fiona, still aiding Ian, yells for them to stop it. They both ignore her, using their selective hearing as Steve continues on with his 'I think I have every right to say this speech', something Jodi had noticed he does a lot. "Don't do this to your kids."
Jodi quickly grabs what she'd been looking for, quickly coming back into the living room that seemed to have turned into a war zone. Lip rushes over to her, put his hand on her raised frying pan that she had ever intention to use on whoever shouted first. Lip silently shook his head telling her not to use it as he pulls her back slightly, away from the arguing men.
Both who couldn't call this their home, at least not without argument from the inhabitants who actually lived there.
"What are you, a tough guy, Steve? You think you're a fucking tough guy?" Frank questions loudly, "Because you look like a premenstrual Filipino!" True.
Steve makes a move towards Frank as Fiona pushes him back, "Steve, go!" He continues to try and make move for their father, "Get out!" He breathes deeply, as Fiona pushes them apart, her hand on his chest. "Hey, just go, please."
Debbie being the mini mother she was gently takes his wrist, guiding him to the door. Past Frank, past Jodi and Lip, past Carl and Karen and past the bloody Ian who was currently being fixed up by Veronica. "Pussy!" Frank laughed, taunting him as he left.
"You're pathetic, Frank!"
"Get out, now. I mean it!" Fiona snaps, fed up with Steve trying but failing to help. All he had done was make things worse, egging Frank on and successfully scarring the younger kids. Although they were sure they could handle it, they knew they had much more to come before life gave them a break—this was nothing.
"Come on, don't go! Come on!" Frank extends his arms, inviting a fight that no one else wanted. "Puss, puss, puss," He chants mockingly as Debbie finally stops at the doorway ushering Steve out of the house. "What you want to say something, pussy?" The door shuts as Steve walks out. "Its Mr. Joe-Fucking-God-Gift, the pussy." Frank continues his drunken rant, still attempting to square up with someone who now wasn't there. Jodi felt the urge to slam her frying pan into his face to shut him up.
With Steve finally gone everyone goes into fetch mode. Veronica yelling out what's needed for Ian's nose, "Ice." Jodi quickly runs to get it, putting her frying pan away while she does so. The more she held it the more tempting the idea to swing it at her deadbeat father's face it got.
"Oh, it's a bloody nose!" Frank says, as if it justified it. "He's not dying." I wish you were, Jodi sighs as she shoves the ice into a plastic bag over the sink. "Anybody notice that i'm bleeding?" He yells.
Jodi scoffs as she walks back into the living room, a bag of ice wrapped in cloth gripped tightly in her hand. "Not enough." Frank either ignores her or cannot hear her over the alcohol pumping though him. He turns to leave though the kitchen, passing Lip with narrowed eyes.
• • • • •
THE NEXT MORNING it was like nothing had happened. Frank had left after head butting Ian, and had yet to reappear, Debbie had left to steal news papers, Ian and Veronica had went out to con a dairy product truck driver to get the weekly milk and butter. While everyone else sat at home continuing on with their breakfast, or cutting out coupons from stolen newspapers for Debbie. It was supposed to be the first day back for Jodi, but with her principles lack of knowledge, he had told Jodi to come back on a day there was no school. Idiot.
"Oh, there for pasta noodles," Jodi mumbled, cereal in her mouth as she pointed to a coupon Debbie had missed in the scraps pile before she noticed a crossword Debbie had also discarded.
Ian came through the back door, hands full of dairy products that made Jodi thankful she wasn't lactose intolerant—milk was something she could never go without, especially when it was the strawberry milk Ian brought back from his work. "Special delivery,"
Lip reached out, taking the milk to put into his coffee, "All right! Thank you."
"Don't forget Veronica's coupons." Debbie reminded him.
"Yeah. Got it." Ian replies before leaving out the door he had just came in to deliver the rest of their stolen milk to Veronica and Kev's house.
Jodi continues on with the crossword Debbie had put in the scraps, "Seven letters, a colour and a Rocky Horror Picture Show character?"
