Chapter 42
Chapter 7 has been updated.
Wednesday (continued)
Later Lincoln helped his grandfather this time with preparing dinner. He applied a shake and bake coating into the plastic bags that came inside the box while Albert prepared scalloped potatoes.
Dinner time rolled around eventually and everyone gathered around the table with Luan placing Lily in her high chair.
"Lincoln how was your day?" Albert inquired.
"It was okay, I went through my dresser and got rid of stuff I don't use anymore," he replied.
"Good, what about you Luna, how's your friends?" Albert asked.
"They're fine Pop Pop," she replied smiling.
"Kids there's a particular movie I'd like to watch on TV starting at seven so you can find something else to do," Albert said.
Heavy Command, about two friends fighting in the Persian Gulf War.
The children continued eating without a response, once Luna and Luan finished washing the dishes and silverware, they gathered around the dining table to play a board game with their siblings. Lincoln sat alongside his grandfather to watch the movie called Heavy Command, a comedy about two friends who fought in the Vietnam War.
Thursday
After the usual late breakfast Lincoln turned on his video chat to contact with Ronnie Anne before tidying his bedroom instead Liam appeared on the screen with some news.
"Hey Lincoln dad gave me the day off how about ride some bumper cars? I already asked Rusty," Liam announced.
"That sounds like fun, I'll ask if I can go," Lincoln replied.
Albert was leaving the bathroom the exact time Lincoln stepped into the hallway.
"Pop-Pop, my friend Liam invited me to the go-kart track can I go," he asked politely.
"Kiddo it's summer you don't have to ask permission," Albert said light heartedly.
Returning to Liam's call Lincoln said, "Hey Liam I'll be there, how about in thirty minutes?"
"Sounds fine to me," Liam drawled before hanging up.
Lincoln finished everything in seven minutes then ensured he had sufficient money in his wallet and shoved the wallet in his right back pocket. He noticed Luna, Luan and Lily on the couch watching television.
"Guys I'm going bumper car racing with my friends," he called out.
"Have fun," the sisters called out nonchalantly.
The bus ride to the bumper car place lasted only a few minutes, located across the street from the Royal Woods Mall, his friends already dropped off by Rusty mom a minute ago and he spotted the boys waiting near the entrance.
An hour and thirty minutes later…..
'Woohoo, that was so much fun," Rusty cheered joyfully when the boys had enough of riding the bumper cars.
"Yeah time to call your mom," Liam reminded him.
As Rusty started dialing his mom's number, Lincoln approached the nearby soda machine and bought a cold bottle of water.
"Well guys bye, the bus is coming in three minutes," Lincoln said
Once his friends waved and said goodbye at the same time, Lincoln rushed towards the bus stop. Reaching home Lincoln dozed off for a couple of hours after warming some leftover dinner until he was interrupted from his slumber Lola shouting that dinner was ready.
That evening the topic of conversation around the dining table centered on the upcoming Fourth of July celebrations next week Tuesday.
Once Albert finished saying, "Kids, have you thought about how to spend Fourth of July," an air of sadness pervaded amongst the siblings.
"I know how tough it will be since your mom and dad won't be there," Albert consoled them, sensing their sudden melancholy mood.
"Well, we can just grill some burgers and make French fries," Lincoln suggested.
"It's also Grandma Amy's turn this year to celebrate with us," Luna added.
Tonight Luan and Lucy went on kitchen duty while everyone else enjoyed a mini marathon of Dream Boat on TV.
Friday morning five a.m
As everyone in the house slept peacefully the occupant of the bedroom that was once a linen closet stirred awake but something wasn't right. Lincoln could feel a scratchy sensation inside his throat but the boy didn't show great concern.
"I'll just take a couple of aspirin then do some gargling," he thought.
Grabbing the bottle of water he bought at the bumper car place on his dresser Lincoln stepped into the bathroom and took some aspirin from the cabinet. After swallowing the pills then gargling Lincoln threw the empty water bottle into the wastebasket then returned to bed. At nine a.m. while his sisters slept soundly Lincoln awoke but the scratchy sensation he felt in his throat before was stronger despite the aspirin he'd taken. Lincoln became slightly alarmed.
"Oh just great, and on the day Lori and I have to visit Ronnie Anne," he grumbled under his breath.
"Might as tell Pop-Pop I'm sick," he thought
Fortunately his grandfather had woken up five minutes ago and just staying in bed for a while enjoying some easy listening music on his transistor radio on the nightstand when he got interrupted by six strong knocks on the bedroom door.
Turning off the music Albert called out, "Come in."
The elderly man noticed his grandson some inches away approaching the bed.
"What the matter kiddo he asked
"I'm feeling sick, my throat is all burning and scratchy, I think Im getting a sore throat," the boy admitted in a gravelly tone.
Albert's expression changed to great concern and he waited until Lincoln was standing right beside him.
Taking the back of his right hand, Albert placed it on Lincoln's throat and grimaced a bit upon feeling the boy's throat was rather hot.
