Shameless : Dexter in American tv series Chapter 302 303: Lip’s Gonna Be a Daddy Again, Life is Good

The Villa, Basent.

Fiona grit her teeth and struggled to her feet, shooting a death glare at the strangers—her new "colleagues"—who were laughing at her.

They were cracking wise, snickering as they worked.

Their sharp, mocking words drilled into her ears one by one. Listening to them, Fiona wanted nothing more than to scoop up the sludge on the floor and shove it right down their throats.

Too bad she couldn't.

She had fought hard to get this job. She absolutely couldn't lose it, or she wouldn't be able to afford to eat.

Thinking about her completely fcked up life, Fiona forced herself to calm down bit by bit. She looked away, wiped herself off as best she could, and went back to work. Even as tears welled up in her eyes and the misery churned in her gut.

That's just life.

To survive, you have to eat sht and smile.

Fiona kept working, desperately trying to comfort herself.

---

Dex Restaurant.

Dressed to the nines and looking gorgeous, Veronica was cutting fruit with Vivian, preparing platters.

Life was simple, comfortable, and—more importantly—lucrative.

Veronica felt a deep sense of satisfaction. She genuinely thought this life was amazing.

---

Dex Fruit Store #2.

Since the custor base at the first store was stable, Svetlana had been pouring all her energy into the newly opened second location, personally attending to every custor.

With stack after stack of bills coming in, her style had shifted. She looked bougie now. You couldn't see a trace of the "working girl" she used to be. She smiled brightly, looking sincere and sunny.

Sure, she wasn't making a killing yet, but both stores were profitable...

More importantly, if she hustled for a few months and got this store booming, there would be a third store, then a fourth...

Just imagine.

In a year or two, there could be ten Dex Fruit Stores, maybe more...

How much cash would that bring in every day?

Svetlana looked forward to that day with intense longing. In her deep, dark eyes, the image of a beautiful, wealthy future was crystal clear.

---

The Apartnt Building.

The crew Tommy hired was hard at work.

Karen had a cigarette dangling from her lips as she wandered around, checking this room and that room, doing the ntal math with a smirk.

If she rented out a room, that was a few hundred bucks a month in her pocket.

With this many rooms, if she filled them all... she could rake in a pile of cash every month without lifting a finger!

How aweso is that?

On top of that...

She could keep one room for herself. It would be convenient for bringing guys back.

How much money could she make off those guys?

Heh. n are stupid. You just have to tease them a little, and they take the bait like idiots...

Karen honestly felt like she'd wasted her ti sleeping with guys for free in the past. It wasn't worth it.

So many guys. If she had charged all of them, she'd be rich by now.

Karen shook her head, feeling a wave of regret.

While she was thinking, she arrived at the door of a room that already had a tenant.

This guy was days late on rent and kept stalling.

Karen had tried asking nicely a few tis, but still no cash!

That was her money!

Karen snapped. She banged on the door—bam, bam, bam—and scread, "Pay the rent by today, or else..."

She was in the middle of her tirade.

Suddenly, a wave of nausea surged up her throat, catching her off guard.

Karen gagged instinctively. She took a hard drag on her cigarette to settle her stomach, and then her eyes lit up. She suddenly realized exactly what that nausea ant!

A second later, Karen smiled.

She was knocked up!

Lip was going to be a daddy again... but that wasn't the main point. The point was, she could make a lot of money off this.

Karen was suddenly in a great mood, but that didn't stop her from screaming.

Rent money might be small potatoes, but it was still money!

Karen yelled a few more vicious threats, and once she was done, she walked briskly out to her car. She drove straight to the pharmacy, bought a pregnancy test, and sped ho.

Eddie was at work, so only Sheila was ho.

Even though dinner was hours away, Sheila was already busy in the kitchen because Frank had ntioned wanting to eat early.

Seeing Karen, Sheila imdiately called out, "Karen? You're back so soon?"

Karen didn't stop walking but flashed a smile at Sheila.

She actually respected and cared about her mom.

So, the smile was genuine, not fake.

"I forgot sothing. I have to go back out in a bit," Karen replied sweetly.