"Magenta," Lip answers. "How do you not know that?"
"Fiona said I have to be fourteen to watch R rated movies." Jodi mumbled, writing down the answer letter by letter in the boxes.
"It's my favourite," Carl smirked. "Especially when–"
"Woah, woah, woah," Jodi looked up from her crossword. "Fiona let you watch it?" Carl nodded still smirking, "But not me?"
Jodi looked from Carl to Lip exasperated. "We can watch it this weekend with Karen," Lip reasoned as Jodi exchanged a gaze with Debbie, Lip quickly became defensive noticing, "What?"
"Nothing!" The sisters chimed, completely dropping the topic as Fiona walked in with Liam, setting him in the highchair. Lip and Debbie greeted him as Jodi watched Fiona go though the mail whilst telling Ian who had suddenly made an appearance that there was no leftover pizza and to eat something healthy. As if. "Anything cool in there, Fi?"
"No, why? You expecting something?" Fiona laughed still shuffling though the envelopes and ads. Jodi just shrugged with a slight grin on her lips knowing Fiona wasn't paying any attention, nor would she when what Jodi was expecting finally arrived.
Debbie continued reading off the coupons they had managed to collect while Fiona mentioned going tomorrow. Jodi internally groaned knowing she would have to go with them. For a mini chef she sure did hate grocery shopping.
The whole scene made her angry; the shopping carts ramming, the bitchy cashiers, the people who just couldn't seem to understand personal space. Jodi really hated shopping, but grocery shopping was the only one she was constantly forced to endure and it was dreadful the whole time—no matter what Fiona said.
"Lip, you seen Frank?" Fiona asked, turning over an envelope in her hands. Jodi was suddenly pulled back into reality from her mental rage on grocery stores—why would Fiona ask where Frank was.
"Uh, no." Lip shook his head.
"What day is it?" Fiona continued staring at the envelope.
"Friday, why?" Fiona didn't answer as she trailed up the stairs. The siblings exchanged confused glances before returning to their breakfast.
Ian placed Carl's sunny side up eggs in front of him. Debbie and Jodi watched with disgusted looks as he leaned his head forwards to lick the yolk. "Morning campers," Caught the sisters out of their judging stares as Steve wandered into the kitchen. Jodi wanted to question why he was still around, but changed her mind as he placed a bag donuts on the table. "Jelly, plain, glazed." Jodi could feel her mouth water, "Save me an apple fritter."
"All right," Ian agreed, reaching to grab a to go cup of coffee. Jodi ignored the coffee completely as she ditched her cereal, reaching for a jelly donut.
Steve grabbed a piece of toast before dipping it into the egg Carl had just licked. He ate it, looking to Carl, "Bet you hate when that happens."
Jodi stopped mid bite, jelly coating the corner of her lips as she watched Steve swallow. Did he really just– Apparently she wasn't the only one disgusted as Ian said, "They're his tits, it's the only reason he eats eggs."
"He just licked that one," Jodi whispered, although loud enough for everyone to hear (and she as her face was scrunched up) the disgust and pure disbelief in her tone.
Fiona had reappeared into the kitchen and noticing the goodies Steve had brought complained, "Oh, great. I'm trying to get them to eat a healthy breakfast." Jodi rolled her eyes knowing that as long as she still had hands and the ability to cook and bake, that wouldn't be happening.
"I bought all the essential morning food groups: caffeine, sugar, lard." Steve listed attempting to defend himself for pumping the 'girl of his dreams' siblings full of, well, caffeine, sugar, and lard.
Steve and Fiona pull back from the table slightly, embracing in a kiss that left Steve making a noise that Jodi could only describe as her worst nightmare. Fiona began apologizing for the night before while Jodi just sat there, dumbfounded. Steve went on saying he understood how parents are, as if he hadn't made the situation way worse than it had to be last night. Truth be told, Jodi hated Steve with a passion. She simply put up with him for the money he spent on her family . . and for Fiona, she guessed.
