Snitches get Stitches

Harry’s house felt incredibly cramped the night that he… was released from jail?

Harry still wasn’t entirely certain why he was arrested or how he was released, but none of that mattered because the baby was his.

There were so many emotions battering Harry when Remus confirmed that the baby was Harry’s that all Harry could do was let out a victorious whoop. All those images Harry had of a baby - Harry hoped it was a girl… - were back again.

A baby girl with dark hair and green eyes… or maybe even Lily Potter’s red hair and Mandy’s pretty brown eyes… Harry could do all the things with her that his father didn’t get to do with him…

Teach her to ride a bike. See her first steps. Have big parties every year on her birthday. Celebrate all the holidays, even Halloween.

Harry would put her in the prettiest princess costumes every Halloween and take her to get candy, just like Dudley used to every year. Afterward, Harry could take her to visit his parents’ graves and tell her how much they would have loved her.

And Christmas!

Harry already couldn’t wait for his baby’s first Christmas…

It was with stars in his eyes and visions of spoiling his child with a mountain of gifts - maybe not a mountain… Harry didn’t want them to be a brat like Dudley used to be… - that Harry went to find Mandy.

And was immediately stopped by Hermione.

In all of the chaos of Harry being arrested and his girlfriend being pregnant and Terry being dead and Remus suggesting Harry kill his child, Harry sort of forgot that Hermione had shown up.

“You and I need to talk,” Hermione said. She had her arms crossed, her lips thinned, and Harry cringed on the inside at the familiar look.

It meant that Harry had messed up terribly and Hermione was going to spend at least forty-five minutes telling Harry exactly how.

“Can it wait?” Harry said, looking past Hermione. Mandy had been in the kitchen, being served soup by Fred of all people, but Harry felt his hair being ripped from his head and sort of followed it to Remus.

It was a bloody good thing Harry did too, he wasn’t sure that Remus would have even told him that the baby was his if Harry didn’t see him cast the spell. Harry was grateful for Remus that he went and made sure Harry didn’t go to jail, but Harry wouldn’t forget that Remus recommended that Harry—

“Mandy is pregnant,” Hermione hissed at Harry, her brown eyes flashing. “I think whatever is on your mind can wait.”

“That is what’s on my mind,” Harry explained absently, still trying to spot Mandy. “It’s mine, Hermione. I’m going to be a dad.”

Hermione sucked in air while Harry let out a surprised huff.

That was the first time he said it aloud.

“I’m going to be a dad,” Harry repeated. He laughed gaily and grabbed Hermione for an impulsive hug. “Oi! You’ll be Aunt Hermione!” Harry added when he pulled away from her. “Don’t tell Ron, okay? I want to be the one to tell him.”

A baby… blimey.

Harry’s baby.

It was surreal in a way- in the best possible way. It was as if the world actually heard Harry crying out for a family, for someone to love and to love him, and it delivered. Harry wasn’t usually a luck—

“I think Mandy should get an abortion.”

Harry actually stepped backward to get away from Hermione and stared at her in shock. Hermione looked perfectly serious, if mildly anxious.

“Do you know what that is?” Harry asked her. “Hermione, you think- you think Mandy should kill our baby?”

“It’s not killing a baby,” Hermione said in a patient way like she was explaining some difficult concept to Harry. “Right now it would just be removing a cluster of cells from her body.”

Harry looked at Hermione as if for seeing her for the first time. How could the same girl who once cried over the execution of an innocent animal be the one standing before Harry, talking about ‘removing a cluster of cells’?

“You’re sick,” Harry said, shaking his head. “It’s not a cluster of cells, Hermione. It’s a baby, a human.”

It was Harry’s baby.

Harry couldn’t stand there and listen to Hermione anymore, he really needed to talk to Mandy.

If Harry thought his day had been bad, it was nothing compared to how Mandy’s day must have been. And Harry… Harry had thought a lot of terribly cruel things about Mandy when she said the baby might not have been his.

