Milk of the Gods

Mandy, Liam, and I are all doing Fiona a favour by putting up the pool for her.

"Looks pretty good, huh?" Mandy says.

"It's perfect, except for one thing." I point over to the steps to get into the pool, which are halfway across the yard.

"Looks like we're stuck in here forever." She jokes.

"I guess we- we trapped?" Liam says.

"No way out!" I lay down on my back. "At least I won't ever have to see anyone at Pasty's Pies ever again."

Fiona managed to convince Sean to give me a job so I no longer have to work at the Alibi.

"Liam, this is our new home now." Mandy says.

"Okay." Liam laughs.

I smile as I watch Mandy eyes slowly move down from eyes to my chest.

"I'm gonna go get the ladder." She quickly stands back up.

"Don't twist an ankle, we don't need another Carl." I tell her.

Carl had injured himself while riding his skateboard and was now on crutches.

Mandy leaps over and falls on the grass.

"Impressive." I smile.

"Impressive." Liam repeats after me.

"Thank you." She smiles back as she gets up again.

"You ready to fill this sucker, Liam?" I ask.

"Yeah!" He shouts.

I pick up Liam and pass him over to Mandy once she sets down the ladder.

I climb out of the pool and walk over to the hose.

Mandy then helps Liam turn the faucet.

I turn around and start spraying Mandy with the hose.

"Ah, Morgan!" Mandy squeals while Liam and I laugh. "I'm going to fucking kill you!"

She then goes behind be and wraps her arms around me as she tries to get the hose off me. She manages to get it off me and starts splashing me with it.

"Mandy! No, no, no!" I'm now the one squealing.

Mandy turns around and sprays water on Liam, causing him to run around screaming and laughing.

After a few more minutes of having a massive water fight, I realise the time. "Shit, I go and get changed."

"Why?" Mandy asks.

"I'm helping your brothers with the moving truck scam." I answer.

"Seriously?" She questions.

"It's great money." I then look at Liam. "Go and get Debbie to come and help you fill the pool, okay?"

---

After getting ready, I walk over to the Milkovich's house.

When I walk inside, Iggy is sat on the sofa, practically drooling, as he watches Svetlana's girlfriend iron clothes, completely nude from the waist up.

I place my two hands on his shoulders and lightly shake him. "Be careful, your tongue might fall out."

"Definitely worth it." He replies, his eyes not moving.

Mickey then walks out of his room, buttoning his shirt. "You're late."

"You're not even fucking ready, relax." I respond.

Ian then walks back into the house, carrying a fan. "It's the only one I could find in all the crap out in the yard "

"Put it by the window." Svetlana tells him. "You want scrambled or fried?"

"I like those puffy eggs you make." Ian smiles.

"Morgan, what about you?" She asks.

"I'm okay, thanks, we gotta go." I answer.

"Nika, we got baked eggs today." Svet says.

"Food is food. All the same to me." Nika then looks at Iggy. "You stare any longer, I chop your dick off."

"What the hell is wrong with him?" Mickey asks as Yevgeny cries.

Ian turns around and smiles, "Look at you."

Mickey responds by flipping him off.

Svetlana picks up Yevgeny. "Ooh, diaper full of poop. Da?"

As they sort out Yevgeny, I turn my attention to Iggy. "Is the truck ready?"

"Yeah, no thanks to you or Mick." He replies.

"Aw, did poor Iggy have to clear out a truck all on his own." I sarcastically say, receiving a middle finger right in my face.

Mickey and Iggy then walk over and open the cabinet stashed with guns.

"Hey, no guns." I shut it closed again. "We're respectable now, remember?"

They both groan but reluctantly agree.

"I'll get it." I offer as the door knocks.

When I open the door Fiona is stood outside, holding Liam's hand.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" I ask.

"Going for a run with Ian." She answers. "Is he here?"

"Uh, yeah. He's coming now." I tell her.

Mickey and Iggy then walk out past us. "Morgan, let's go!"

"Where are you going?" Fiona asks.

"Just a business thing, great money." I respond.

"Yeah, with two ex-convicts?" She questions.

"Fiona, you just got out of jail, you don't need to be judging anyone right now." I reply.

"Morgan!" My name is called again.

"I gotta go." I tell her before walking out and getting into the truck.

---

I'm sat at the back truck, on my phone, while Mickey and Iggy load the family's furniture onto the truck.

"Are you not going to help?" Iggy questions.

"Don't have the strength." I reply.

"Yeah, right." Mickey says.

"You guys ever talk to Kenyatta?" I ask.

"No, nobody likes that asshole, except Mandy." Mickey answers.

"Does Mandy do a lot of stuff with him?" I ask.

"I don't know, go ask her yourself." Iggy responds.

"Thanks, Iggy, great idea." I sarcastically reply.

I watch as the door opens and the family leave their house and start getting into their car. I quickly get up and head towards the wife.

"Hey, careful with those barcaloungers." I say to annoy Iggy as he walks by.

He gives me a glare. "You got it, boss."

