Page 45 of Shameless

I hope I went in a blaze of glory racing one of my new powerboats or that my heart finally gave in while I was fucking a smoking hot woman. Either way, I hope my end was fast and that the last thing I did was something I loved.

Racing and fucking were the two biggest passions of my life and for what I’ve seen since I came back to Star Cove, the apples didn’t fall far from the tree, at least with three of you.

Rikki, you’ve always been smarter than average, kiddo. I never knew how to relate to you, I guess it’s good that I wasn’t around much to screw up more than I already had at the beginning of your life.

Let’s cut the bullshit, regardless of how I met my maker, I know none of you would nominate me as father of the year.

I’d say that I’m sorry and that things are complicated, but the reality is that I was never cut out for being a family man. I loved both your mothers and I tried my best with both of them until the situation exploded in my face.

Skipping town was my best option—your mothers were furious, understandably—and I was given ten million incentives to stay the fuck away.

If you’re wondering what I mean, it’s so simple it’s almost cliché. After Arianna kicked me out, her father came to see me at the motel I was staying at until I figured out my next move.

Jules, Stefan, your grandfather was never a fan of mine and once my indiscretions were exposed, he wanted to make sure I would leave and stay away from his daughter and from you two.

Maybe I should have been scared that he’d have me killed, but it wasn’t his style. The old man came with his check book in his pocket and he offered me an eye watering amount of money to leave California and stay gone. I’m not proud of the choice I made, but he gave me ten million reasons to get out of dodge and I would have been stupid to turn down that offer. Let’s face it, it’s not like your mothers wanted anything to do with me after they discovered each other.

I’m not going to apologize for how things went down, the past is written and we have to answer for our actions.

I’m also not going to get sentimental about three of my kids joining my team. Again, the apple doesn’t fall far from the treeand you didn’t just inherit your height and some physical traits from me.

The good Mr. Spencer will read you how my estate will be divided, but before I go, I just wanted to address something.

The relationship with our main sponsor, Mr. Morelli is of the utmost importance. Let Trevor handle that side of things, he has my full trust.

Lastly, I wish I didn’t have to leave everything I worked so hard for. The afterlife would be way better if we could take our money with us. But since we can’t, enjoy the fruits of my labor and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.

See you later.

Eddie

Well, shit.

Two thoughts hit me at hearing my father’s words from beyond the grave.

One is that he must have written this letter fairly recently because he talks about us joining Star Thunders.

And the second one is that if we ever thought Eddie regretted being a lousy husband, an even worse father and not a great person all around, we were wrong.

The motherfucker had no regrets for his many misgivings. A part of me hates him for it, but another part of me—the one that didn’t fall that far from the tree probably—respects the way Eddie owned his shit to the bitter end.

There’s a beat of silence in the room.

“I guess he did go fast,” Stefan breaks the silence, his tone dark. “One shot to the face. Boom. Not pretty but instant.”

Jules and the lawyer scowl at his dark humor but I can’t stifle a snort.

“Sorry.” I mutter, but I’m not sorry.

Fuck, I hate that I sound a lot like Eddie right now.

“Very well,” the lawyer clears his throat again after looking around the table as if to make sure that there aren’t any more inappropriate reactions to our father’s last words. “If you are ready, I’ll move on to reading the actual will.”

We all nod. Let’s get this show on the road.

“I, Edward Jason Branagh, declare that I sign and execute this instrument as my last will, that I sign it willingly, and that I execute it as my free and voluntary act. I declare that I am of the age of majority or otherwise legally empowered to make a will, and under no constraint or undue influence.

This will replaces every will I may have previously written.

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