If you're enjoying these stories, consider leaving a comment, review, or vote.
Support me by leaving a comment, review and vote
visit my Pat**on at belamy20
At dinner time, steam rose from the stew on the table. Fiona wiped Liam's mouth, her gaze sweeping around the table before finally landing on Ian.
"Ian," Fiona began.
"For the breakfast stall, I need someone to come help out for a while. Do you want to come? It's roughly from 5 or 6 AM to a bit past 9 every morning. Not too long."
Her eyes were full of expectation.
Ian was steady, responsible, and worked at a convenience store, so he was quick with money and organizing goods. He was the second most ideal candidate.
"Ian, what do you think? Guaranteed $100 a day. You can get up around 6, don't have to get up too early. After selling out, you can go straight to school, or..." Fiona paused.
"Depending on your own arrangement." She knew Ian occasionally skipped class to work or do other things.
Before Ian could say anything, Carl raised his head, eyes shining. "You can get money for skipping class?"
Fiona: "Carl, shut up."
Debbie immediately raised her hand.
"Fiona, let me go! I can collect money and give change. Shane said my arithmetic is the best in the family besides Lip. I can also help wrap burgers in paper bags, guaranteeing no lettuce will fall out!"
Debbie was already imagining herself wearing a small apron, bustling behind the stall like an adult, her face full of excitement.
Carl interjected again at this moment, "Me! Me! Fiona, pick me!"
As he spoke, he held his fork high in the air. "I can be security. If anyone doesn't pay, I'll bite them to death!"
Fiona: ...
Shane: ...
Fiona looked at their excited little faces, feeling warm in her heart, but still shook her head.
"No, Debbie, you're too young. It's too cold in the morning, and you need sleep. Carl—"
Fiona glared fiercely at her brother, who was already simulating biting some part of an enemy in the air.
"If you go to the stall, I bet within half an hour you'll try to build a military fortress with paper cups and then kick them apart. So no."
"Aww~"
"Come on."
The two little ones wilted instantly, muttering.
"Ian, how about it? Have you thought about it?" Fiona's gaze turned to Ian again.
"Uh, Fiona," Ian avoided Fiona's gaze with some guilt.
"I probably can't. Mainly because Kash... cough, I mean my training needs enough sleep, and the convenience store job is actually okay. I really can't arrange the time, sorry."
Ian lowered his head after speaking, poking the food on his plate with a fork. If it were a matter of family crisis, he would agree without hesitation, but this...
Actually, besides needing sleep for his training, it was mainly because he had been getting hot and heavy with Kash recently. It was the honeymoon phase.
The breakfast selling time slot was exactly one of their date times because there were few people around then.
Well, the temptation of money was indeed great, but young hormones and a fresh romance seemed to have the upper hand.
Hearing Ian's answer, disappointment flashed in Fiona's eyes, but she didn't pursue it further.
At this time, her gaze turned to Lip, who had been burying his head in his food from start to finish.
Lip had been listening the whole time. He knew she would ask him sooner or later.
He originally didn't want to agree. Getting up early, dealing with a bunch of strangers, and doing repetitive mechanical labor... just thinking about it made someone like him, who prided himself on making money with his brain, feel lethargic.
But the commotion Shane had caused recently, and the solid cash brought home, was like a thorn stuck in him, the "older brother."
He had seen the accounts Fiona kept in the notebook and knew that the stall made at least a base of $500 in the morning, and could even hit six or seven hundred during peak times.
Fck! Shane, this kid, was making a fortune quietly, making him, Lip Gallagher, look like a loser who only knew how to hit the books and tap on a keyboard.
And more importantly... he looked up at this moment, scanned the dining table, looking at Debbie feeding Liam, then at Carl who was still muttering his dissatisfaction, and finally his gaze rested on the slightly weary Fiona.
Next month end was Christmas. Maybe he could be like Shane, using his own money to buy some decent gifts for the family, instead of only being able to pull out a stolen gift card.
And if he was busy with breakfast in the morning, he could still use the time at noon and in the evening to take some odd coding jobs online. In that case, the income would be pretty good.
Having thought all this through, Lip swallowed his food. under Fiona's expectant gaze, he spoke:
"Yeah, no problem. I can help you."
Fiona breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on her face. "Great! Then arrange your own schedule these next few days, and you can try coming to help me."
"Wait," Shane, who hadn't spoken much, spoke up now.
"Since Lip is willing to take over, don't wait. Tomorrow, Lip, go directly to the construction site tomorrow to help Fiona. Because I set up a promotion for tomorrow, there will be a lot of people. Familiarize yourself first. Then, after getting familiar for a day or two, do breakfast with Fiona."
Shane leaned back in his chair as he spoke. "Let's be more direct, Fiona. From now on, you will be solely responsible for the operation of the breakfast and lunch stalls. You can find whoever you want as your fixed partner. Discuss whatever you need with whoever."
"As for me, I'll just be a raw material supplier. You two just give me 20% of the profit. You can discuss the remaining 80% yourselves later. How about that?"
After Shane finished speaking, Fiona and Lip looked at each other.
Although Shane had said long ago that he wouldn't do it for long, they didn't expect him to be so decisive.
Although 20% profit wasn't small, considering that the heating stoves and other appliances were Shane's, and the most important raw materials were procured by him, they accepted this split.
Moreover, for Fiona, this condition meant greater autonomy and profit margin.
Lip's brain spun faster. He thought if they expanded to other markets or other places, maybe he could get even more.
"Okay, no problem. Then when will you quit completely?" Fiona agreed to Shane's condition.
"When I confirm the offline training with Dave. I'll quit completely then."
Fiona felt the burden on her shoulders seem heavier, but an excitement of being her own boss also surged in her heart.
She looked at Shane and nodded seriously. "No problem, but your raw material supply can't be cut off, and you can't raise the price."
"Don't worry," Shane smiled too.
"You guys are my biggest clients now. Also..."
Shane reminded them, "Remember, we only set up a stall, don't use a food truck, okay? We need stability first."
"No problem."
"What about me? What about me? Let me be the security captain! Give me $10 a morning, and I'll do it!" Carl howled from the side.
He wasn't doing it for the money, but thinking that when a bunch of people surged over, he could prepare some "lava" (a mixture of sand and cement) to splash on these "enemies" and watch them wail.
"Say one more word, and I'll make your butt hurt so much you won't sleep tonight."
...
Finally, dinner ended with Carl covering his butt and Debbie whispering comfort to her doll, "It's okay, we can open our own shop later."
The Gallagher family spent another slightly warm dinner time.
But in another part of the city, Dave Miller was facing his wife's tense face, trying hard to squeeze out a smile:
"Honey, listen to me, I found a coach—the price is only half of the West Side's, and that kid... I think he can bend rebar."