"Looks like you guys have everything under control here." The woman says.

"Yes, ma'am." I nod.

"We're gonna head up to the Bridgeport House." She tells me.

"Okay. Shouldn't take us much longer. We'll meet you there in a few hours." I reply.

"You will be careful with the piano, right?" She asks.

"Absolutely." I answer.

"Let's tie these down, we don't want them moving around." Mickey says.

I then wave as the car drives off.

---

A group of men are already waiting for us as soon as we pull up at our designated spot.

We all hop out and Mickey opens the back of the truck, revealing all the furniture.

"About time." They say.

"Fuck you." Mickey flips them off. "You know the deal. You got five minutes to look. It's three bedrooms, some den thing. It's a 60615 zip code. It's good shit."

"How much for the barcaloungers?" One of the guys ask.

"We ain't doing this with you again. It's not a fucking antique road show. You bid on the whole thing or nothing at all." Iggy tells him.

"Shit. I like barcaloungers." He says.

"Great, buy the truck and get your barcaloungers." I respond.

"Think we're gonna stand around here selling each piece for 5 bucks like it's a fucking yard sale?" Mickey questions.

"I'll give you four grand for the lot." Another one of them speaks.

"4." I point to the man.

"I'll give you $4,500." The guy offers.

"Anyone else?" I ask.

"5 grand." The other man says.

"$5,300, I want those barcaloungers." He says.

"Yeah, we know." I reply.

"Nah, we're out." The other two hop off the back of the truck.

"Sold to the man with the barcalounger fetish." I point over at him.

Mickey gets the money off him. "It's all there?"

"It's all there." He nods.

Ian then pulls up with the car. As we walk over to it, Mickey rips the company's logo off the truck.

I go to get into the back with Iggy but Liam and Yevgeny are already occupying two seats.

"Oh, you can just put Liam on the floor." Ian tells me.

"Yeah, like I'm going to do that." I lift Liam up, take a seat, and then set him back down on my knee.

"You get that text Fiona sent?" Ian asks.

"No, phone died." I answer.

"We're all having lunch at Pasty's Pies." He says.

"Seriously?" I sigh.

---

I'm squashed in between Lip and Carl as the whole family, including Frank, have to try and sit at one table.

"To Summer." We all cheer.

"And to Lip's first year of college." Fiona adds. "May you all follow in his footsteps."

"To Lip." We all cheer again, except Frank.

"Frank." Fiona says.

He pulls out a beer and opens it, "To Lip."

"You sure you should be drinking, Frank?" I ask.

"You think a brand-new, untainted liver is gonna stop him?" Fiona laughs.

"After extensive research and weeks of testing, I've determined my liver can support one beer a day. I am now a cheap date. I'm buzzed already like an anemic ten year old girl."

"Who's ready for pie?" Fiona asks.

"I want to taste cherry pie." Carl smirks.

"Lovely." I mutter while everyone else groans.

"Anymore of that salisbury steak?" Frank asks Fiona.

"Yeah, if I pay for it." She answers.

"I tell you what, get me an order, and we'll call it even." He replies.

"Call what even?" I question.

"Her trying to kill my son with cocaine." He responds.

"Douchebag, why would you even say that?" Lip says. "Why are you even here, Frank?"

"Just don't. I'll just get him some more." Fiona sighs.

"I don't want any pie." Debbie sulks.

"What's going on with you?" Lip asks. "First you're stabbing dolls in the face, now you're all mopey."

"Holly and Ellie aren't talking to me anymore. It's like I'm invisible." She tells us.

"Their loss." I reply.

"I'm sure you can find better friends, Debs." Lip says to her.

"Screw those bitches." We're all cheering again.

"Sounds like you're having fun over here." Sean walks over.

"Hey, Sean." Debbie smiles.

"Good pie, dude." Carl says.

"I'm glad you like it." Sean then looks over at Lip. "You're Lip, right?"

Lip shakes his hand. "Nice to meet you, Sean. Thanks for giving Fiona a job.

"So good of you to hire a felon." Frank says.

"This is my father, Frank." Fiona introduces him.

"I gotta go fill out some paperwork. Morgan, don't forget your shift starts in ten minutes." Sean reminds me before squeezing Fiona's arm and walking away.

"What was that little squeeze?" Lip questions. "He just squeezed your arm."

"The two of them are always like that." I tell him.

Fiona rolls her eyes, "We are not."

"Bathroom." Ian quickly leaves the table and walks over to the toilets.

"Hey, did he ever go see that doctor?" Lip asks me.

"No, he refuses." I answer.

"We should talk to Mickey." He says.

"Well, we can try." I respond.

---

After our shift ends, Fiona and I are getting changed again in the back.

"What are you doing tonight?" Fiona asks as I tie my shoelaces.

"Going with Lip to talk to Mickey." I tell her.

"About Ian?" She questions.

"Yeah." I nod.

Sean then knocks on the door. "You guys dressed?"

"I'm sure Fiona would get undressed if you're coming in." I call out, receiving a whack to my shoulder.

