Kevin couldn't wait to open the box. Inside, a set of bar tools shining with metallic luster was neatly arranged: a shaker, jigger, bar spoon, strainer, etc., everything needed for mixing drinks was there.
"Woohoo," Kevin's eyes straightened. "If I drop one of these, I'll have to deduct two weeks of tips from myself."
"So don't drop them," Shane spread his hands. "I still hope the tips you earn with it can be shared with us one day."
Kevin repacked the bar tool box, looking moved. "So is this a gift, or are you increasing my workload?"
"Both," Shane answered honestly. "I believe you will use it to make more people drunk under the bar, then fish out more bills directly from their pockets."
"Done, deal," Kevin grinned from ear to ear. "Then from today on, for the Gallagher family (except Frank) drinking beer in my bar, the second cup is half price. This is an exclusive internal discount."
"Why does your tone sound like your first cup charges us half a cup more?"
Lip complained directly.
"You guessed right, little genius. Otherwise, how do you think I make money?"
Shane handed another item to V, a pink and white gift box.
"Here, this is for the true queen of our South Side."
"Yo, I love hearing that."
V took the gift box and opened it quickly.
Inside the box was a set of shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion that looked high-end.
Just looking at the bottle design at first glance, it was not on the same level as the $9.99 ones in the supermarket.
"I swear," Shane started to bullshit seriously again.
"If you use those trash shampoos again, I suspect your hair will go on strike before Frank's liver."
V burst out laughing. "Fck, you know too much."
She grabbed the bottle of shampoo and shook it.
"Do you know how much I spent on my last hair treatment? If it weren't for Kevin being unable to lie and looking guilty whenever he steals something, I was ready to swipe a bottle home directly."
Kevin pretended to be hurt. "So you love your hair, not me, right?"
"Nonsense, if all my hair falls out, will you still love me?" V asked Kevin back directly.
Kevin immediately raised his hand. "Yes, yes, I will definitely love your bald head to death."
Laughter erupted at the dining table.
"Kid, thank you," V turned and said to Shane.
"This gift is important. If a woman wants to live like a human, her hair has to survive first."
"So I am contributing to the aesthetic cause of the South Side." Shane saluted playfully. "You're welcome."
This time the gifts were really finished, and all the dishes were on the table.
Fiona raised her cup first, which contained a strange mixture of beer and soda, and shouted loudly:
"Alright, Happy Thanksgiving! Whoever dares to show me a dead face will eat one less piece of meat."
"Happy Thanksgiving!"
Several cups clinked together, forks clattered on plates, the sounds messy but full of life.
Kevin was sitting next to Shane now. While frantically putting chicken wings on his plate, his eyes drifted outside the door, as if remembering something.
When the noise at the table got a bit louder, Kevin leaned close to Shane and whispered:
"Hey, I want to ask, when I came, I saw that old bastard Frank sitting on the steps of your house, bruised and swollen, his pants wet a big patch, seemed like he fell into a cesspit, stank to death."
Kevin started gesturing, "The way he looked, looked like he was kicked down the stairs, then run over directly by a car, incidentally squeezing shit and pee out together."
"Did one of you beat him up?"
Shane looked at Kevin, the corners of his mouth slowly hooking up, but didn't answer. He just forked a piece of meat and said nonchalantly:
"South Side, you know, accidents always happen."
Kevin looked at Shane's face that showed nothing had happened for two seconds, then suddenly reacted, his eyes widening bit by bit, his mouth opening wide too.
"You..."
Shane turned his head directly to glance at him, interrupting what he was about to say.
Kevin shut up immediately, but quietly extended his hand under the table and gave Shane a thumbs up.
Shane pretended not to see anything, just burying his head in eating.
V sitting opposite them looked at them suspiciously: "What are you two doing under the table?"
"Nothing," Kevin coughed, looking righteous.
"We were just discussing that justice occasionally visits the South Side too."
Laughter erupted at the table again. Carl and Debbie started fighting to speak.
Lip calculated taking some online jobs to make money; Ian had secretly put on the new shoes, constantly rubbing the floor with them, making squeaking sounds.
Now, they were like a real, normal American big family, warm and messy.
...
After dinner, the table was cleared hastily, plates piled in the sink temporarily unattended.
The family's position shifted to the living room.
The TV was turned on, showing a Thanksgiving special program, a phenomenal TV show on the screen.
Shane leaned on the sofa armrest. He watched TV for a while, checked the clock on the wall, then stood up and stretched.
"Alright, I'm going to Karen's house now," Shane tried to act casual. "I still have to deliver something to Karen."
"Oh↑↓——" Several meaningful "ohs" immediately sounded in the living room.
"OK," Lip typed on the keyboard but looked up at Shane. "Hope you can come back tonight and not get eaten dry and wiped clean by her."
"Stay hydrated," Kevin relayed. "Don't let your legs go soft when you set up the breakfast stall tomorrow."
"Carl," V covered Carl who wanted to say something, "don't ask what 'eaten dry and wiped clean' means."
"But I just want to..."
"Shut up!" Fiona, Lip, and Ian said in unison.
Debbie looked up at Shane. "Say Happy Thanksgiving to Sister Karen for me."
"Got it," Shane touched the top of Debbie's head, then put on his jacket.
Walking out the door, he first glanced down the steps.
Frank was still sitting there, posture unchanged, just huddled tighter.
Shane couldn't be bothered to give him another look, didn't stop, didn't speak, directly closed the door, and disappeared into the night.
...
About ten minutes later, the TV program in the living room reached its climax, and laughter rose and fell in the Gallagher house.
"I'm going to the bathroom," Fiona suddenly stood up, dropped this sentence, and walked towards the bathroom.