Back at the Loud residence…

Lori, Luna, Leni and Luan were watching TV when Lynn Jr. arrived home. Leni glanced in her direction upon hearing the front door close and became alarmed upon seeing a bruise decorating the athlete's left cheek.

"My Gosh Lynn what happened to you," Leni exclaimed making Luna and Luan glance in her direction.

"Denver Morris happened," Lynn replied wearily as she plopped beside Luna on the couch. Lincoln was currently at Clyde's house playing video games.

"Who's Denver Morris," Luan repeated with a puzzled expression.

Lynn released a long sigh before continuing, "He's in the seventh grade like me but in Ms. Salter's class. He knows about the trial," making her sisters gasp in alarm.

"How on earth did he find out?" Luna asked.

"His uncle is the bailiff at the courthouse. He came to their family barbeque on Monday and told them our parents were on trial and that Marvin testified against me for accusing him of bullying Lincoln. Fortunately that's all his Uncle mentioned so Margo and Paula only know about what I did to Marvin."

"Then he attacked you," Luan asked, making Lynn nod in agreement.

"But we don't have to worry, he said he won't blab to everybody at school about our parents," Lynn said but her older sisters still retained worried expressions.

"I don't know Denver could change his mind then everybody will think you're some kind of mental case for dragging a random boy home," Lori stated.

"Where's Pop-Pop?" Lynn questioned after a few moments of silence.

"He just left with our little sisters to buy some cat litter at the supermarket," Luna explained then Lori departed back to the basement to check on the last batch of washed clothing she placed in the dryer.

Then right on time the door opened and Albert and walked in with the younger girls. One look at Lynn's bruised face made Albert knit his brow with a concerned look.

"Junior what happened to you," he asked placing down the hefty burlap bag of cat litter.

Quickly thinking Luna decided to fib about what actually happened to prevent alarming the younger ones and their grandfather.

"She just fell down while roller skating Pop-Pop," Luna replied.

"Then my friend Margo who lives across from the park took me home and treated my injury," Lynn added.

"Oh well I'm glad it doesn't seem to be anything serious," Albert said before picking up the burlap bag and continued to the kitchen.

Lynn released another sigh then silently left the room and headed upstairs to relax. Later Lincoln arrived home from Clyde's house. Finding Lynn watching TV then noticing the bruising on her face which was slowly healing Lincoln merely thought she received the injury while playing some sport with her friends.

The sisters never revealed the incident at the park with Denver to their brother.

Sunday June 4

Albert with the assistance of Lori and Luna were preparing dinner earlier since Grandma Amy's arrival was four that afternoon. Chicken legs covered with barbeque sauce by Albert were baking in the oven while Luna threw some baby carrots into a saucepan on the stove. As Lori peeled potatoes Leni was busy setting the table, Lincoln was reading comics in his bedroom, while the others watched cartoons.

Sometime later everyone was dressed but Lola wasn't wearing her usual gown with gloves, low heels and tiara since Lori advised her to dress normally. Amy's grandchildren were anticipating her visit especially the younger girls who only visited her twice after her husband passed three months after Lincoln's ninth birthday. Only three minutes remained for Amy to arrive so Albert began reheating dinner.

Amethyst Loud or Gran Amy as her grandchildren affectionately called her, relocated to Hazeltucky when her daughter in law Rita finished her dental assisting course while pregnant with Lincoln was en route to Royal Woods to visit her grandkids, stopping only once to buy gas.

"There she is," Lori exclaimed excitedly, peering through the living room window and noticing her grandmother's familiar green Honda car coming up the driveway.

Everyone stood outside on the porch to greet the widowed mother of three with Albert holding Lily, standing at the back of her siblings was Lynn Jr.

The children chorused by greeting her as she stepped onto the porch with a resounding, "Hi Gran Amy."

"Good afternoon grandkids," Amy responded.

Lori being the first person to approach embraced her grandmother after saying, "It's been a long time Gran Amy," followed by Leni, Luna, Luan, Lincoln, Lola, Lisa, Lana, Lucy hugging her.

However when it was Lynn's turn, to everyone's surprise before she could embrace her grandmother she received a disapproving glare from Amy.

"Good afternoon Junior," Gran Amy declared with a bit of anger before surprising everyone by pinching Lynn's left ear making the teenager wince in pain.

"Young lady, I heard you threatened your brother with a bat and accused some poor kid of picking on him. What do have to say for yourself," Amy scolded Lynn with a furious tone.

"I-I said I was sorry," Lynn stuttered while squirming from her grandmothers grip.

Suddenly Gran Amy released the girls ear which Lynn Jr. began rubbing to relieve the pain.

Once everyone stepped inside with Lynn trailing behind looking shamefaced, Amy glanced around then Albert spoke.

"We have lemonade would you like some," Lori offered graciously.

"First I'll need to use the bathroom," Amy replied.

Upstairs Amy noticed Lola's princess car resting on the left wall outside of the twin's bedroom. When she returned Amy sat in the armchair then Lori approached her with a glass of lemonade and a coaster.

"Thanks Lori, "she said gratefully, taking the glass. Lori stood beside her teenage sisters behind the couch while Albert, Lincoln and the other girls sat on the couch with Lily sitting in Albert's lap.