"Oh, okay. Don't forget it this ti," Sheila reminded her.

"Mhm," Karen humd, sprinting up the stairs to the bathroom.

She followed the procedure.

A few monts later.

The answer was revealed.

She was definitely pregnant.

As for whether it was Lip's...

Karen thought back. She couldn't be 100% sure, but she was about 90% certain.

With the result in hand, Karen lit a cigarette and thought for a mont. She decided to text Dexter to see what his next move was.

[Don't tell Lip yet. Wait for my signal.]

Dexter replied after thinking it over.

In Dexter's view, this kind of "good" news needed the perfect timing to really let Lip enjoy the surprise.

And Dexter believed that perfect timing was coming soon.

After all, Ian was bipolar now. It wouldn't be long before he did sothing crazy... plus, Monica was back.

Monica was like a tornado. Every ti she passed through the Gallagher house, she wrecked everything, left a massive ss, and then took off.

This ti would be no exception.

Thinking about it, Dexter couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head.

Monica Gallagher, Frank Gallagher. From a certain perspective, those two were basically his wingn.

So interesting.

Having received her orders, Karen obeyed without question.

She quickly changed into a more mature outfit, making herself look like an adult, then hurried out the door and drove straight to downtown Chicago.

Being pregnant was a money-making opportunity.

How could she pass that up?

Karen was going hunting for n. Specifically, the kind who looked like they had a little money and were "honest"—easy marks.

On the way there.

Karen excitedly calculated her potential earnings. If everything went smoothly, making ten or twenty grand shouldn't be a problem.

"Life is pretty damn good!" Karen laughed to herself.

---

The Gallagher House.

Under the strict demand of Monica, who was desperate to play the role of the "good mother," Frank was actually helping clean the house. A rare sight.

Of course, he was mostly pretending to work.

Cleaning this dump didn't offer any tangible benefits, so Frank wasn't interested.

Monica was in a manic high, busily working away, not noticing Frank dragging his feet.

Lip watched coldly from the sidelines. The more he watched, the more annoyed he got. Finally, he gritted his teeth against the pain in his leg, got up, and slowly shuffled to the backyard. Out of sight, out of mind.

Inside.

Monica cleaned for a long ti. Eventually, she got tired and threw down her rag. Done.

Frank had been waiting for this mont. He imdiately dropped the act, rushed up behind Monica, wrapped his arms around her, and whispered temptation into her ear. "Monica, let's go get so money. Buy so drugs. Have a little fun."

Monica was tempted. Her resolve wavered, and she looked torn. "I want to be a good mother this ti. I need to take care of Fiona and the kids. I can't do drugs..."

Frank knew Monica too well. He didn't let her finish. "Fiona isn't even here right now. You can be a good mom when she gets back. There's plenty of ti."

"Co on, Monica. I know you want to."

Frank laid it on thick.

Monica didn't stand a chance. She held out for a mont before surrendering. Excitedly, she asked, "So how do we get the money?"

Frank gave a wicked grin and pointed a finger at Liam in the crib.

Monica looked, understood instantly, and nodded with a smile.

"We gotta be quick. If that little bastard Lip cos back inside, we can't do it," Frank whispered.

Monica nodded repeatedly, her ugly face showing the clear thrill of doing sothing bad.

Monts later.

Frank and Monica tiptoed like thieves, taking Liam out of the Gallagher house and speed-walking toward the L train station.

Begging with Liam wouldn't work on the South Side.

Both Frank and Monica were infamous here. No one would give them a di.

An hour later.

An intersection on the North Side.

Monica held Liam, putting on a pathetic face, and began the begging operation.

Back at the Gallagher House.

Sitting in the old van they used to use for deliveries, enjoying the peace and quiet without Frank and Monica, Lip smoked a joint and drank two beers. His eyes grew heavy, and he drifted off.

Between the alcohol and the weed, Lip fell into a deep sleep.

---

The sun began to set.

Her work done for the day, Fiona took a deep breath and walked ho with heavy steps. As she walked, she worried about the Winter Fund.

