Plot summary
Fiona has started a sexual relationship with Tony, a local cop who has had feelings for Fiona since childhood. At the market, Ian is approached by his classmate Mandy Milkovich, who wants to start a sexual relationship with him after he took revenge on a teacher for her. Ian is forced to take her home, where she tries to have sex with him. Ian rejects her, causing her to storm out in tears, which is witnessed by Fiona and Tony.
A social security worker visits the Gallagher home looking for Aunt Ginger, the owner of the family house who has supposedly been living in a Wisconsin nursing home; the worker suspects that someone has been cashing Aunt Ginger's checks for the past 12 years. Fiona confronts Frank, who reveals he has been the one cashing them. As she tries to contact Aunt Ginger, Fiona is constantly visited by Steve, who wants to repair their relationship and is frustrated that she is now with Tony. Fiona is also shocked upon learning that Tony was a virgin, and that she took his virginity. Meanwhile, Ian is hunted down by Mandy's brothers, including the eldest Mickey Milkovich, as Mandy had told them that Ian raped her. When the brothers fail to catch Ian, they brutally beat Lip instead.
When Fiona tries to get a car for Wisconsin, Frank is forced to reveal that Aunt Ginger actually died 12 years ago while she was doing drugs with him. With social security nearing an inspection, Fiona gets a senile woman from the local nursing home to pose as their aunt. After having the woman live at the Gallagher home for a few days and changing their pictures, they present her as Ginger and use her dementia as an advantage to avoid questions. As a result, the social security worker is forced to give the Gallaghers their check, which Fiona takes to use for their family needs.
They return the woman to the nursing home, devastating Debbie, who had formed a bond with the old woman. Ian meets with Mandy and comes out as gay. Coming to terms with Ian's sexuality, Mandy decides to call off her brothers and agrees to be Ian's "girlfriend" in order to mask his sexuality. The episode concludes with Fiona deciding to turn down another date with Tony, and she surprises Steve by showing up at his job.
Credits
Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Aunt Ginger. Paragraphs and formatting adjusted; illustrations, reference markers, block quotations and non-story material omitted.