Fiona escapes from Steve's clutches (at least that's how Jodi saw it) before walking back over to the dinning table. "Has anybody seen Dad?"
"He was asleep behind the armchair," Debbie answered.
Fiona sighed before turning to, most likely, go check behind the armchair. Why Fiona cared, Jodi didn't know. They had had the same routine dealing with their father for as long as Jodi could remember, and frankly (pun intended) looking for their blacked-out father on a friday morning was never apart of it. Everyone got up and followed, wanting to know why Fiona was so hellbent on seeing their dad.
Fiona reached over the armchair, the rest of the Gallagher clan (minus Frank of course) scattered around the living room waiting for her cue as to why she needed Frank. She gripped something and it rustled, "It's a tent," She turned back to her siblings, "Why is there a tent in the livingroom?"
Ian shoved his hands in his pockets, "Oh, uh, drying it out. ROTC training in Wisconsin next week." He shrugged.
"I thought it was dad," Debbie explained, picking up a full mug of coffee from the floor. "I left him a cup of coffee this morning, I thought I heard him say thanks." She furrowed her brows.
"Nope, but you can hear me say it." Jodi leaped over the couch, her feet denting the cushions as she took the cold coffee from her younger sister's hands. She brought the rim of the mug to her lips, the cold bitter taste seeping through her minty teeth. "Thanks, Debs." Debbie just cringed slightly, shrugging, as Fiona wandered off to Veronica and Kevin's to ask if they've seen their useless father.
• • • • •
VERONICA AND KEVIN had not seen Frank. In fact, no one had and the Gallagher's were doing everything to try and find him. The livingroom was filled with the siblings plus Veronica and Steve as they called and called and called. No one had seen him since he left the Alibi early the night before.
"Hey, Mrs. Smith have you seen Frank Gallagher anywhere?" Jodi asked into the phone, "Uh, this is Jodi Gallagher," The woman scoffed before hanging up. Jodi knew it was a bad idea for her to be the one to call the Smiths. She had broken their daughter's nose after all, and concussed her. Really all Jodi had done for the Smiths was rack up a large hospital bill over their bitchy daughter.
Before Jodi could go to call another Southside family, perhaps someone who more personally knew Frank or any Gallagher really, Veronica's phone was snatched by the cord and pulled out the window. She cursed loudly, leaving to chase the phone down the street as her boyfriend tugged on it from the inside of their own home. Jodi giggled to herself slightly before going to dial another number. She knew calling the Smiths who one) barely even counted for living in the Southside and two) had never met Frank Gallagher before was not going to get her answers to his whereabouts, but Jodi couldn't pass up the opportunity to harass the family of her own antagonist just this once.
"Anything?" Fiona asked after everyone had ended their phone calls, finding no luck.
"No one has seen him since last night," Ian sighed. Debbie was playing with her ear, before whimpering at Ian's words. No doubt she had the most hope for Frank to be the father they all wanted and needed. Finding him suddenly became top priority for Jodi only because it was a priority for Debbie. Jodi couldn't careless when Frank came home, as long as he did, and Jodi had no doubts that he always would—she believed him invincible. But Debbie needed him here and safe now. So Jodi would try her hardest to help, to bring peace to Debbie as well as Fiona. They seemed to be the most panicked, and Jodi knew better than anyone that all her siblings were slightly panicked, but refused to show any amount of care for a deadbeat.
Fiona crouched down in front of Debbie, taking her face in her hands gently. "Hey, hey, don't worry, Debs. We're going to find him, okay?" Ian pulled Debbie to his side, comforting her as Fiona stood, announcing a plan, "We split up. All the regular spots, okay? Go." Everyone split going their separate ways to find their father. Lip left with Karen, Jodi left with Ian, Carl left with Debbie and Fiona ran off most likely with Steve following.