Harry had let all the rubbish everyone else said about Mandy get in his head and he just assumed the worst of her. He had been so certain that Mandy would have told him if something happened to her that he didn’t even consider a much more sinister way that Mandy could have not known about who the baby’s father was.

Not even considering that Mandy was Harry’s girlfriend, Mandy was Harry’s best friend.

And Harry treated her terribly.

Harry shoved past Hermione with an irritated scowl to get to the kitchen. Fred was still in there, sitting at the table with his head in his hands, but Mandy was nowhere to be found.

“Where’s Mandy?” Harry asked Fred, causing him to look up.

“Upstairs,” Fred said. He gave Harry a tired smile. “How was jail?”

“Terrible, thanks,” Harry said. He turned to climb the stairs but Fred called his name and distracted him.

“Harry?”

Harry turned and looked at Fred over his shoulder. It was annoying that everyone seemed determined to stall Harry when all he wanted to do was check on Mandy.

“Is it yours?” Fred asked quietly.

Harry didn’t want to hurt him, Fred had once been the only good thing in Harry’s life. That was before though, and Harry could only think of the two good things upstairs.

“It is,” Harry told him.

Fred’s face crumpled and Harry jogged up the stairs quickly.

Mandy wasn’t in Harry’s room and he had a moment of confusion before he cracked open Sirius’ bedroom door and found a little Mandy-ball in the middle of the bed. Harry took a chance to just look at her and he felt his chest tighten up with emotion as he did.

It was unfair that something horrible happened to someone as amazing as Mandy. It was unfair the way Harry treated her too. Harry knew it wasn’t a good excuse, but he just heard everyone say that Mandy wasn’t loyal, Mandy was easy, and other rubbish and when she said that the baby might not be Harry’s, he just…

Harry abandoned his best friend when she might have needed him the most.

Harry wondered again who killed Terry. It wasn’t Harry, but he wasn’t broken up about the man’s death either. Harry might have done it himself had he known what Terry did to Mandy.

“Mandy?” Harry approached the bed slowly and sat on the edge of it so he could reach out and put his hand on Mandy’s back.

Mandy turned her head to look at Harry and he could feel his eyes begin to prickle with tears at Mandy’s look of absolute misery.

“If you’re here because you pity me, don’t,” Mandy said in a hard voice. “Remus said I could stay tonight and I’ll be out of your life tomorrow.”

“I don’t pity you and I don’t want you out of my life,” Harry said honestly. He rubbed Mandy’s back in what he hoped was a soothing way. Mandy was always defensive when she was upset, it was the same way Harry tended to get.

“I’m sorry,” Harry told her softly. “I was an arse.”

Mandy grinned just a little bit, just enough that Harry thought she might forgive him.

Mandy smiled just enough that Harry thought they would be okay.

“Only because I was a bitch first,” she said. “Did you really kill Terry?”

Harry used his feet to peel off his filthy socks - he hadn’t even been fully dressed when he’d been arrested - and he crawled in the bed to get as close to Mandy as he could.

Mandy laid on her side and Harry slid an arm under her head before wrapping his other arm around her stomach and holding her tightly.

Harry’s entire world, his whole future, was wrapped up in his arms and it felt so perfect.

“I didn’t kill him, but I would have,” Harry said softly.

“I couldn’t tell you,” Mandy whispered. She sounded upset and Harry pressed a reassuring kiss to the top of her head.

“I know,” Harry said.

There were things that people couldn’t talk about. Some things couldn’t hurt if they weren’t acknowledged and nothing said out loud could ever be taken back.

Harry knew that better than anyone.

“You still love me?” Mandy asked in a quivering voice that broke Harry’s heart.

“So much,” Harry said truthfully. He closed his eyes and was just so bloody relieved that Mandy was away from Terry, that Mandy was safe.

“Everything’s going to be okay,” Harry whispered, willing it to be true. “You can stay here, Mickey too if he wants.”

“He’s next door,” Mandy said with a wet snort. “Our place is a fucking crime scene. I can’t even get clothes.”

