Dex Restaurant.
"Damn!" Peggy took a bite of her dinner and was genuinely shocked. "This damn stuff is the best thing I've ever tasted."
Carl heard this and grinned smugly, acting as if Peggy was praising him personally. "Right? It's super good."
"No wonder you like it, kid," Peggy smiled kindly. "I'll bring you here often from now on!"
"Really?" Carl exclaimed.
Peggy nodded with a smile. "Of course."
"But it's so expensive... do you have that much money?" Carl asked with a serious face.
"I will soon," Peggy said, a hint of coldness in her tone.
"Awesome!" Carl was delighted.
The old woman and the young boy devoured the meal like a whirlwind, then polished off the fruit platter too, leaving them both stuffed.
Peggy wiped her mouth, chuckling. She had forgotten the last time she ate this much. Suddenly, life before death felt a lot happier.
"Waiter, check," Peggy called out with a smile.
Veronica walked over. "No need. It's on the boss."
Peggy raised an eyebrow and glanced toward the kitchen. "Oh? Then thank Dexter for us."
"Will do," Veronica smiled, said no more, and turned back to work.
"Carl, let's go to the Alibi," Peggy said to Carl, not standing on ceremony.
"Wait a sec, I need to see Dexter about something," Carl's eyes darted around as he bolted into the kitchen. First, he thanked Dexter, then he pulled out his earnings for the day. He kept ten dollars and gave the rest to Dexter. "Keep my money for me."
"Sure," Dexter agreed readily with a smile.
"See ya," Carl wasn't one for small talk; he turned and left immediately.
A moment later.
Carl was pushing Peggy toward the Alibi Room.
Inside the restaurant.
At Bianca and Emily's table, the spread was dazzling and incredibly sumptuous.
In fact, it was so lavish that other diners looked on with envy, jealousy, and hate.
Bianca felt happy but also a bit self-conscious.
Emily, however, didn't think that much. She ate happily, stuffing her face with a look of pure bliss. "Say, think I could be Dexter's side piece? I don't want anything else, just free meals here."
Bianca: "???? Get lost!"
Emily beamed. "Don't be so heartless. Let's discuss it."
Bianca kept a straight face, her tone resolute. "Don't even think about it!"
The two women bickered playfully.
---
The Gallagher House.
Ian returned hurriedly with a complicated expression. Seeing Fiona, he immediately pulled out the wages he'd advanced today. "Do we have enough for rent?"
Fiona smiled bitterly and nodded. "With this, yes..."
She paused, then added, "I'm sorry you have to work so hard."
Ian gave a faint smile. "You're the one working hard, not me."
After saying that, Ian headed for the stairs.
"Ian, wait. Go pay the rent tonight," Fiona said as she walked into the kitchen and took the jar containing the winter fund out of the cupboard. "I start working at the club tonight. I have to leave soon, so I can't wait for Dexter to get back."
It was just paying rent; Ian had no objection.
Not long after.
Fiona counted out fifteen hundred dollars and handed it to Ian.
Because it was mostly small bills, the stack was exaggeratedly thick, looking like it was nearly ten thousand dollars.
Ian took the money. "Be safe tonight."
"Don't worry," Fiona smiled confidently. "Go put your backpack upstairs and come down for dinner."
"Okay," Ian said no more, thumped upstairs, went into his room, and collapsed onto his bed.
Shamelessness aside...
Regarding Kash seeing that scene and getting hurt, Ian felt at least a little guilty.
Besides that, he was very worried Mickey might do something irrational.
On the way back, he had called multiple times and left many voice messages for Mickey, but unfortunately, he never got a reply.
Ian genuinely felt things were going south, so he hurriedly took out his phone and dialed Mickey again.
Across the street from the convenience store.
Mickey sat in his beat-up car, taking a hard drag on his cigarette, looking down at the gun in his hand.
His phone vibrated in his pocket.
Mickey ignored it, turning his head to stare at the store, waiting for Kash to close up so he could kill him.
Kash had to die!
Otherwise, if Kash blabbed about what he saw...
If people around here knew he was gay, and a bottom at that...
Mickey felt his skin crawl just thinking about it!
"Fxxk!!"
"Damn Gallaghers!"
Mickey couldn't help cursing.
---
Service at Dex Restaurant ended.
Hearing Bianca mention that Emily wanted to visit the house, Dexter agreed without hesitation. "Sure."
"Hehe," Emily giggled.
Bianca felt helpless.
She hadn't lived with anyone for so many years, and now letting Emily visit... it was kind of embarrassing.
But, things being what they were, what could she do?
Headache.
Ten minutes later.
The three of them left, took two cars, and headed to 2118 North Wallace Street.
Upon arrival, Emily looked around, very surprised.
Before today, although Emily knew of this place, she had never been here. So, seeing it suddenly...
Emily immediately associated this neighborhood with those scary places in movies. She instinctively worried about getting raped by someone.
Driven by worry, as soon as she got out of the car, Emily asked Dexter, puzzled, "Dexter, why do you live here? It looks so scary."
"Haha," Dexter was amused and decided to tease her. "Don't worry too much, you probably won't get raped. That kind of thing only happens occasionally here."
Emily was instantly stunned: "????"
Bianca saw this and giggled.
Seeing Bianca's reaction, Emily's face darkened. Her eyes darted around, unsure if Dexter was joking. "Dexter, are you serious?"
"Yeah. Rape, gunfights, theft, armed robbery... these things happen from time to time. But it's not a big problem, I'm here," Dexter said with a smile.
"????" Emily was stunned again, looking at Bianca with disbelief. "Bianca, you're risking your life just to date someone!"
"Hehe," Bianca laughed, taking the opportunity to link arms with Dexter. "Dexter said it—he's here, so it's fine."
Emily: "..."
This is freaking ridiculous.
Emily was speechless.
Dexter found it hilarious. "Emily, don't just stand there. Let's go inside; it's safer indoors. If you keep standing out here looking this good, you might get targeted by thugs."
Emily started, just about to move.
Just then.
Squeak.
Ian pushed open the Gallagher's front door and walked out, looking at the three of them.
"????"
Thump.
Emily jumped in fright immediately.