Ian and Jodi had searched the truckers bay, where all moving trucks were parked to unload and Frank was notorious for being found passed out either in the trucks or by them. He hadn't been there, nor was there any sign of him. Jodi and Ian shared a look before leaving to search the port-a-potty's, opening each and every door before meeting in the middle of the row of blue public toilets. Ian went to open the last one before moving back, started as a rough looking man slammed the door back shut. "Sorry," Jodi couldn't find it in her to laugh.
They moved down an alleyway, Ian's shoulder brushing against Jodi's upper arm—she was tall, but not that tall. Ian was almost taller than Lip, not that that was too hard to beat as Lip had been gifted their father's height—which wasn't any. Jodi couldn't wait until the day Ian hit puberty, she had bets on him becoming a skyscraper, and if that really did happen then she had free piggybacks for life.
Jodi looked through every abandoned box while Ian climbed the dumpsters to see if Frank had somehow managed to find himself trapped in one. It wouldn't of been the first time. With no luck, they headed home to see if anyone else had found their father. Debbie and Carl were the only ones home, Debbie was crying over not being able to find Frank, so Jodi suggested heading to Veronica and Kev's, which was where they now stood as Fiona and Steve talked to a shirtless Veronica, who was "working". Working being live-streaming on some porno website.
Ian double takes walking in, chuckling slightly at V's tits that were out. "Hey, V."
"Nice tits," Jodi says before looking down at her chest before back up a Veronica's, her brows furrowed. "Why don't mine look like that?"
"Hey, Ian." Veronica grinned at him, although Jodi knew that Ian had no interest in her body—or her gender. "And because your mosquito bites are still growin', don't worry you'll get them."
Jodi nodded as Ian looked to Fiona, "Um, sorry, Fiona. Debbie needs you. It's bad." They all rushed out of V's, headed home.
Debbie was panicking, her words coming strangled and mumbled as Veronica (now clothed) and Fiona comforted her. Jodi stood behind her, rubbing her back slightly knowing that's what Fiona always did to make her feel better, while Ian crouched down infront of her, translating her incoherent spews.
"Uh, Holly thought she saw a body under the tracks on Halsted." Debbie nodded crazily as Fiona let out words of disbelief.
"It's not him, Debs. Or the police would've contacted us by now." Steve reassured, his hands on his hips as he watched Debbie had a mild panic attack. Jodi clenched her fist, feeling her nails digging into her palm. She felt every urge to go knock some sense, maybe even some sensitivity, into Steve. He was trying to help, but it seemed to Jodi all he ever did was making everything worse.
Jodi Gallagher hates Steve with a burning passion, but she kept herself and her angry under wraps for Fiona, but right now Jodi felt like she was going to burst at the seems, spewing punches and kicks left right and centre.
"It's Holly, sweetheart, okay? She's been in third grade for four years." Fiona comforted. It was true—Holly was a dumb bitch, who had actually been one of Jodi's first fights back when Jodi was also in third grade. At that time, Holly hadn't repeated the grade yet, but she was still unmistakably a jerk who Jodi had helped lose her first tooth. "I'm 'gonna deck that little bitch!"
Jodi quickly nodded in agreement, her nose flaring as the anger towards Steve and now Holly all piled up. She took her hand off Debbie's back, standing, "Im on it." She turned to leave before Veronica took her wrist and pulled her back down. Jodi took a deep breath, returning her hand to rubbing circular motions on Debbie's back.
Steve crouched next to Fiona, ignoring Jodi's readiness to fight. "Listen, does that even make sense, Debbie?" Lip and Karen entered through the back door joining the group in the living room as Steve continued, "Why would your dad be in Halsted when he lives in the opposite direction?"
"Well depends, how was he lookin' when you, uh, left him at the Alibi Room last night, Steve." Lip spat accusingly. Jodi kept her smirk to herself, she knew Steve was a dick.
Steve and Fiona both rose, Fiona looking at Steve questioningly. "When?"
He took out a cigarette, most likely stressed about whatever Lip was accusing him of, which most likely meant that he was ding ding ding guilty! "Uh . . ten? Ten thirty?" He pulled the smoke out of the package, "Went to apologize, bought him a drink, then went home."