“We can get you clothes tomorrow,” Harry said. “I, er… my parents left me money when they died, I made an account the other day. That’s why I was with Fred,” he explained quickly. Mandy had seemed pissed to see Harry with Fred and Harry was sure it didn’t look good.

“I’ll take care of you,” Harry promised. “No more Terry or dealing with shit by yourself, okay? Just…” Harry actually choked up as he wondered if it could all be so easy?

“Just being happy,” Harry said. Harry could feel the beginnings of tears beginning to fall and he was glad Mandy couldn’t see his face.

Embarrassing.

“That sounds like bullshit,” Mandy said.

Harry laughed then because it really did. It sounded ridiculous. Who just got to be happy?

But if anyone deserved a happy life, Harry kind of thought it was them. Harry couldn’t imagine what Mandy went through with her dad anymore than Mandy could understand the torture Harry experienced.

They both knew how it felt to be hungry, how to be hurting, how to be lonely, and how to be unhappy though and Harry felt a surge of determination to ensure they never did again.

“I swear,” Harry said fervently. He closed his eyes again and pictured a life of just him, Mandy, and their baby. Harry didn’t see Mandy in the picture before because she left him, but he could see her then.

Harry could see her painting tiny fingernails with polish while silly giggles poured from the face of a Mini-Mandy. Harry could see them traveling to see California and taking their daughter to swim in the ocean. Harry could see Mandy smiling with their child at the Grand Canyon.

“The three of us are going to be happy,” Harry decided.

And Harry said it out loud because he wouldn’t take it back.

When Mandy stiffened in Harry’s arms, Harry thought he had accidentally pulled her hair and repositioned until they were both comfortable enough to fall asleep.

Harry woke up not much longer and felt disoriented for a moment. His left arm was tingling and Harry immediately began to panic until he pulled on it and realized it had only fallen asleep.

There was muted sunlight streaming through the window and Harry looked around blearily while he tried to—

Oh.

Harry looked down and saw Mandy’s head was on his arm, probably why it was tingling. And they had talked then fallen asleep when it had only been around two.

For as much had happened, Harry felt like he had lived for a week in just those five hours he’d been awake earlier.

Harry kissed Mandy on the head after he carefully wiggled his arm free. Mandy was still snoring and Harry didn’t want to wake her, even though he was starving and desperately had to use the loo.

There were voices floating up the stairs, too many voices, but there was also the smell of food and Harry was lulled down the stairs for food after visiting the bathroom.

Tonks and Fiona were sitting on one side of the table. Fred and Hermione were on the opposite side. Remus sat at the head of the table and Harry’s usual spot across from Remus was taken up by a high chair for Liam.

Harry wasn’t even overly concerned about not having a seat, he didn’t feel like staying anyway, what he was concerned about was the very eager conversation being shared between Hermione and Fiona.

“—being the best school is just tosh, really. I spoke with the Headmistress- no, sorry- the Principal of Ilvermony and she gave me their information. They’re much more advanced in practical magic and other areas. And their schedule is much more feasible. My parents are quite pleased, really.”

“Is it expensive?” Fiona asked. She reached over and put her hand on Liam’s head of curly black hair. “I just don’t want him to hurt himself.”

“I’ve got the tuition information in my bag!” Hermione said enthusiastically. “I’ll just go— oh.” Hermione went to stand up and stopped when she saw Harry on the staircase behind her.

“Are we telling everyone about magic?” Harry asked, looking toward Fred as he was the only one that Harry wasn’t still annoyed with.

Remus and Hermione both told Harry it would ‘be best’ to get rid of his child. And Tonks… Harry didn’t know Tonks well, but if she got rid of her own child then Harry assumed she would be ‘Team Abortion’ as well.

“Just Fiona, since she’s Liam’s guardian,” Fred said over his shoulder to Harry. He was grinning at him, but there was something stiff about his smile. “Liam’s already been showing signs of magic and Tonks confirmed it.”