"Kiddo please go back into bed immediately," Albert commanded.
Lincoln nodded gratefully being eager to get back under his bedsheets since he began feeling uncomfortable standing.
Albert leaped out of bed instantly and followed his grandson. In the bathroom the elderly man located some orange flavored sore throat medicine in the cabinet. Finding the inside of the plastic cap clean Albert entered Lincoln's bedroom to administer some of it to his grandson and poured some of the medicine into the cap.
'Here Lincoln, this will help somehow," Albert urged which the boy gratefully received without question.
"I'll make you some tea for now then make chicken soup for later," Albert said when Lincoln handed the empty cap back.
He placed the medicine on the dresser before departing. Back in the hallway Albert came upon a bleary eyed Lori who had retired to bed quite early last night.
"Morning, Pop Pop," she greeted with a smile.
Albert suddenly remembered about the bank appointment for him to help Lori open an account.
"Morning Lori, Lincoln woke up with a sore throat, we'll have to reschedule our appointment at the bank," Albert said.
Lori snapped out of her groggy state and replied in a worried tone, "Oh no," then she realized something.
"I can ask Luna to hold down the fort and look after him and the others while we're gone," Lori suggested.
"Good call kiddo," Albert responded then both headed downstairs to prepare breakfast.
Minutes later Albert entered Lincoln's bedroom carrying some oolong tea and placed the cup and saucer in the boy's hands.
"There you go," he said soothingly then placed Lincolns computer chair nearer to the bed.
Minutes later, the others came downstairs with Luan carrying Lily, they greeted "good morning" to Albert and Lori simultaneously then poured cereal and milk into bowls.
Noticing the boy with white hair absent from the table, Luan asked curiously, "Wait, where is Lincoln?"
"Lincoln's in bed with a sore throat," Lori explained, causing her sisters to gasp slightly.
'So Luna can you look after him and the others until Lori and I get back from our bank appointment?" Albert asked.
"Sure Pop-Pop," Luna agreed still worried.
Sometime later, Lana and Lola peered inside his bedroom not wanting to enter but noticed him asleep. They headed to the couch to watch cartoons, then Luna entered the room wearing a worried expression. She approached Lincoln's chair and removed the cup and saucer before exiting the bedroom.
Later
Lori slung her bag over her shoulder and checked her makeup in her dresser mirror. Leni wasn't returning home until evening and Lori didn't want to spoil her sister's time with her friend Jackie by calling her about Lincoln's sore throat. Albert and Luna waited in the living room while Lily and the twins kept engrossed in their cartoon watching with Luan. Lucy and Lisa were reading on the front porch.
"Hey Pop-Pop I'm ready," Lori announced.
Albert rose then addressed Luna, "Luna remember to check on Lincoln and have him take more of the medicine. I placed some cherry lozenges on the chair. I started some chicken soup so please watch it and give Lincoln some. I found a bell in your mother's nightstand and gave it to Lincoln to use if he wants you for anything."
"You can count on me Pop-Pop," Luna said cheerily.
After closing the door behind them and Luan, the comedian getting dropped off at Sunset Canyon for her summer job, Luna checked on the soup and poured some into Lincoln's cereal bowl. Fortunately she found the boy awake, Lincoln greeted her in a cheerful manner although he wasn't thrilled to be sick.
"Hey Luna," he greeted in a raspy tone.
"Hey bro here's the chicken soup," Luna said and handed her brother the bowl and spoon.
"So I take it Lori and Pop-Pop have left?" he inquired.
"Yes little bro, I'm sorry you're ill," Luna said in sympathy.
"Before you leave, I'd like to have my laptop next to me so I can watch TV," he requested.
Without saying a word, Luna carried his laptop over and placed it near the wall on Lincolns left side.
"Thanks Lunes," he said with gratitude.
"No prob, just ring that bell whenever you need anything, get well soon," Luna said reassuringly.
Lisa suddenly interrupted the sibling's conversation to relay something she remembered.
"Luna," she began, "Before the incident, I was working on a medicine that would treat sore throats within eight hours which thankfully wasn't taken by the Institute. I suggest we retrieve it from the basement so Lincoln can take some. I just informed Pop-Pop to get his permission and he agreed."
Lincoln was sure the little genius wasn't telling the truth about getting their grandfathers permission but wanted to get better as soon as possible.
"All right, let's go down into the basement and retrieve it," Luna told her.
We take a little journey to Huntington Oaks where Lucas and Sara were looking through some real estate magazines in their study. Their oldest child, seventeen year old Lauren, already left for the library where she volunteers every summer since last year and the other kids were watching TV.
"I wonder how Rita and Lynn Sr. will react when we tell them we're moving to Royal Woods," Sara wondered as she looked at some houses in the Royal Springs area of the magazine Real Estate Royal Woods.
Well the other Louds are moving to Royal Woods but when? Will Lisa's medicine she was working on make Lincoln get better quickly?