It was a huge problem.

In previous years, the five of them would start hustling at the beginning of sumr to fill the jar.

Following that routine, their winters were usually manageable.

But this year...

Debbie was in juvie, so the daycare money was gone. Lip's leg needed ti to heal. Ian was bipolar. Carl had moved out...

It had gone from five people earning money to just one.

Unless a miracle happened, there was absolutely no way she could earn enough this sumr to get them through the winter.

Money, money, money!

The more Fiona thought, the more anxious she beca. Her brain cycled through various sches to make cash, and she resolved to find a night shift job imdiately.

She had to. Without money, winter would literally kill them.

Lost in thought, Fiona arrived back at the Gallagher house without realizing it.

Walking into the living room, she instantly sensed sothing was wrong. Things had been moved, and it was too quiet!

A second later.

Her eyes scanned the room. Liam wasn't there.

Thud.

Her heart dropped. The silence, plus Liam missing... the answer was obvious. Monica had likely taken Liam!!!

The thought hit her like a truck. Fiona's heart sank to the bottom of her stomach, and she scread, "Monica! Lip! Liam!"

No response.

Fiona was about to lose it. She started running.

She spent ten minutes tearing the house apart. No sign of Liam. No sign of Lip either...

Fiona's head felt like it was going to explode. She was terrified of where Monica might have taken the baby.

Finally, she thought to call Lip.

Thirty seconds later.

Fiona charged into the backyard, frantic, and found Lip slowly climbing out of the van.

As soon as she got close, she slled the strong reek of weed on him.

Instantly.

Fiona's face changed. Rage erupted. "I told you to watch Liam! And you were hiding out here smoking weed?"

"Are you fcking kidding ?"

Because of the phone call, Lip already knew Liam was gone. He felt guilty.

But guilt was one thing. His ego was another. He couldn't handle being scolded by Fiona like that, so he instinctively snapped back, "What are you screaming for? Can you calm down and listen to ?"

Fiona wasn't in the mood to indulge Lip's attitude. She roared, "Liam is missing! He could be dead for all we know! What kind of attitude is this? How am I supposed to be calm?"

The siblings scread at each other for a while.

Amidst the shouting, Lip roughly explained what happened during the day, finishing with certainty, "Frank and Monica took him. They've only been gone a few hours. What could happen?"

"Frank is a scumbag, but he wouldn't dare hurt Liam!"

"I guarantee you, they'll bring him back in a little while!"

Hearing this.

Fiona cald down slightly, but only slightly.

Liam was so small. What if sothing happened?

"You were supposed to watch him. I told you before I left. How could you let Frank and Monica take him?" Fiona accused him again, worry eating her alive.

"It already happened! What's the point of yelling..." Lip argued back, even though he knew he was wrong.

After a few minutes of bickering, both siblings were angry, and the air was thick with tension.

Neither said another word as they walked silently back into the house.

Gallagher House, Second Floor.

Ian stood at the window. His eyes and expression were completely blank as he stared down at Fiona and Lip in the backyard.

He had been up since they started yelling, watching the whole ti.

Right now.

Looking at them.

Ian felt the voice of God in his head getting clearer and clearer, practically deafening him.

Ian stood motionless, continuing to stare, even though Fiona and Lip had already left his field of view.

---

Nightfall.

Having successfully begged for so cash, Frank and Monica clocked out. With Liam in tow, they went straight to their familiar dealer, bought so drugs, and then headed for the Alibi Room.

The Gallagher House.

Fiona and Lip sat side-by-side on the couch. They had been waiting for hours. Neither spoke.

The house was filled with a deathly silence.

Sheila's House.

Sheila, who had cooked all afternoon, sat at the dining table. She stared blankly at the table full of food that had long since gone cold.

The Alibi Room.

Having waited all afternoon without seeing Frank, Peg—who had gone to great lengths just to get to the bar—was angrily drinking and plotting how to kill Frank and Monica.

Outside Mickey's House.

Karen checked the ti. Estimating that Mandy would be ho soon, she got out of her car with a chuckle and walked toward the Milkovich house.