𝙂𝙀𝙊𝙍𝙂𝙄𝘼 . shameless

~ Father's Day ~

Before I say anything I want you guys to swear to me you won't tell the Gallaghers I'm back in town? Okay? Good. Fiona is the love of my life and I think about her every single day- oh this is about Georgia? Yeah she's alright. She's jailbait though. What? She's hot!

- Jimmy? Steve?

I raced down the steps as I tied my hair up. As I ran through the kitchen I spotted a fresh bowl of cheerios Ian had just made and took a big spoonful out and ate it. "Hey, hey, hey." He said grabbing the spoon from my hand. "Going to work, don't wait up."

"I won't." I heard Ian say back as I made my way to the front door. He loves me. I opened the front door and noticed someone sitting on our front steps. "Karter?"  We hadn't spoken since the last time I had tried to apologize for what I said...or didn't say. That was two weeks ago.

"They found my dad." He said not turning around to look at me. As I crept closer I could see a Jack Daniel's bottle in his hand, he barely ever drank. "Where was he?"

"At the bottom of Lake Michigan. The son of a bitch killed himself." I put my hand to my mouth in shock. How could Eddie just leave Karter behind like this? "Karen could care less and my mom won't even come out of her room. I didn't know where else to go."

I sat down on the step next to him and turned his face towards mine. "I am so sorry." I could see tears in his eyes, but he wouldn't let them out. "You know we used to go ice fishing in that lake every year? Some of the best memories I have with him and now they're all ruined."

I rested my head on his shoulder not knowing what else to say. All I could do was listen as he spoke about his father. I didn't care if I missed work, I knew I needed to be with him right now.

~

"Georgia! In my office now!" Were the first words I heard as I walked into the movie theater. I caught Josh's eye as I followed Mr.Dunson into his office, he looked scared for me. "You were a no call no show yesterday."

"Oh yeah I'm so-" He cut me off. "You know that's not allowed." His eyes trailed me. "How about you take a seat?" I felt more safe next to the door but I did as I was told and took a seat in front of his desk. "Mr.Dunson-"

"I thought I told you to call me Jerard." He sneered. "Sorry, Jerard. A family emergency happened yesterday and I completely forgot to call in. I promise it won't happen again."

"How can I trust you, Georgia?" He came from around his desk and walked behind the chair I was sitting in. Suddenly it felt like I couldn't breathe. "What do you mean?"

"You have to earn my trust, Georgia. I don't just give it out. You wanna know how you can earn my trust?" He placed his hand on my shoulder. I hesitated to ask. "How?"

He slithered his hand down my neck when the door to his office bursted open. "Mr.Dunson, I can't find the mop!" It was Josh. Mr.Dunson quickly removed his hand from my body. "It's where it's always at, Joshua."

"I swear it's not there. Can you please just come with me to check?" Mr.Dunson rolled his eyes. "Fine." As he left the room I was finally able to breathe. What would've happened if Josh wasn't here?

~

I couldn't sleep the entire night. I was tossing and turning thinking about what had happened in Mr.Dunsons office. But I knew I had to put on a brave face that day because Karter asked me to go with him to pick out his father's casket.

I walked into the building a little later than agreed upon so Karter, Karen, and Jody were obviously already there and talking with the casket seller. "Well I'd say if you went with this option, it wouldn't be too bad on your father's back." He was clearly trying to make a joke but it fell flat between Karen and Karter, Jody gave him a smile.

"Hey you're here." Karter turned and reached for my hand. I gratefully accepted his touch. "Girlfriend I assume?" The seller asked. "Just a good friend." Karter replied. Oh. A good friend.

"Well I think we should go with this one." Karen pointed to a half decent casket called the 'Eternal Serenity'. "I think he'd like this one." Karter nodded at his sister's statement. "I think so too."

"Sounds like we're all in agreement." The seller stuck his hand out and shook Karters hand. "I'll call the cemetery and we'll start the digging of the grave." I could tell the statement had an effect on Karter. "Sounds good." He smiled.

As the four of us left the building a mutual dark feeling came over all of us. This was happening so fast. "Thank you for coming." Karter mustered up a smile. "Of course."

"I think we should go home and tell mom what we decided on. You can come too, Georgia." Karen grabbed my arm. "I think that should be between you guys, as a family."

"You are family." Karen told me. "I am carrying your brothers baby after all." It was just like Karen to ruin a good moment. "Or my dad's."

"Are you really gonna do this here?" Karen scoffed. "Both of you enough." Jody yelled. "Dad is dead! There's a better time and place for this." It was odd how he referred to Sheila and Eddie as his mom and dad, but that wasn't my business.

"Cmon Jody let's go." Karen dragged Jody away as Karter and I stood in silence. "So, maybe I'll see you later then?" He asked. "Whenever you need me I'm here. What are friends for?" Maybe I was a little petty for saying that. Or maybe I was just upset because I thought that I meant more to him than 'just a good friend'.

"Yeah.."

~

"His good friend?" Mandy could not believe what I was telling her. "Yep that's exactly what he told him."

"Listen, just because his dad is dead don't let him use you. You need to make your priorities clear, either you're dating or you're not. He can't ghost for two weeks, come back and start acting lovey dovey and then turn around and just say your friends. That's not how it works." Mandy told me as she did her eyeliner.

"I know. I know. But the wound is fresh, I just need to be supportive right now." I told her. "Supportive is fine, but him using you isn't. It might not seem like he is now, but trust me it will soon." There was a knock at Mandy's front door.

"Is Georgia here?" I heard from inside Mandy's room. It was Debbie. "What's up?" I asked as Debbie entered the room. "Make me look like you."

"Look like me? Why?" I asked her. "Little Hank." Ahhh. She had a crush. Mandy pulled Debbie over to her vanity and set her down. "You came to the right place. Are we going for cute or slutty?"

"Sl-" Debbie started. "She's 11, Mandy." Mandy rolled her eyes. "So, cute it is."

"I can decide on my own, Georgia." Debbie argued. "You're not even a teenager, Debbie. You don't want people looking at you like you're..."

"Karen Jackson." Mandy finished. "Exactly. Like you're Karen Jackson. You want one guys attention, not the entire block's."

"Fine." Debbie responded, puckering her lips for the lip gloss Mandy was putting on her. "Speaking of Karen. I was meaning to ask you. What happened between you and Jody?"

"Absolutely nothing. He told me he was a taken man and kicked me out. First time that's ever happened." Mandy replied focusing on Debbie's eyeshadow. "But why anyways? What did Lip do to convince you to go along with his plan?"

Mandy's eyes quickly casted down like she was trying to come up with a lie. "Uh...he gave me 50 bucks." I looked at her skeptically. I knew there was something more to it than that, I just didn't know what.

"Uh. Huh." Mandy ignored my reply. "Well, what do you think?" Mandy turned Debbie towards her mirror. "I look..."

"Beautiful." I finished. "Little Hank won't know what hit him." Debbie jumped up from the chair and hugged me and then went back and hugged Mandy. "Wish me luck!" She yelled as she ran out of the house.

She was too pure for this world.