The Alibi

Chapter 3

A/N: So this chapter is going to be Carl going through his day and then Ian/Mick going through the same day, not like what I did last chapter. 

TRIGGER WARNING: MENTION OF RAPE, AND ABORTION

(Carl's POV)

My head feels cloudy, I wasn't drunk last night but it feels like I was, probably cuz i stayed up until 5 and it's currently 8. I texted Stacey super late last night, i check my phone and see she's answered.

Carl: Hey, it's Carl from the Alibi. How are you?

Stacey: Hey Carl I'm good. How are you? :)

Carl: Im great. I was wondering if you'd want to get dinner sometime?

Stacey: That sounds great, I know it's soon but i'm not working tonight

Carl: Wanna meet at the alibi at 6 tonight then?

I am trying so desperately hard to sound cool and calm, and like this is no big deal but in reality I'm shitting myself. This would be the first like real date I've gone on since....like fucking forever. My phone buzzes.

Stacey: Sounds good :)

Oh fuck yeah!!! I fire back a quick smiley face so she knows I saw it. I'm so excited. I am working first shift at the bar today so I get up and grab some clothes to go shower. I walk out of my room and look down at the sleeping toddler on the couch. I'll make breakfast down stairs just to make sure I don't wake her up. I am a little annoyed Ian and Mick didn't ask about letting her stay with us but Ian filled me in on the whole Mandy's situation and I get it, i just wish they ran it past me. That thought aside, I hop in the shower, letting the warm water wake me up. Once i'm done showering I grab cereal, milk and a bowl and head down to the bar. I set my breakfast supplies down and open the door for Tommy and Kermit. They settle in for the day and I get them boilermakers. I start making my breakfast when Tish walks in, fuck.

"Carl I need 100 bucks for an appointment."

"Here," I sigh and hand it over, "What's the appointment for?"

As I ask this question, I'm secretly hoping it's for an abortion. I really can't fucking afford child support and it's not like I didn't want to use a condom. "An official test," Tish says.

"Ok," This fucking cell clump is already draining me of money and it's not even a real baby yet.

I wanna bang my head against a wall. I work until noon and then Mickey takes over. It's a pretty uneventful shift mostly just talking to Kermit and Tommy. I keep glancing over at my dads stool, it's weird that he's gone for good this time. I mean I'm used to him for disappearing for months at a time but putting him in the ground was a whole new level of abandonment. It hit Ian and Debbie the hardest, Fiona didn't even come back for the funeral, she doesn't talk to us much anymore. I still don't get how that's fucking legal. Like doesn't she have to care for Liam, isn't she his legal guardian currently. Mickey coming down the stairs interrupts my chain of thought, "Damn man you look like shit."

"Thanks Mickey," I mumble while walking away.

As I climb the stairs I set an alarm for 5 and flop right back into bed. I grab my earplugs because Ian is doing renovations, again. I thought we were done with that shit. I am going to sleep and then shower, then go out with Stacey. I smile into my pillow at the thought.

I wake up to the harsh sound of my alarm clock, I roll out of bed. As I walk out of my room Ian and Mickey are sitting at the kitchen table, "Hey Carl, we wanted to talk to you," Ian says. 

I sit down across from them without a word, I am still super groggy. Ian continues, "Sorry we didn't talk to you more about taking Nina in, that wasn't exactly fair to you," this is not the direction I thought the conversation was going in but I say nothing and continue to listen, "I know it may be a lot to ask but when you have girls over could you not introduce them to Nina, until like you know things are serious with them?"