In this chapter there's a visit to Kingsley to see how Rita and Lynn Sr. are doing and swing around a bit at the juvenile center Lynn Jr is staying. Enjoy and review.
Ketcham Park
Lincoln began walking home at a leisurely pace, having stayed an undetermined amount of time sitting on the park bench after his friends departed to wherever they're going. Fortunately few people were at the park while Lincoln spoke to his friends and weren't within hearing distance of their conversation. Some toddlers enjoyed themselves in the playground area with their parents, guardians and childminders watching over them. For the entire time Lincoln allowed his mind to go completely blank, in his own world.
Finally arriving home Lincoln saw the garage door open and noticed Luna playing her guitar with one of her bandmate/friend Sam Sharp.
"HI bro," Luna called out and Sam waved to him and Lincoln waved back.
Inside the house, the TV wasn't on but Lana and Lola sat crossed legged around the coffee table playing checkers, Lucy, Lisa and Lily currently napping in their respective rooms and Leni left an hour ago to stay with her friend Jackie until Thursday afternoon. Luan was assisting Pop-Pop with dinner by peeling potatoes. The twins acknowledged Lincoln's presence by looking in his direction and saying, "Hi Lincoln," together and he responded, "Hey."
Lincoln placed the shades he wore on his dresser, kicked off his sneakers then plopped on his bed and stared at the ceiling for a couple of minutes then fell asleep. Waking up in time to hear Lana calling out dinners ready, Lincoln washed his face to stay alert. Everyone enjoyed the meatloaf and mashed potatoes with green peas.
"Lucy, Lana, Lola and Lisa how'd you like to attend the kid's summer program at the library?" Albert asked.
When the girls showed no enthusiasm whatsoever Albert continued, trying to convince them, "It's Mondays to Fridays from ten to three but you don't have to go on Fridays. It's not for the whole summer until July. What do you say kiddos?"
"Okay, at least it's something we can do instead of staying home so much," Lisa admitted and the other girls nodded their heads in agreement.
Last Friday when Albert dropped Lisa and Lucy at the library he picked up a copy of the Royal Woods Newsletter in the lobby along with the program of summer activities taking place until the second week of August.
As Luan washed and Lincoln dried everything used after dinner, Albert watched the local news report while Luna gave lily her evening bath and the other girls rested in their rooms.
At 8: 17 pm Lori arrived home, her siblings and Albert watching another DVD from the collection of movies they owned called Queen of the Rings.
"Hey Lori," her siblings greeted together.
She glanced in their direction and greeted them in a weary tone, "Hello everyone."
"I left some dinner for you," Albert said.
Lori warmed the remainder of the mac and cheese and baked chicken wings in the microwave and then headed upstairs after eating to change and get into bed.
The next morning Tuesday, as Lori revved up Vanzilla once she buckled her seatbelt, the engine began sputtering which aggravated the eighteen year old.
'This is just great," she muttered in frustration.
Grabbing her handbag, Lori unbuckled the seatbelt and jumped out the van. She slammed the door just in time to see the next bus coming some distance down the street.
"I have no time to go inside and tell Pop-Pop, I'll just buy a bus pass from the driver," Lori thought.
While en route to work Lori texted her grandfather about Vanzilla breaking down requesting he ask Lana to fix the vehicle. After breakfast Lana began working tirelessly on Vanzilla as Luan worked on a brand new comedy routine for tomorrow's performance on the Gigglin' Geezer.
That morning the loudspeaker summoned Rita to take a phone call once she finished breakfast. It was Sara calling to announce she, Lucas and the kids came back on Saturday.
"When Shirley told us about you and Lynn getting tried for child abuse I just couldn't believe it," Sara said astonishingly.
Suddenly Rita's heart started beating a little faster and a fearful expression came over her.
"My God I hope Shirley didn't mention us making Lincoln wear the squirrel suit," she thought.
'Sara Lynn and I made some mistakes," Rita replied.
'Lucas and I will visit the kids to see how they're doing," Sara said
"I'll definitely appreciate that Sara," Rita responded.
"Well I have to run some errands so keep safe Rita," Sara implored.
"Bye Sara," Rita said wearily, after hanging up the receiver.
Breakfast over Lincoln cleaned Cliff's litterbox before tidying his bedroom while Luna helped Albert wash breakfast utensils and clean the kitchen. Albert dropped off the twins, Lisa and Lucy at the library.
Lincoln relaxed with a comic book until it was time to head for Gus.
At twelve p.m. Lincoln entered Gus Games and Grub and noticed Ronnie Anne sitting in the booth he and his friends always sat.
"Ready for some DDR, friend," Ronnie asked, nudging him slightly.
'You bet RA," he declared smirking.
After two rounds of the addictive game, Lincoln and Ronnie Anne joined Rusty, Liam and Zach at the booth eating pizza after playing two more games. Some former classmates were in attendance enjoying themselves. Clyde remained a no show because he was recuperating from his ten a.m. dental visit.
"Here comes Miss Goody two shoes Jordan," Ronnie Anne remarked wryly in a low voice as the girl in question who just arrived strolled towards their booth.
"Hi guys," Jordan announced in her cheerful manner, she didn't really care for Ronnie Anne had who nicknamed her shrimp because of her petite size.
