At The Dugouts

Father's Day

Mickey was ten years old when he first understood betrayal.

He'd had his eyes on something for weeks, waiting for the perfect moment to swipe. Milkoviches were criminals, and petty theft was par for the course.

But this was special, important. He didn't want to be caught, or let anybody else know.

It was the perfect Father's Day gift: stainless steel blade, engraved filigree on the gold accented handle. He'd been so proud of himself as he'd presented it, palms outstretched and a toothy grin.

Thank you, @smittybus22, for this week's theme of FATHER'S DAY.

Mickey sat on the couch with the old shoebox Lily decorated at age six, the one covered in crooked stars and glue fingerprints.

He pulled out her tiny cards, blocky letters, backwards Rs, drawings of him with giant muscles and snorted because she’d always been dramatic.

Then he opened the new envelope, smaller, green, his first Grandfather’s Day card. His granddaughter’s scribbles looked exactly like Lily’s once did. His throat tightened. Ian squeezed his knee.

You can catch up with story here

“I’ll do it,” Ian turns around to see his husband standing in the open sliding door to their balcony, exhaling his cigarette.

“Do what?” Ian asks casually even though he already knows the answer.

“Fuckin’ punch the rich pricks or whatever,” Mickey says. “Sounds way better than staying in this apartment.”

“Mick,” Ian says in a warning tone as Mickey walks up to Svetlana.

“How much you payin’?” Mickey asks his ex-wife. “Actually it doesn’t matter, first time will be free then we can talk about rates.”

“First time?” Ian almost yells. “Mickey think for just half a fucking second. Don’t do something that can get you in trouble.”

“Yeah and don’t pretend it’s your first time punching someone because Svetlana told you to,” Lip quips from the couch, earning him a hard stare from Ian.

“Here’s the address for PTA president,” Svetlana says, handing Mickey a slip of paper. “Do as you wish.”

“How is this the first time I’m hearing about an ex-wife?” Tami says in disbelief. 

“You know Mickey has a kid too?” Mandy shares.

“Shut the fuck up jerk face,” Mickey scolds his younger sister.

“Please don’t take my baby!”

Ian and Mickey's hands.

"Why does he (Ian) look exactly like Jacob?!"

I am assuming that Jacob is Clayton and Lucy's son.

Imagine! Jacob Gallagher! A cousin! A half-brother! Looking exactly like Ian?

Kev: Peaches, right Mick?

Mickey: The fuck are you talking about?

Kev: You know, the time with the peaches. Haha, this is so peaches.

Mickey: I don’t know what you’re talking about.