“Really?” Harry was distracted by that and he looked at Fiona’s baby brother with awe. Liam wouldn’t even be one until February, Harry wondered how early a baby could show signs of magic.

“Yep. He made his blocks float around the room one day and I thought I lost my fucking mind,” Fiona grinned. “I’m not fully convinced I haven’t, but at least there’s an explanation for it.”

“That’s brilliant!” Harry said genuinely. He looked at Tonks hopefully. “So the Gallaghers can all know then, right? Since Liam’s a wizard?”

“Sure, why not?” Tonks said. “As long as everyone stays mum on the topic around other muggles.”

“Oh! Can Mandy know as well?” Harry asked as he was struck by a revelation. Harry’s child would be a witch or a wizard, and Mandy was their mum…

“Why would Mandy know?” Tonks asked Harry curiously. “She’s not related to Liam, is she?”

“No but she’s having a magical baby.”

Remus had apparently chosen a poor time to take a bite of whatever it was they were eating because he actually choked and sputtered for a moment while he stared at Harry with bulging eyes.

“Is she?” Hermione asked quietly while Remus continued to choke. Hermione held her hands up when Harry immediately scowled at her. “I think it’s wonderful if so!”

“You just said it was a terrible idea!” Fred cried.

“No, I said that if Mandy didn’t want it then it was a terrible idea,” Hermione said hotly, glaring at Fred. “Stay out of this, Fred. It has nothing to do with you.”

“Of course Mandy wants to keep it,” Harry said to all of them, taking a chance to stare each person down. “As soon as she knows it’s mine, she’s going to be thrilled.”

“And if she isn’t?” Fiona asked Harry.

Harry crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at someone he usually liked quite a bit.

“That’s our business,” Harry said coolly. “It’s our baby.”

“You’re fifteen!” Tonks cried. “If I’m not ready to be a parent at twenty-two, how the hell do you think you are?”

“Because I am!” Harry yelled at her. “Sorry you killed your kid, but—”

“HARRY!” Remus stood up and slapped his hands on the table, sending Harry to stumble backward by a step as his blood began pumping more quickly.

Harry had never actually seen Remus furious before. Mad? Yes. Irritated? Yes. Annoyed? Yes.

But Remus was furious.

Everyone was quiet while they watched Remus glare at Harry and Harry stare uncertainly at Remus.

Hermione very subtly shifted her body so that her back was to Harry and the stairs Harry still stood on were blocked. Remus broke eye contact with Harry when Hermione moved and he glanced at Hermione very quickly before sitting back down and giving Harry a less anger-filled look.

“Don’t ever speak to Nymphadora like that again,” Remus said calmly.

“Then she damn well better not talk about my family again,” Harry swore. It was hypocritical that Tonks could imply Harry would be better off without his child but Harry couldn’t bring up her pregnancy.

“You sound like a child,” Tonks said dismissively.

“That’s a wild concept, me, a child,” Harry told her seriously. “Wasn’t it your department that had me stand trial as an adult JUST LAST WEEK?!”

“You’re not thinking long-term, Harry,” Remus interrupted as Tonks’ hair flashed from pink to red. “You’re trying to fill some void with a child and you have no understanding of what it means to be a parent!”

“Neither do you,” Harry said in a calm enough voice. Harry looked Remus directly in the eyes, “You’re not a father, Remus. Not mine, not anyone’s. You’re not even a godfather.”

“Yeah?” Tonks gave Harry a dark look. “Remus is the only one that’s here, isn’t he?”

“Because James is dead,” Hermione said with what had to be a sneer judging by her tone. “Don’t talk about things you don’t understand.”

Remus didn’t even look away from Harry while Hermione defended him.

Harry knew he was pushing his luck, Remus was about to fully snap, but Harry was sick of wondering when it would happen.

Harry was sick of Remus telling people Harry was his son and sitting around, acting as if he should make plans in Harry’s life when he wouldn’t even be there in a year.