After drinking some lemonade Amy rested the glass on the coaster Lori provided on the coffee table.

"There are some serious matters to discuss, first how are you managing to pay the bills?" Amy inquired.

Lisa had showed Albert where the bills, the parent's checks and phone numbers of the utility companies were kept to pay the bills from Lynn Sr bank account.

"I manage but eventually there won't be enough money left in Lynn and Rita's accounts," Albert replied.

Suddenly she pulled two envelopes from her red handbag and handed one over to Albert.

"Here's a check for the next mortgage payment and something extra," she said.

Albert took the envelope and saw $800 written on the check and a $50 Supermart gift card for groceries. Gran Amy then reached over to Lincoln and handed him the other envelope.

"Lincoln here's an early birthday gift for you," Amy continued.

He looked inside and Lincoln's eyes widened in surprise upon seeing two twenty dollar bills and a $40 gift certificate for Boys are Us, a clothing store for boys.

After the transfers Amy turned her attention to her granddaughters with a unpleasant look on her face.

"Lori, Leni, Luna, Luan and Junior, I'm really disappointed in you, what happened to the sweet little girls I looked after while your mother attended community college. You've turned into girls who refuse to act like well-behaved young ladies. Shirley told me the nine of you bully Lincoln and that you beat him over a car seat," Amy scolded while Lincoln listened intently to his sisters getting chewed out.

An awkward moment of silence with the five teenage girls looking ashamed.

"And Lisa what if something serious happened when you placed those tracking chips inside your parents," Amy asked.

"But Grandma I administered the correct dosage of chloroform while they were sleeping," Lisa started.

After Amy drank the rest of her lemonade she continued.

"Girls why didn't someone object to Lincoln wearing a mascot suit on the beach," but was greeted with her granddaughters exchanging nervous glances. Lori quietly crept away to check if dinner was ready.

"Did Shirley tell you I was assigned the children's temporary guardian," Albert asked.

"Yes," Amy replied

Some moments of silence passed until Lori came back.

"Luna and Leni could you help me put the food on the table," she announced.

Lori removed the chicken from the oven, Luna placed the mashed potatoes into a bowl with Leni putting the carrots into another bowl.

Leni returned and announced, "Dinner is served everyone."

Amy seated herself in Lynn Sr. chair with Lori to her left and Lincoln to her right. Albert served Amy first before the children began serving themselves starting with Leni.

"So Lincoln when are you graduating?" Amy inquired after a few minutes passed.

"Next week Friday at three pm it's also the last day of school," Lincoln responded.

She turned her attention to the oldest sister next.

"How are you doing with your college applications Lori?" she inquired.

"I applied to a couple but I received a rejection letter from Michigana State," she replied.

"That's too bad, if you succeed in getting into one I'm willing to pay some of the expenses," Amy replied.

"Lana and Lola how are you getting along in school," Amy continued.

"I'm doing okay," Lana answered then Lola said, "I'm having a little trouble with subtractions."

"Albert how's everything with you health wise?" she asked.

"I'm in perfect health, nothing serious," Albert responded.

No more words were spoken until after Albert served dessert, a vanilla cake he bought at the supermarket that morning.

"Thank you for a wonderful meal, Albert, but I must go," Gran Amy told him.

The children surrounded their grandmother in an embrace and bade her, "Goodbye Gran Amy."

"Bye grandkids," she answered.

After her departure the kids cleared the table and Luna and Lynn washed the dishes. The children watched a movie on TV with their grandfather before getting ready for school tomorrow. Lincoln pulled the envelope from his right front pocket and placed it on his dresser.

Monday June 5 examination results for the fifth graders and seniors were handed out after first period. Lincoln received a B in Mathematics and A for the other subjects. Lori received an A for English Language but B's in other subjects and C in Mathematics. Albert stopped at the bank with Lily in tow to deposit Amy's check into the Loud parents joint account then visited his friends at Sunset Canyon after completing his morning chores.

The remainder of the week passed without incident. Luna received a B on her History test thanks to Lisa's tutelage and Albert changed his routine a little by taking Lily to Ketcham Park after morning chores. Occasionally Denver passed Lynn Jr. in the hallway who merely glowered at the brunette when looking in her direction. Throughout the week the sisters were slightly on edge praying that their friends and classmates would find out what happened to their parents and confront them angrily. Fortunately Denver kept his word and never revealed anything on social media or to his classmates. Extracurricular activities were winding down so this was Luna's last week for band practice. The parents began working jobs at Kingsley last week Tuesday after getting acquainted with the facility. New inmates waited four days after arriving before getting permission to work and their salaries deposited in the prisons bank account and at the end of their sentences would receive a check with the money earned. Rita chose work in the library and Lynn Sr. wanted to a cooking position but was told he'd start as a dishwasher until they decided to promote him to assistant cook.

On Friday Maria Santiago and her children sat around the kitchen table eating dinner. Maria became a bit apprehensive about relaying some important news to her children.

The mother of two thought, "I hope they don't get too upset especially Bobby since he got back together with Lori."

"Kids I have something to tell you," she began…