The Alibi Room.
Frank and Monica strolled in, laughing and joking, with Liam in tow.
Their laughter was loud enough to catch the attention of several barflies. Peg was one of them.
Peg saw them and smirked coldly. What a coincidence, she thought. She downed the rest of her drink in one gulp and waited for Frank to walk by.
"Everybody! Let introduce you to... Monica Gallagher!" Frank was in high spirits, acting like a big shot as he made the announcent.
Most of the drunks couldn't be bothered with Frank, but they still smiled and greeted Monica.
A few of the n who had slept with Monica in the past were a little too enthusiastic with their greetings.
The reason was simple.
Monica might not be a beauty queen, but she was crazy. And crazy won are usually dynamite in the sack.
Basking in the welco, Monica bead, holding Liam. She responded to everyone as she briskly walked toward the bar.
Monts later.
Frank passed by Peg, deliberately ignoring her, pretending she didn't exist.
Peg spoke up decisively. "Frank. Sit."
Frank froze. The sound of her voice terrified him. He stopped dead in his tracks but didn't move, still refusing to look at her.
Seeing this, Peg's temper flared. Her voice dropped, heavier and more threatening. "I said, sit down."
The smile vanished from Frank's ugly mug, replaced by a mix of anger and misery.
One second. Two seconds.
Frank finally moved. Shoulders slumped, head hanging low, he shuffled over to the seat in front of Peg.
Just then, Monica, who was about to sit at the bar, realized Frank wasn't behind her. She turned around, saw Frank's posture and the look on that old hag's face, and instantly understood what was happening.
In a flash.
Monica sprang into action. She rushed over to Frank before he could sit down, grabbing his arm to stop him. "Frank, what are you doing? Let's go get a drink."
Frank glanced weakly at Peg, then looked at Monica... suddenly, he found his courage, like he'd just gotten backup. He grinned. "Okay."
He agreed and started to turn toward the bar.
"Frank. Did you not hear ?" Peg picked up her drink, took a sip, and spoke with absolute dominance.
Frank's fear of Peg ran deep—decades deep. It was practically in his marrow. You don't shake that kind of terror in a week; it takes years, maybe decades.
And Frank had only been dealing with her for about a week this ti around.
Frank was genuinely scared. Monica's support instantly evaporated.
He didn't dare provoke Peg any further. He imdiately plopped down onto the chair in front of her, head bowed in utter defeat, too cowardly to make a sound.
Seeing this scene.
Peg smiled triumphantly.
Monica exploded. She firmly chose Frank's side, becoming his mouthpiece. She glared at Peg and yelled, "Peg! Frank isn't your slave!"
Monica went off on a tirade.
Peg wasn't about to take sht from Monica. She glared back, her voice calm but vicious. "How I discipline my son is none of your business, you slut. Who the fck do you think you're yelling at?"
Monica was ntally ill; she wasn't scared of Peg. Hearing this, she fired right back. "You cnt! Haven't you tortured Frank enough? He's such a good man..."
And just like that, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law went to war.
Behind and around the bar, Kev, Tommy, and the others watched with amusent.
"You think they're gonna fight?" Kev whispered to Tommy.
Tommy took a swig of beer. "High probability."
Kermit looked a little worried. "Should we intervene?"
Kev hesitated. "Yeah, we should! If they break my stuff, they don't have the money to pay for it!"
Tommy: "????"
Kermit: "????"
Is that really the main concern here?
Just then, Dexter and Bianca walked in.
Peg and Monica's argunt was heated, and Dexter spotted it imdiately. He grinned. Perfect timing.
Seeing a show about to start, Dexter picked up his pace, sat down at the bar, and prepared to be entertained.
Bianca didn't know Monica. Confused, she whispered to Dexter, "Who is that arguing with Peg?"
"Monica. The mother of Carl and the other five kids. She's bipolar," Dexter answered.
"Bipolar again?" Bianca was surprised.
"Yep," Dexter nodded, then asked Kev, "Kev, what are they fighting about?"
Kev gave a brief summary of the situation.
Listening to it.
This is going to be fun, Dexter thought.
Peg and Monica were still going at it, now reaching the stage of seeing who could scream louder.