How could Remus say that Harry should get rid of his child when Remus would most likely leave before it was even born?

Remus wasn’t Harry’s father and he didn’t get to make decisions about Harry and Mandy’s child.

It was bloody uncomfortable in the kitchen for a very long moment.

Tonks was giving the table a rather dark glower. Fiona fussed with Liam. Fred was studying the ceiling as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world. Harry couldn’t see Hermione’s face, as she had her back to him, but Harry did see the hurt in Remus’ eyes.

Then Remus raised a brow and the hurt was gone and he looked as he had in Harry’s third year when someone gave a daft answer to a question.

“I’m not your father, but I can’t imagine that James would be rooting for his son to become a father at fifteen.”

“Really?” Harry said, having already given the matter quite a bit of thought. “Because I reckon that my dad, you know, the bloke that got my mum pregnant at nineteen in the middle of a war? I reckon that he wouldn’t be so quick to suggest I get rid of his grandkid.”

Harry’s mum was given a chance to leave Harry and live, but she didn’t move.

How could Harry not fight just as hard for his baby? It was an insult to Harry’s parents to say that they would have wanted Harry and Mandy to abort the baby; surely there had been nobody more tempted by that very option than James and Lily Potter once.

And they chose to have Harry.

And Harry was choosing to have his baby.

A creak at the top of the stairs ended the conversation as Harry turned and saw Mandy was awake.

Mandy had her arms crossed and wasn’t looking Harry in the eye.

“Hey,” Harry said with a quick smile. He hoped Mandy hadn’t been there long. Harry was frustrated enough with everyone poking in their business, he didn’t want Mandy to deal with it as well.

Harry meant it when he decided that he would do anything to make Mandy happy. Mandy had enough unhappiness to last a lifetime and Harry wanted to give her twice as much joy.

“Are you hungry?” Harry asked when Mandy didn’t say anything. “There’s food.”

Probably.

Harry was starving and still hadn’t ate, but if Mandy would just tell them all that they were keeping their baby then maybe they would all shut up long enough for Harry to get food.

“It kind of sounds like maybe I should like leave?” Mandy said hesitantly as she shifted from foot to foot.

Harry was about to reassure Mandy that she was the only one that Harry didn’t want to leave, then Remus called for her perfectly pleasantly.

“Mandy, please, come down.”

Harry didn’t have a good reason to not trust Remus being nice to Mandy but he didn’t feel great about it either. Hermione shifted to the side so that Harry and Mandy could both step in the kitchen together. Harry tried to grab Mandy’s hand, assure her they were a team, but she didn’t uncross her arms.

“Mandy, hypothetically, if the fetus is Harry’s, would you keep it?”

Harry’s jaw dropped at Remus’ audacity. Mandy was having a horrible time and then Remus went and asked her that right in front of—

“No.”

Lip had no fucking idea what was going on in his neighborhood.

Terry Milkovich was dead. Mickey Milkovich was on Lip’s couch when Lip returned from school, as if his ass belonged there. Mickey told Lip that Fiona was at Harry’s - who, Mickey added so casually - had been arrested that morning for Terry’s murder.

When Lip went to beat on Harry’s backdoor and ask what the fuck was going on, he saw his sister and baby brother having some cozy meal with Harry’s uncle, Mandy Milkovich, the red-headed fuck that Lip couldn’t stand, and a couple other people Lip didn’t recognize.

Then when Lip went to Kevin’s house to find out if he knew what the fuck was going on, Kevin wasn’t home.

It was like the fucking Matrix.

Lip left lan in charge of Carl and Debbie while he headed to the Alibi. If Kevin was there, he’d give Lip the dirt. Kevin was such a fucking gossip that it would probably take Lip ten minutes before he could find out if Harry was in jail or not.

The rumor that Lip heard before even getting out of school was that Terry had molested Mandy and Harry strangled him in retaliation. Which, according to Emily French, was ‘so fucking romantic’. Justin Spader, whose older brother was on CPD’s payroll as a fucking narc, said that Terry fucked Harry over on a deal and Harry shot him.