"Why didnt you say?" Fiona asked, obviously completely and utterly stressed at her missing father. And this dick was, once again, only making things worse. He lit the cigarette, seemingly not wanting to respond before Kev enters the house, asking to speak with Fiona privately.
"Probably didn't say because he's hiding something." Jodi mumbled, although Lip overheard, raising his eyebrows in agreement.
• • • • •
THE GROUP HAD rushed to the El, a bridge that was in the opposite direction of their house, and was currently housing a dead body underneath. Jodi's breath caught in her throat as they ran towards the crime scene. Sure, she had a slight—maybe, more than slight—hatred for her father. But he was still her father, and she would never genuinely wish death upon him. Especially if it meant endgame was being spilt up from her siblings, as Fiona technically wasn't their legal guardian. She just crossed her fingers that Frank Gallagher wasn't actually dead.
"Do you know who that is!" Fiona questioned her family and Steve stopping behind her.
"Stay back, okay? Stay back." The office put his hand out. The Coroner stood over the body, blocking the view. Jodi felt Debbie grip her hand hard as tears built in her younger sister's eyes. Jodi squeezed her hand just as hard back.
Everyone watched in anticipation as to see who was dead. The Coroner slowly rolled over the body revealing a large, bearded homeless man who was in fact, not Frank Gallagher. Jodi felt the weight lift off her shoulders as Veronica cheered followed by everyone clapping and looking relieved. Fiona however, still had glossy eyes with a frown etched onto her face. "See I told ya." Steve smiled at her.
Fiona continued frowning, shaking her head. "Where the hell is he?"
• • • • •
THE FAMILY NOW were back home, officer Tony sitting on their couch as handed Fiona a file. "In canada?" She asked, her voice raising in disbelief.
"Wait, how?" Lip questioned. If Jodi wasn't so busy staring at Tony, she would've wondered too, but Jodi was far too busy nursing her lifelong crush on the officer her sister refused to date.
"Embassy says he admitted to drug chargers, but that's before they accused him, so they think he's a juicer." Tony explained, before being met with confused looks. He sighed, "They just want him off Canadian soul as soon as possible, but the U.S. won't let him back in without his passport."
"Frank doesn't have a passport," Fiona rolled her eyes, clearly much more annoyed then worried now that they know their father is okay, just stuck in Canada. Jodi wondered why they don't just leave him there—she had done a project on Canada once, it seems nice.
"He'll have to apply for one." Tony told her.
Fiona handed the file to Lip, "How long does that take?" He asked.
"Couple months," Tony shrugged. Jodi thought maybe Frank could use for a vacation, he'd be back in no time, really.
"Couple months." Fiona echoed in disbelief.
"He can apply for an emergency one at the embassy in Toronto." Tony reasoned.
"How long does the emergency one take?" Fiona exclaimed, speaking with her hands as she raised them with each syllable before dropping them to the leather seat.
"I don't know," Tony shook his head, "A week maybe."
Jodi went to mention just applying for an emergency one and then letting Frank have his one week vacation in prison, but before she could voice her thoughts, Veronica cut in. "Kev has a passport."
Everyone looked to Kev who looked slightly confused, "And what good does that do?"
"You could drive up, help him at the embassy." V explained. "Pick up a pile of cheap pharmaceuticals, sell them to the local geezers and the old folks at my nursing home . ." Tony looked uncomfortable with Veronica's openness about her illegal activities, but all Jodi could focus on was his hair, how did he get it like that and could she touch it?
Jodi was finally snapped out of her daze as Tony took his fingers out of his ears, most likely having been told to cover them as Kev explained why he couldn't cross borders. Obviously due to something illegal. Jodi watched as Fiona left to the kitchen and decided to follow suit—fighting to stay and listen was a waste of breath, all of their "adult talk" had been boring.
"Whatcha doin'?" Jodi dragged out watching Fiona empty the trash before picking up an empty carton of cigarettes. It didn't look anything like the normally cigarettes Jodi always saw her older siblings with, it had warnings covering the packaging about how smoking kills.