"Is this your family's check?" Sean walks in and holds up a receipt.

"Uh, yeah." Fiona nods.

"I don't see any pie on it." He says. "You charge them for it?"

"Family discount?" Fiona smiles.

I take the receipt out of hands and read all the items.

"Come on, you throw most of the pie out at the end of the night, especially the peach. Nobody likes the peach." She says.

"Don't be talking like that about my grandma's peach pie." Sean replies.

"Sorry, Grandma Pierce." Fiona laughs.

"It's Grandma Johnson on my mom's side. You can cough up the $12.99." He responds.

"Your grandma really makes that pie, huh? How come I never knew that?" She questions.

"She's dead. It's from Costco. It's frozen but you still owe me." He smiles.

Fiona sighs and pulls out twenty dollars, "There you go."

"Next time, I consider it stealing." He says.

"Sorry, boss." Fiona apologises to him before he leaves.

"Ooh, sorry, boss. Sorry, boss." I mock her. She laughs and hits me with sweater.

---

I knock on the Milkovich's door as I stand beside Lip, waiting for Mickey.

I pull out the leaflet that is stuck to the door. "Sell your home at a premium price."

"Jeez, how much are they possibly offering for in this neighbourhood?" Lip responds.

"20 dollar make you holler." I sing before knocking on the door again.

"Hey." Mickey finally opens the door.

"Can we talk to your for a second?" I ask.

"Does no one use a fucking phone anymore?" He sighs.

"Hurry, he's gonna close in five minutes!" Svetlana's voice calls out.

"Yes, I'm going!" Mickey shouts. "I gotta run an errand. If you wanna talk, we got to walk."

"How far are we going?" Lip asks.

"Just across the ally." He answers. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Can you get Ian to see that doctor I told you about?" I ask.

"He's not sick anymore." Mickey says.

"But he will be." Lip replies.

"You don't know that." He says.

"If he's anything like our mother, we do." I respond.

"What's this fucking shrink going to do to him anyway?" He asks.

"Mental health assessment. Prescribe him some meds." Lip tells him.

"Yeah, see, you said that before. That's the fucked up part. Why are we giving him meds if he isn't sick?" He questions.

"It's helps the mania not be so crazy, and he won't be depressed as long." I say.

"All right, hold up. Just stay here." Mickey then crosses the street.

He punches and kicks a man to the ground. "You like hitting girls, huh?"

"This is his errand?" Lip questions.

"Sounds about right." I nod.

"Hey! Mrs Patel, can you please jerk your fucking husband off every once in a while so he doesn't come back to my Rub n' Tug ever again?" Lip and I laugh as Mickey shouts.

Mickey then walks back over to us. "All right, let's say he gets, like, depressed, or manic, or whatever the fuck. it is, how do we know it's not just from living in this shithole ghetto?"

"He has signs of bipolar." Lip replies.

"Like?" Mickey asks.

"Recklessness, impulsiveness. Fast talking, barely sleeping." I list.

"Hyper sexuality." Lip adds.

"Hyper se- you mean horny?" Mickey questions. "What 17 year old gay kid isn't horny?"

---

I'm sat on my bed, opposite Mandy, as I scroll through my phone and she flicks through some old magazine.

"So how was work?" She asks.

"Boring like usual." I answer. "You could always come around, I might let you have a free pie."

"Oh, yeah?" She smiles.

"Depends on the tip." I smile back.

Lip knocks before opening the door. "Yo, lovebirds, we're having a pool party."

"What, now?" I question. "It's 11pm."

"So?" He then goes into Debbie's room to get her.

"Are you coming?" I ask Mandy.

"I should probably get back home, Kenyatta's waiting." She says.

"Oh, come on." I grab her hand, pulling her up.

When we get outside, Fiona, Sean, Debbie, and Carl are already splashing each other in the pool.

I sit down beside Lip, Liam, and Veronica on the steps.

"Go get him, Debs!" Lip shout.

"Go on, Carl!" I cheer for him.

"You guys are cheaters!" Fiona splashes Sean.

"You're a sore loser!" Sean splashes her.

"Look who's madly in love." Veronica says as we watch them.

Ian then walks over. "Got room for one more?"

"Ian!" We all cheer.

"Wheres's Mickey?" I ask.

"I wore him out." He responds.

"Everyone in the pool!" Sean shouts.

I pick up Liam and set him on my shoulder before getting into the pool with everyone else.

"All right, let's play Shoulder Wars!" Fiona calls out.

"Fine, somebody else take Liam then." I say, not wanting the disadvantage.

"I'll take him." Sean lifts him off my shoulders and places him on his own.

"Who's going first?" Lip asks.

"Fiona and I vs who?" Carl looks around.

"I'll go." I offer.

"Okay, just make it fair." He says.

"Since when was that a rule?" I laugh.

I then wrap my arms around Mandy and jump up onto her shoulders.

"That's hardly fair!" Carl complains.

"Life isn't fair." Lip says, taking my side.

We spent pretty much the whole night out in the pool, telling stories and playing games.