AS MANDY AND IAN SAT DOWN SHARING A CIGGERATE AMONGST EACH OTHER.... Ian had just told her he was gay, and she was still trying to process the news.
"You don't look the gay type," Mandy said, breaking the silence and taking the cigarette off him.
"Is that better?" Ian said, making a joke and lifting his hand in a girlish way.
"Piss off. You know what I mean," Mandy said. "People'll suss it out, though. 15, no girlfriend. All them lads at school to gawp at. You know what you need."
"What?" Ian asked.
"A girlfriend. Like film stars do when they don't want people knowing," Mandy said.
"What do you get out of it?" Ian asked.
"Know what it's like being me? All them morons hitting on me, trying to get into me knickers. I want to find someone nice, someone interesting. Someone like you except not gay," Mandy said, kissing his cheek.
"Fancy coming to a wedding?" Ian asked, and Mandy slightly smiled.
"I'm already going," she said. He looked at her and tilted his head. "Kodi asked me." He nodded. "I reckon me twin brother could take her"
"You wanting to start a fight?" Ian said, taking the cigarette off her and slightly laughing. She followed through. Mandy slightly looked down after that, and he noticed.
Ian getting up and helping Mandy as well, taking his hand out for her to grab, she takes it gracefully. "yer right though, it will cause shit... an we don't want that"
"Like them shagging hasn't caused enough" Ian says realising what he said "oh shit" he says worried "I-- I" she laughs cutting him off .
"Oh, I already know just like our deal, we too had a deal." She laughs, which makes him laugh..
"What you pretending to be her friend or something, so none find out?" Ian says slightly joking but realises it what she did when she doesn't say anything... Mandy laughs.. "you're one of a kind Mandy McGuire" she laughs and links arms with Ian walking.
•••
AS KODI STEPPED INSIDE HER HOUSE, STILL IN LAST NIGHTS DRESS.... Her eyes fell upon Lip, who stood engrossed in a situation unfolding before him, his gaze firmly rooted on the events transpiring. Ignoring her presence, he remained focused on the matter at hand.
"What's up?" Kodi inquired, hoping for a response from anyone present.
"It's Marty," Veronica interjected
Kodi nodded in understanding, her expression devoid of any emotion. She stepped outside and called out, "Hiya Marty."
"Hiya Kodi," Marty replied, his voice carrying back to them. "What?" She smiled at them.. Kodi's smile was met with puzzled gazes from the others, who seemed to sense that it was an inappropriate moment for such levity. "Not the time, Kodi," Kev said, his tone a gentle rebuke.
••
LIP ASCENDED A LADDER, HIS EYES FIXED ON THE HALF-OPEN WINDOW ABOVE... "What's he doing?" Veronica asked.
"Just sitting there. Lighting matches," Lip replied, his gaze never leaving the window. Kodi lit a cigarette, but Kevin swiftly took it from her and smoked it himself. She gave him a questioning look.
"Jesus Christ! He'll burn us down!" Veronica exclaimed. "At me grandad's funeral, he gutted half the hospice!"
"Let's just call the cops," Kodi and Kev said in unison. Kodi retrieved the cigarette from Kev's grasp... Who rolled his eyes responding to Veronica
"At least we'll get shot of him," Kev remarked.
"Kev's right. If the house goes up, we can't get him out of there," Fiona reasoned with Veronica.
"What about the wedding? This is our big day!" Veronica protested, lightly slapping Kev's arm.
"He's your brother!" Kev countered, rubbing his arm.
"He's always been like this!" Veronica exclaimed, raising her voice. "Hates anyone else being the center of attention! It's always about him! He wants putting in a nuthouse!"
Steve approached the group from the corner and noticed their fraught expressions. "Oi, oi, what's going on?
"It's a shit show, I'll be honest," Kodi replied, walking away to change into her wedding attire....
"Can we put things back an hour?" Kev asked Steve.
"The room's booked till three. We can't change things now. What's happened?" Steve inquired.
••
KODI DRESSED AND READY FOR THE WEDDING, WALKING UP TO VERONICAS BEDROOM TO FIND SOME HEELS.... overhearing Kev and Veronicas conversation that left her mind reeling....
"I thought you didn't want any kids," Kev said to Veronica. "Based on what?" she asked.
"On you saying how much you hate 'em." He heard her uncle say
"Yeah, other people's. But I might not mind another baby Kev running around." Baby Kev? What did Veronica mean another baby Kev?
"Aww," Kev said.
"Speaking of baby Kev, we're gonna have to tell her" Veronica said.
"And we will, tonight," He promised, hugging her... "After the wedding"
"The wedding? What are we gonna do? Shall we call it off?" Kodi heard Veronica say before walking away.
•
Tell who the truth? Kodi? Did they need to tell her something...
'Were gonna have to tell her Kev.'
Mean... What did that mean?
Walking downstairs, she bumped into Lip, who gently held her back. "Kodi, you alright?" he asked with concern. She didn't respond, tears welling up in her eyes. He lifted her chin and wiped them away. "Kodi, what happened?"
She sobbed into his arms. "Just hold me, Philip." He nodded and embraced her, providing a much-needed sanctuary in the midst of the storm swirling within her mind...
What did they need to tell her?
Was it her, they needed to speak too..
Was she baby Kev?
Lip holding her into his arms.. looking at her and lifting her head up asking her the question he dreading to ask
"Kods" he hums in response "who's your date to the wedding?
"Malakai" she says not looking at Lip
"Malakai McGuire?" He asked her with a slight snare to his voice.
"Yes." He paces into the living room where Fiona and Kev are sitting..
"Malakai McGuire? That's who your sleeping with?" Fiona and Kev look at each, wondering if they should leave... "How long?" How long, Kodi?"
"The night I left" she says not looking into his eyes, his pacing around the living room angrily, mumbling curse words... He runs at her but Kev stops him "hey mate.. it's Kodi, don't do this'
He looks at her and nods, realising he has almost ran into her to hit her.. "I'm sorry, Kodi" she leans in and kisses his cheek
"I'll always be your girl, Lip" she teases him and walks upstairs, he mumbles to Kev and Fiona "she had to sleep with a McGuire to admit she was my girl" they slightly chuckles
••
KEV, KODI AND LIP HAD DRIVEN TO CHATSWORTH PARK AND PLACED MARTY SOMEWHERE AT THE PLAYGROUND... Kodi in the car seeing Lip walk out the door
"Are we really doing this?" She asks Lip who winks at her.. Kodi having a drag of her cigarette watching Lip walking to the payphone.
"Yeah, mid-twenties, probably a junkie. He looks like he might be dead. Chatsworth Park. He's frightening the kiddies." He opens the door of the payphone "All right. Sorted."
He runs to the car... "this is what my life has come, dragging nutjobs to parks" Kody leaning against the car
Lip slightly shakes his head at her comment taking her ciggerate taking a drag leaning on the car beside her.
"Comeon you two, if have a wedding to get to" Kev says hugging Kodi -- and he spinning her around making her giggle "you ready kid?"
"I'm ready to fake the shit out of this bitch" Kev slightly shakes his at her choice of words..
Lip admires her from the passenger seat, getting inside the car. Smiling to himself, he smile fades though when he sees her smile down at her phone... He then comes to realisation that she has actually moved on..
His girl, is now someone else's girl.
And he didn't like it one bit.
Malakai McGuire was dead!
Lip Gallagher wanted to kill him.