"They don't sell cigarettes like this here, Jo." She explained still staring at which Jodi know knew as, Canadian cigarettes.
A lightbulb went off for Jodi as she watched the approaching Steve. Her nails dug into her hand again. "Motherfucker." Jodi glared. Fiona didn't even bother to correct her for swearing like she normally did.
Steve raised an eye at Jodi before turning to the gaping and most likely murderous Fiona. "You okay?" Did he really just ask–
"How'd you get my dad to Toronto?" She stared hard. Jodi would call it a glare, but she was much too calm for that.
"Me?" Steve stuttered. "Are got kidding?"
"Does she look likes she's kidding, Steven?" Jodi spat, being annoyed that one) this was Steve, god she fucking hated Steve and two) he was trying to make Fiona feel like she's stupid when the only stupid thing she had done was trust fucking Steve.
Fiona shrugged, tossing the cigarette carton to Steve who caught it. "Canadian health warnings." Fiona shot a look to Jodi who took that as her time to leave, who snuck up the back staircase in response—she didn't feel being caught in another one of Steve and Fiona's kitchen arguments.
• • • • •
NEXT THING Jodi knew was Steve was nursing a red cheek after Fiona hit him while preparing a plan to get their dad back. A nasty looking R.V. was sitting on the curb outside. "What the hell is that?" Kev asked, pulling on his jacket preparing himself for a ride to Canada.
"Our ride."
And they were off.
A few hours later Jodi stood in the kitchen doing the dishes as there was a knock on the door, she went to answer but Lip beat her to it. Tony stood at the door, "Hey," Lip nodded.
"Hey, Fiona." Tony smiled walking into the house. Fiona stood next to Jodi, hands covered in obnoxious loud yellow gloves as she washed the dishes that Jodi would then dry and put away.
"Hey, Tony." Fiona smiled, Jodi also shot the blonde cop a short smile. Lip closed the door, taking his spot back at the bar counter, continuing on his homework.
"Lip, Jo." Tony muttered, both immediately catching the hint. Jodi used the cloth to wipe off her hands, preparing to leave silently, praying that Tony was asking her sister out and she would say yes. Tony was everything anyone ever wanted, Steve was a dad-napping dick.
"Yeah, um. I think i'm gonna finish my calculus homework upstairs," He closed his binder, gathering it in his arms as he headed up the back staircase.
"Yeah and he, uh, he might need my help." Jodi nodded to herself, rushing up after him. Lip went off into their room to continue solving equations while Jodi sat at the top of the stairs listening in to Tony struggling to get Fiona to say yes to going to his banquet with him. One the door had closed and Tony was gone, Jodi rushed down the stairs.
"Why didn't you say yes?" She exclaimed. "This is Tony we're talking about! Cute, tall, blonde, cop Tony who helped you find our dad who your other boy toy left in Canada!" She stomped her foot.
Fiona laughed slightly, shaking her head. "Not all of us have a crush on Tony like you, Jo."
"Not yet," Jodi exclaimed once again, convinced to make Fiona go with Tony. "But you could!"
"I don't know," Fiona's laugher died down as she sighed. "Maybe, we'll see. Now go get ready for bed, monkey." Jodi grudgingly stomped back up the stairs to her room where Carl already laid passed out on their bed.
• • • • •
THE NEXT AFTERNOON, everyone stood outside the Gallagher home awaiting the arrival of the ugly R.V. that held Frank Gallagher who's news of being trapped in Canada had travelled like wild fire. Jodi had gone as far as to tape a flag to her cheek as her family were more than annoyed at the prospect of their father being in Canada and refused to represent the Great White North. Although, everyone surrounding the front yard was waving Canadian flags like it was July First.
The van finally pulled up, Jodi laughed lightly as Veronica laughed walking out, Kev following with a box of narcotics in his hands, grinning like no tomorrow. As Kev left the motor home, Ian began clapping along with Jodi, Debbie and Carl smiling slightly as well. Finally Frank left the R.V, everyone cheering as he did so.
