### The Gallagher House
8:00 AM
Downstairs, Frank was practically vibrating with impatience, yelling non-stop. This really messed with Steve's groove, who was upstairs in the middle of a big showdown with Fiona, forcing him to hurry things up.
Fiona noticed and got frantic. "Ignore him! Keep going!"
Steve gave a weak laugh. "This is just too weird. It feels like your dad is standing right next to the bed, watching."
"..." Hearing that, Fiona's momentum completely stalled.
Before long, the fight was over, wrapped up in a rush.
Steve headed downstairs. Even though he didn't actually need Frank for anything, he kept his word from yesterday morning and headed to the City Hall with Frank and Monica.
After their reunion in the kitchen last night, Frank and Monica were definitely back together, and they were all over each other—honestly, it was kind of gross.
Roberta? She was still in a police morgue somewhere, and Monica had completely erased her from her mind. That's just how Monica operated.
They arrived at City Hall. Everything went smoothly.
After waiting in line for a bit, Frank and Monica signed the settlement papers. Moments later, a clerk handed over the check.
Frank reached out to grab it—no, lunge for it.
Monica's face went stone cold. Using her advantage of being able to stand, she snatched the check first.
Frank's expression instantly twisted. He was desperate, trying to jump right out of his wheelchair. "What the hell are you doing?!"
"You think I trust you to hand over my share once you get your hands on it?" Monica scoffed, acting like she knew all his tricks. "I'll cash the check, and then I'll give you your money!"
Frank absolutely had no intention of splitting the money with Monica, and he knew Monica well enough to know her game. He immediately shook his head fiercely. "No, no, no! And you think I trust you? Get real, you crazy btch!"
Just like that, the two who were all lovey-dovey and nauseating in the car ride over were now red-faced, fighting an ugly public battle in the crowded city building, completely shameless.
Steve watched, mortified, wanting to bail and leave these two nuts to their own devices.
He quickly put his mind to work, his eyes landing on the check clutched in Monica's hand. He got an idea. He walked quickly up to Monica, reached out, and snatched the check, sliding it into his inside jacket pocket.
Then, without missing a beat, he darted to Frank's wheelchair and started pushing him out. "We'll deal with the check back at the house. Fiona needs to be a part of this."
Having the check stolen right from under them, and then hearing that...
Frank and Monica, with perfect, instantaneous teamwork, were suddenly back on the same side, shouting abuse at Steve.
Steve ignored them. As he walked, he pulled out his phone and called Fiona, telling her what he'd done. "I think you deserve a piece of the action, don't you?"
Fiona had been asleep. When she heard the news, she was ecstatic. "That's a brilliant idea! Get back here, and whatever Frank or Monica say, do not give them that check!"
Steve chuckled. "Deal."
Frank and Monica heard the whole conversation. But one was stuck in a wheelchair and the other was leaning on a cane—all they could do was yell their heads off.
### The Alibi Bar
Kevin, Veronica, and Tommy stood inside the bar.
It was about twenty minutes before nine.
Veronica checked the time. She could use her one day off a week and skip work at the restaurant... but Veronica was not about to lose that cash!
"Alright, let's make this quick. I've got to get to work," Veronica said, a little tense.
Tommy smiled. "Veronica, Kevin, if you two keep this up, you'll be the South Side's big-shot millionaires before long."
Veronica was actually looking forward to that day, flashing a wide grin. "Look, you're making money off of us, so knock off the attitude, or we'll find someone else to do the work."
It was a joke; they all knew it.
"Fine," Tommy said, laughing. "Let's talk business. New flooring, new ceiling, remodel the bathroom and kitchen, new paint on all the walls, and we need to redo the electric and plumbing. The pipes and wiring in here are ancient. If you don't replace them now, a breakdown later will cost you way more to fix."
Tommy went on without a pause. "All the tables and chairs need to be trashed and replaced."
"Honestly, Veronica, Kevin, I'm gonna be straight with you."
"We can't tear this place down, but if we could, rebuilding from scratch would actually be cheaper."
Tommy was telling the truth. The Alibi Bar was decades old, and everything was seriously falling apart. Tearing it down and rebuilding was the ideal choice, but they couldn't. Stan still lived in the apartment upstairs.
Veronica patiently listened, then asked, "Can you get all that done for thirty thousand dollars?"
Tommy shook his head uncertainly. "Thirty grand is just a rough estimate, but the final cost shouldn't be too far off."
"Don't worry. I still plan on drinking here, so I'm only going to charge you guys a little hustle fee. I won't screw you."
Kevin grinned, showing his teeth. "Tommy, if you try to take too much of our money, I'm putting a little extra surprise in your beer later."
Tommy's eyes went wide. "What?! Fck you, Kevin! Have you done that before?!"
Kevin just smiled and said nothing.
Veronica piped up again. "Tommy, when this renovation is done, the place needs to look totally different. Like a really high-class bar."
"Of course," Tommy said confidently. "I guarantee this place is gonna look brand new!"
"And make it fast," Veronica added.
Tommy gave a quick 'OK' sign, promising it wasn't a problem.
And it really wasn't. There were tons of undocumented folks in the area, especially the guys from south of the border. They were cheap to hire and worked like maniacs.
Want it fast? Easy. Just hire more guys.
The three chatted a bit more. The details were ironed out. The Alibi Bar was starting construction today.
### Gallagher House
Just after 9:00 AM
Fiona, Frank, and Monica were in the living room, fighting tooth and nail over that check, sounding like they were about to come to blows at any second.
Then...
Knock, knock, knock
Someone was at the door.
The three of them stopped their screaming match and turned to stare at the front door.
"I'll get it," said Steve, who had been enjoying the show but was actually trying to leave hours ago—he only stayed to back up Fiona.
A moment later, Patrick Gallagher and his two sons came into view.
"Who are you guys?" Steve asked, not recognizing the three men.
Patrick gave a cold, nasty smile. "Patrick Gallagher. We're here to measure this house. Gotta figure out how to remodel it."
Steve's mind went blank. "??????"