Frank sat there with his head down, silent, pretending nothing was happening.
As the argunt escalated.
Peg gritted her teeth, endured the pain in her body, and suddenly stood up. She grabbed a drink from the table and splashed it right into Monica's face. "Bitch! I'll kill you!"
Drenched in alcohol, Monica first stuck out her tongue to lick so of it up. Then, she practically tossed Liam onto the floor, wound up, and slapped Peg across the face.
Smack!
"Cnt! Co on! Kill !" Monica roared.
The slap was crisp and loud.
Hearing that sound, Frank's eyes lit up instantly. A brilliant idea flooded his brain. His lips curled into a cunning, wicked smile.
Peg was a parolee. Getting into a brawl would send her straight back to prison!
And just like that, he would be free of her!
Frank was practically vibrating with anticipation. He glanced at Peg out of the corner of his eye, screaming internally, Hit her back! Co on, hit her back!
Face stinging, Peg wound up and punched Monica in the face, knocking her head to the side.
Frank saw it clearly. Without a second of hesitation, he sprang up with surprising speed, rushed to the bar, and squeezed in front of Kev. "Kev! Let use the phone! I need to call the cops!"
Kev heard him but didn't move, hesitating.
Dexter turned to look at Kev and shook his head subtly, signaling him not to lend the phone.
Kev wasn't a genius, but he could take a hint. He grinned at Frank. "Just go break it up, man. It's a family squabble. Why call the cops?"
Frank looked like he was about to smoke from anxiety. "Give the phone! I have to call the police! I have to send that old bitch back to prison!"
Kev wouldn't lend it.
Dexter wasn't idle either. He had already taken out his phone and was texting Carl.
The ssage was short: [Get to the Alibi. Now!]
By this ti, Monica and Peg were fully brawling.
Liam, who Monica had tossed onto the floor, was picked up by a female barfly to keep him safe.
The truth is, the regulars at the Alibi might be shaless drunks, but deep down, most of them were decent people... except Frank. Frank was in a league of his own.
"Fck you!" Seeing Kev still refusing, Frank was frantic. He cursed Kev and turned to Tommy. "Tommy, let use your phone."
Tommy chuckled and rejected him flatly. "Dream on."
"Fck you too!" Frank was furious. He tried Kermit next.
Kermit wouldn't lend it either.
"Fck you, Kermit!" Frank scread.
Dexter watched, genuinely amazed.
That Frank hadn't been beaten to death yet was truly a testant to the writers' rcy... otherwise, in a place like the South Side, a guy like Frank not getting his ass kicked every two or three days would be a miracle.
Frank looked at Dexter. "Dexter, let use your phone."
"Sorry. Phone, wife, car—I don't lend them out," Dexter replied with a smile.
Frank's expression twisted. He opened his mouth to curse but stopped himself at the last second.
The reason wasn't complicated.
Frank wasn't stupid.
Dexter was rich. Legitimately rich.
In Arica, unless it's absolutely necessary, you don't ss with rich people. You can't afford it.
Frank swallowed the insult and frantically looked for his next target.
anwhile, Peg had been pushed to the ground by Monica. The two won were rolling on the floor, locked in a vicious grapple.
At the sa ti, a drunk suggested placing bets on who would win: Peg or Monica.
The suggestion was imdiately approved by the crowd.
Rustle, rustle. The drunks pulled out their cash.
Kev didn't participate. He asked Dexter, a little confused, "Shouldn't we stop this? If they keep going, soone might actually die."
Dexter smiled. "Bianca is here, isn't she? It's fine."
Bianca heard this: "??????"
Her big eyes were full of shock.
"What are you talking about?!" Bianca couldn't understand.
"Haha, nothing. Just watch the show," Dexter laughed, then turned to Kev. "Two won fighting... if you try to break it up, you might lose an eye. Just sit back and watch."
"..." Kev was speechless. He felt there was so wisdom in that, so he said nothing more.
The brawl between Peg and Monica continued.
The two won were screaming and hitting each other with intensity.
Frank was still trying to borrow a phone. Still, no one would lend him one.
It made sense. Aside from the risk of Frank losing the phone, the man stank... No one wanted Frank touching their stuff.
Suddenly.