Both rumors sounded like bullshit to Lip.

Harry didn’t do hard drugs, Harry couldn’t have strangled Terry on his own, and where the fuck would Harry have gotten a gun to shoot him with?

Lip didn’t doubt that Mandy was somehow fucking involved in whatever happened though. It didn’t seem like a coincidence that she got knocked up, said she didn’t know who the dad, and two days later Harry got arrested.

Fucking Milkovich’s. Lip knew Harry should have fucking avoided them and their black hole of bullshit.

Lip had been so stressed about if Harry went to jail or not that he smoked three cigarettes back-to-back on his quick walk to the Alibi.

Though, his stress over if Harry was in jail or not melted away as soon as he walked in.

Kevin was behind the bar, nodding along silently while he poured a beer and Harry had his ass planted in the stool across from Kevin with two empty shot glasses on the counter across him.

“Dude, what the fuck?” Lip took the stool beside Harry and knew he didn’t have to ask for Kevin to get a drink.

Harry looked over at Lip and Lip felt like he’d been punched in the stomach. Harry looked like a miserable son of a bitch.

“Join the party,” Kevin said as he gave Lip a dark brown mixed drink. “Mandy’s pregnant.”

Lip already knew that. Mandy had screamed it in Lip’s face a few nights ago. Mandy also told him that she dumped Harry because she didn’t know if it was his.

When Mandy seemed content to just abort the baby and leave Harry wondering what he did wrong, Lip threatened to tell Harry if Mandy didn’t.

It seemed like she did.

“Is it yours?” Lip asked Harry after taking a drink of what turned out to be jack and coke.

“Yeah.” Harry spun one of his empty shot glasses around in between his hands.

Damn, that—

“Mandy wants an abortion,” Kevin told Lip with unusual solemnity.

“No shit?” said Lip, actually surprised by that.

Mandy having Harry’s kid was kind of her golden fucking ticket. It meant she could keep her claws in him for at least eighteen years. A lot of the chicks in the ghetto lived off child support, Lip always assumed that Mandy would be another of them.

“Why would she do that?” Harry asked quietly, maybe even a little drunkenly, while he kept watching the spinning glass. “And why don’t I get a say? It’s… it’s bloody unfair.”

Kevin nodded in agreement. “Here you are, a good guy, actually wanting to step up for your kid! But because Mandy doesn’t want to get fat then she gets to kill your baby? It’s fucked up.”

Harry made a pained sound when Kevin said ‘kill your baby’.

“I think giving birth is more than just getting fat,” Lip said drily. He raised his hands when Harry actually pouted at him. “Hey, I’m on your side, dude. I’m just saying that there’s no chance I’d ever want to push a baby out of my fucking body.”

“You’re the only one on my side then,” Harry said miserably. He corrected himself when Kevin pointedly cleared his throat. “You and Kevin. Everyone else said we should ‘get rid of it’,” Harry did finger quotes and Lip hid a snort behind another drink.

“It’s gotta be the foreign thing, man,” Kevin said. “Is England like one of those places where you can only have one kid?”

“That’s China and they lifted their policy in 2016,” Lip told him. “Does Mandy know you want to keep it?” he asked Harry. “Tell her she doesn’t have to do shit, just don’t abort it.”

The last thing Lip thought that Harry needed was Mandy Milkovich’s baby, but Lip wouldn’t want to abort his kid either. Babies were expensive and exhausting, Lip knew that better than anyone.

They also grew up to be pretty cool people, as all of Lip’s younger siblings proved. Life was fucking hard with all the Gallagher kids, but Lip wouldn’t have wanted Monica to abort any of them.

“I asked Mandy if we could talk, just the two of us,” Harry stressed, “but bloody Tonks accused me of trying to manipulate Mandy! She said I’m ‘taking advantage of her in a vulnerable moment’,” Harry said with the quotation fingers again.