"Hi girl Jordan," the boys greeted simultaneously.
"Lincoln I hope you enjoyed your birthday," Jordan asked.
'Yes I had a good time with my friends and family," Lincoln merely responded.
'Guess what I'm going on a three week holiday at Seven Flags with my folks," she announced.
That's nice, when are you leaving," Rusty asked inquisitively.
"July first," Jordan explained then glancing at a distant table where her two close friends waited for her.
"Hey gotta go, Mollie and Artie's waiting," she uttered hastily.
After the light brown haired girl's departure, everyone continued chowing down in peace and quiet for a while.
"So Ronnie, you started preparing for the big move yet?" Rusty inquired before starting his second pizza slice.
"Nah, I'll just throw the few clothes I have in my suitcase the night before," she admitted.
Continuing to savor their pizza for a few minutes, Lincoln then asked, "How's Bobby?"
"Oh he told me and Mami on Friday today's his last day at the supermarket," Ronnie replied then glanced at her watch after finishing her pizza slice.
"Sorry guys I have to go, the next bus is coming and I have to start dinner, bye," she announced.
"See you around Ronnie," Lincoln replied.
Once she disappeared out of sight, the boys continued eating and reclined back on the seat when they finished.
"Hey guys, have to bounce, by the way you won't see me until August first because tomorrow I'm gonna be spending time with my cousin Tristan in Cleveland ," Zach announced rising from his seat.
"Have a wonderful time buddy," Clyde said. The remaining boys then parted ways.
Dinner ended with a delicious cherry pie Albert bought since he wasn't a great baker like Lynn Sr, afterwards Luna and Luan washed and dried everything used for dinner. Lincoln took Charles out for a walk and Lana decided to tag along.
"Lincoln I kinda wished you were coming to live with Aunt Shirley," Lana asked after they walked in silence for three minutes.
"We'll probably never know why she picked you, Lola, Luan, Lynn and Lisa," Lincoln responded. He thought of a possible reason five days ago but stayed quiet about it. He thought Shirley and Ethan might be sending them as out of control kids to Ethan's alternative school where the students ranged from five to sixteen years old. For the remainder of the walk they remained silent only stopping when Charles halted three times to do the usual sniffing around dogs do.
While Albert took a relaxing shower the kids watched a mini marathon of Operation Dessert Storm on TV for a couple of hours until they became tired and went upstairs.
Meanwhile as the children got ready for bed, at Kingsley Lynn Sr. remained busy washing kitchen utensils with two male inmates who also worked the evening shift. His work schedule was five days a week with Thursdays and Sundays off. Other inmates were currently enclosed in their cells after dinner doing whatever they wished while the others enjoyed relaxation time in the recreation area. Rita was safely in bed reading a magazine she borrowed from the library with another one laying on her nightstand.
#####################################################################################
Wednesday
The morning wake up bell alerted the inmates at Hazeltucky to rise out of bed and prepare for breakfast then classes. Lynn Jrs. volatile roommate Latasha however remained in bed while her roomies got ready to depart for the showers.
"So long chumps. I'm leaving today at nine, enjoy prison," she said arrogantly.
"Lucky," Lynn muttered under her breath snidely as she left the cell with Wendy and Justina.
Wendy had struck up a little friendship with Lynn, who casually told the athlete she had been arrested for joyriding and sentenced to the same two months like Lynn.
"Wow," Lynn Jr thought at the time.
A little later breakfast was over so Lincoln tidied his bedroom then sat in his chair to begin planning his day, he suddenly realized, "Only a few days left until Lucy and I move in with the McBrides, I'll just spend time getting rid of old stuff."
He began rummaging through his underwear drawer and found two pairs of briefs with holes and dumped them in his wastepaper basket since he bought those new ones with Grandma Amy's birthday gift card. Following that, in Lincoln's shirt drawer he found a white dress shirt he wore to Clyde's ninth birthday party that had a permanent stain caused by something he ate that was shoved way into the back. No matter what methods Rita tried to get rid of the stain she couldn't remove it. He also tossed it in the wastebasket. Taking everything from the other drawers he dumped them on his bed. Lincoln found two older video games he'd outgrown and threw them into the basket, broken pencils and crayons, a rusty silver pencil sharpener, lists written weeks and months ago and other miscellaneous items that should have been discarded a long time ago. Replacing the contents back into their respective drawers Lincoln smoothed out the bedspread.
Then a call began entering from his walkie talkie which he hastily picked up.
"Hey buddy, dad Howard is taking me shopping, I don't know when I'll return, we can probably hang out tomorrow," Clyde said.
Lincoln sighed then replied, "Okay buddy over and out."
The McBrides came to an agreement years ago that Howard would work at home during the summer holidays instead of leaving their son home alone.
Going downstairs but seeing Lily watching her DVD show Lincoln returned to his bedroom and watched videos on his laptop. Albert hadn't returned from the library because he drove to Sunset Canyon afterwards to participate in exercise classes recently added to the daily activities after the tyrannical nurse got fired by Mr. Hamilton because food items began missing from the pantry which were traced back to her when security cameras were replayed which showed her taking the items in question and because he overheard complaints from residents about her restricting them from being too active and enforcing a six pm curfew when Lincoln visited Albert one day.
End of chapter