Carl, who had been wandering around nearby looking for trouble or fun, received Dexter's text and sprinted into the Alibi.
Imdiately, and inevitably, Carl saw the scene of Peg and Monica fighting. He froze.
A second later.
"Grandma!!" Carl snapped out of it. Panicked, he yelled and charged into the fray, trying to help Peg.
Dexter watched closely.
This was the whole reason he called Carl over. He wanted to see if, after living with Peg for these past days and receiving her care, who Carl would choose in this situation: Peg or Monica.
He was very satisfied with the answer.
Carl had jumped in, trying to pull Monica off.
Dexter watched and decided it was about ti to intervene.
However, just then, the Alibi welcod another "special" guest.
Unable to sit at ho, Fiona had co out to look for Liam. After checking Sheila's house, she hurried into the Alibi.
Then, just like Carl monts before, Fiona saw what was happening and rushed into the fight.
Of course.
Because she hated Peg, Fiona's choice was the exact opposite of Carl's. Fiona chose Monica.
Seeing Fiona arrive, Dexter promptly changed his mind and sat back to watch.
Frank, having failed to borrow a phone, made his move. He rushed over to Fiona, put his mouth to her ear, and urged urgently, "Call the cops! Peg will get sent back to prison!"
Hearing this.
Thump.
Fiona's body jolted. She blinked, looking from Peg to Monica, then to Carl...
Her gaze landed on Carl...
Fiona realized that if Peg was sent back to prison, Carl would have to co ho!!
Then, aside from Debbie, the Gallagher family would be living together again. The Gallagher house would basically return to how it used to be!
In an instant.
Fiona made her decision. She let go of Monica, pulled out her phone, and dialed 911. "Hello? I want to report a cri. Alibi Room. My mother is being beaten. She's going to die. Send soone now!"
As the words ca out.
"????" Carl was dumbfounded. He couldn't believe his ears.
Frank grinned triumphantly.
"What did you do??" Carl snapped out of his shock and roared at Fiona furiously.
Fiona looked at Carl with complex eyes but didn't say a word.
Dexter smiled and signaled Kev. "Kev, help break it up. Police coming is bad for business."
Kev agreed again. He imdiately moved with Dexter.
Monts later.
Peg and Monica were separated.
Dexter and Carl helped Peg sit down on a chair.
Once she was seated, Dexter took out a cigarette, handed one to Peg, and lit it for her. "Do you need to call a lawyer for you?"
As a lawyer, Dexter was actually pretty sure that even if the cops ca, they wouldn't arrest Peg.
Two reasons.
One, Monica threw the first punch.
Two, Peg could die at any mont. As long as she ntioned her terminal cancer, neither the police nor the prison system would want to deal with arresting or detaining her for a petty bar fight... After all, if she died in custody, it would be a massive headache for everyone.
Even if she didn't die, the prison would have to pay for her constant dical treatnt...
It wasn't worth the cost.
Peg was a professional when it ca to cri. She grinned. "I'm not the one who needs a lawyer. That slut does. She hit first."
As soon as these words ca out.
Fiona, who had just helped Frank lift Monica up, felt her expression change drastically. A very bad feeling rose in her chest.
The police were about to arrive. Frank was ecstatic; he didn't feel a shred of foreboding, only excitent.
Fueled by that excitent, Frank found a little temporary courage. He grinned smugly at Peg. "It doesn't matter who started it!"
"What matters is that you're a violent felon on parole! You violated your parole conditions! You are definitely going back to prison!"
Look at that.
What a heartwarming family.
Peg smiled. She exhaled a long puff of smoke. She didn't rush to reply to Frank. Instead, she turned to Carl, whose brain was short-circuiting, unable to comprehend Fiona calling the cops or Frank trying to send his own mother back to jail.
"Carl. Do you want Grandma to go back to prison?" Peg asked.
The words had barely left her mouth.
Wee-woo, wee-woo, wee-woo~~
Sirens approached rapidly and stopped right outside the Alibi Room.
In the blink of an eye.
Tony and his partner walked in briskly.
One look at Tony...
Thud.
That bad feeling in Fiona's heart instantly multiplied.
In that split second.
Fiona realized that making that 911 call... was a huge mistake.
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