Lip tapped the counter for a shot. He wondered if he did one every time Harry used his pissy little finger quotes how long it would take him to get drunk.

“Hermione told her to shut her mouth, but then Remus told Hermione to stay out of it.” Harry snorted loudly. “What? His mate gets to butt in and not mine?”

Lip and Kevin were both nodding in sympathy.

“Who the fuck are Tonks and Hermione?” Lip asked after downing the shot of the shitty well-vodka.

“Hm?” Harry looked over at Lip and then sighed. “Oh. Hermione is my friend from my old school. Tonks is… I don’t know, actually. She called herself a lawyer today but I think that’s bollocks because her mum is a lawyer and Tonks is an aur- cop. Oi!” Harry smacked the counter and looked at Kevin. “Tonks was pregnant with Remus’ baby and they had an abortion! So because they didn’t want kids it means I shouldn’t either?”

“Wait, were you actually in jail?” Lip asked, more concerned about the lawyer bit than the abortion bit.

“What? Oh, yeah.” Harry scoffed and Kevin slid him another shot of something that looked like the nasty ass Fireball that Harry liked.

“Two cops arrested him at gun point for Terry’s murder,” Kevin told Lip while Harry took his drink and lit a cigarette. “They lost the fucking evidence though and had to drop the case.”

“Chicago’s finest,” Lip said with a roll of his eyes. He eyed Harry closely as he lit his own cigarette. “You kill him?”

“I wish,” Harry growled.

Lip imagined that a lot of people wished they had killed Terry Milkovich. It was a fucking waste of tax dollars to even try and prosecute someone for the public service. Lip wouldn’t be surprised if one of the cops lost the evidence on purpose.

“Oh! Here’s what you should do!” Kevin lit up like he had some brilliant idea that Lip was sure would be fucking stupid.

It was.

“Mandy hates her dad, right?” Kevin said quickly, leaving toward Harry. “Tell her that you killed him as a favor to her! She’ll be so fucking grateful that she’ll have to keep the baby!”

When Harry didn’t see the big ass flaw with that plan, Lip had to speak up.

“I think that’s manipulation,” Lip said with a lazy drawl. “Just offer Mandy some cash to keep it,” he told Harry. “When’s she due?”

“Dunno,” Harry said. “She’s about seven weeks pregnant though, that’s what she told Hermione. Apparently it means she has to have the abortion soon or she can’t get one.”

Lip did the math while Kevin spouted off some dumbass plan of Harry keeping Mandy locked up until it was too late to abort.

“So she’s due around the end of June,” Lip said. “That gives us a little less than seven months. Tell Mandy you’ll give her five grand if she keeps it.”

Lip could make five grand in seven months, easy. And if it meant Harry could keep his kid and Mandy could fuck off with the cash then it was a good deal. There were very few problems in Lip’s life that couldn’t be resolved with enough money.

The problem was that Lip never had enough money.

“Dude, if you’re paying five grand for a baby, I know some chicks that would be ready to ride your dick,” Kevin laughed.

“I don’t want ‘a baby’, I want ours,” Harry said before quietly adding, “I thought she did too.”

“So buy it from her,” Lip said. “Everyone has a price.”

“That’s not… really messed up?” Harry asked Lip slowly.

“It’s only messed up if she would sell her baby for cash,” Kevin shrugged. “I like it, I think it’s a great plan. Oh, shit! You and Ethel can take the kids on little cousin play dates! I gotta tell Ethel to keep all her baby shit for you!”

“I dunno…” Harry said haltingly. “If telling Mandy I love her is ‘manipulation’—”

Lip tapped the counter for another shot.

“—I don’t think offering to buy it is going to sound any better.”

Lip kept his mouth shut when Kevin went back to his ‘hold Mandy hostage for a month’ plan. And when Harry asked Kevin if he could crash at his place and ‘avoid the madness at his house’, Lip found his chance to slip away.

Harry might be too noble or whatever to offer up cash for what was his kid, but Lip wasn’t.