"Oh, fuck off." He stomped past them, "Fuck off." He marched up the stairs of the house, not bothering to greet his family who had been looking for him for the past day.
"Welcome home, daddy." Debbie greeted him as he ascended the last step, he simply looked at her before looking to Jodi who stood next to her, he pulled the flag of her face before continuing up the stairs into the house. Jodi frowned, fist clenching as she watched as Debbie, although hurt, followed Frank into the house.
Fiona eventually went into the house, Jodi following cue not wanting to be anywhere near Steve. Jodi pulled the brownies of the counter to go offer them to her dad. They were weren't regular brownies, but instead had been laced with weed, which Jodi had only been allowed to touch when baking. She walked up the stairs, following the voices of Frank and Debbie. She stopped at the door overhearing their conversation.
"I bet you're the only one who missed me." Frank grumbled to his youngest daughter.
"No," Debbie denied, "Because Carl said, 'the cables off, where's the ladder?' and Lip said 'dad's the only one who knows what to do on the pole,' and Jodi even made her special brownies just for you, she wouldn't even let Lip have some before you did."
Jodi sighed, looking at the plate in her hands holding those very brownies. Debbie was right, she did care for Frank. No matter how much she tried and tired to convince herself otherwise, he was still her dad and she needed him just as much as she needed Fiona. Jodi had missed Frank. "Did you see Toronto?" Jodi asked, walking into the room, plate in hands.
"Yeah," Frank didn't look up from packing his clothes—where he was going, Jodi didn't know. She slowly sat the plate of brownies of the dresser before kneeling on the end of the bed next to Debbie.
"CN Tower?" Debbie layed on her stomach.
"Christ, yeah." Frank widened his eyes, folding over a pair of pants. "You can see right across all of Canada from the top." He sliced his hand though the air for emphasis. "I didn't stay long though," He gestured for Jodi to pass him a pile of folded clothes that she was almost sitting on, "Don't know what Canadian women are into, but they couldn't take their eyes of me, like, 'hey, i'm having that guy'." Jodi nodded, handing him the clothes. "Got bit unnerving so I headed on back down." He placed the last amount of clothing in the bag, before stopping, looking from Jodi to Debbie. "Bits of Canada are just beautiful," He explained, shaking his hands out infront of him—that was a thing he and Fiona had in common; hand talking. "You just have to know your way around."
"Do you know?" Debbie asked, swinging her legs as she continued to lay on her stomach. Jodi leaned in also wanting to know the answer.
"Ho, ho, ho," He tapped his temple, "Every inch." Jodi and Debbie both smiled at him. This was the father they wanted and needed—Jodi was right, a vacation did help him. "I 'gotta go cash a check, make me a sandwich for when I get back okay?" He leaned more towards Debbie for the demand, which was good because Jodi wasn't going to make him one.
"Okay." Debbie nodded, rushing out of the room.
Jodi slowly rose from the bed, before looking towards the brownies on the dresser. "I don't know how they taste because Fiona won't let me try them, but the batter was good before I added the special ingredients so," Jodi scrunched her nose awkwardly.
"What's the special ingredient?" Frank asked as he took brownie off the plate, taking a bite, before humming nodding.
"Weed and love." Jodi smiled, shrugging as Frank choked slightly, not expecting the answer given. "See ya later, dad."
• • • • •
so, hi i've updates. holy shit these chapters are long. i've been wondering if you guys would prefer if i broke these up into two chapters, they would be uploaded on the same days still, but just two shorter chapters instead of one long one. let me know what you guys think!
also i live for your comments as much as i lived for frank complaining about his kids to random people on the street after coming back from canada.
also also more alexei coming soon, i just didn't find him fit to make an appearance this chapter but he'll be back soon, as well as i will be giving him and jodi their own custom chapters every once and while. my first "jo and alex" only chapter will be about five chapters from now.
love you lots,
-rye
word count: 6633
uploaded: apr. 21. 20.
updated: -