Hi everyone ! I know... I know... It's been a loooong time since I update this story but I won't lie to you...
For the last few months, I had a lot to think about for my personal and professional life, and I completly forget about this story. But don't worry ! Now, my mind is clear and I will focused on this story. I don't think I'll published a chapter every week, but I don't want you to wait for to long.
So know... Take a cup of cocoa, bring some candy, and enjoyed the next chapter of Bloody Bunny.
Chapter 4 : The Goth and the Sweet
How could she !? Lincoln isn't dead ! He's just… he's just… He's just not dead! Lucy entered her bedroom, clearly pissed off by what her mother said. She sat on her bed and took her notebook.
« Lucy, you need to calm down. » Lynn said, entering the room. Lucy stared at her with her uncovered eye, not replying, and focused on her poems.
« Come on, Lucy. » Lynn approched and sat next to her. « I know that you're clearly upset. Heck, you even talked to us. But… Mom and Dad didn't tell us to accept this idea. They talked to us so that we can think about it. »
Lucy scribbled something, tore a pages and gave it to Lynn who took it. During those five years, Lynn managed to convinced Lucy to talked to her by writing, not wanted to lose another sibling. Lynn read the paper and sighed. « No Lucy. I'm not for this idea… but I'm not against it either. »
Lucy raised an eyebrow and wrote something, then showed it to her sister. « What do I mean by that ? Well… I don't like the idea of buring Lincoln. We don't even know if he's alive, even if the chances are low… But Mom and Dad have a point, we need something to past through that. Not something that can allow us to forget his absence but something that allow us to move on, to put all of this behind us like Mom said. »
Hearing her sister, Lucy understood that she maybe was a little to harsh to her mother. After all, she only wanted the best for her family, like everyone else in this house. She then though of those five years. Five years of silence. Did I really was silent all these years ? Now that I think of it, maybe it is time to move on… After all had happened to me... Going through elementery school and middle school wasn't easy for someone like Lucy, who was labeled « strange » by the other students, and even some teachers. But without her brother, the one who truly understood her, it was far worst. Between the bullying and teasing, even if Haiku and Rocky were there for her, she really wanted to end this multiple time in the past.
No, I promised Lynn that I never though of that anymore. The past is the past… And the future is ahead of us… Lucy stood up, placed her notebook on her nightstand and walked outside of the bedroom. « I'm thirsty. »
With a smile, Lynn looked at her sister, exiting the room.
Leni was curently crying on her bed with Lori hugging her, her chin on top of her little sister's head.
« Ssh… Ssh… It's gonna be okay Leni... »
« How can it be okay ? Mom and Dad want to bury Linky… You only bury someone when he's dead… So, Linky is dead, right ? »
« No. Mom and Dad didn't mean Lincoln is dead. It's just... »
« It's just what ? » Leni said looking straight at Lori with wattering eyes.
« How can I explain this… Mom and Dad don't want us to be like this, to be this despressed during the rest of our lives. And that's why they want to bury Lincoln, not because he's dead, but because we need to move on, especially you. »
« I know… Since Linky's gone I wasn't the sweet and joyful girl anymore. But… I don't have the right to be joyful and I just can't forgive myself... »
Leni lowered her head. Lori, looking concerned, took the shoulders of her sister.
« Wha-What do you mean by that ? »
Leni raised her head with a look of sadness, guilt and sorrow, caughting off guard Lori.
« Even if he was kidnapped, he's gone in the first place because of us ! And what did I do, nothing ! Like always ! I'm one of his older sister, I should standed up for him, I should listened to him !… But he was right. I was to scared of being outnumbered, while it was Lincoln's everyday life… I will not be surprised if he hated me. »
Suddenly, she was embrace and could felt her sister shivered.
« Lori ? »
« Don't you dare say that ! » Leni could feel anger, but also sorrow in her sister voice. « You are an amazing sister. You care about us and you always help us. If Lincoln had to hate one sister, it should be me. Even though I'm his oldest sister, the one everyone should count on, I was a bossy teenager who only care about her boyfriend and her school life. I should more took care about my family ! I should more took care about my little brother ! Instead, I treated him like a slave and an object, I mocked him for his hobbies, I never respected his privacy… I was more a bully than a sister. »
Leni didn't believe her ears. During those years, Lori was like a beacon for her sister and comforted them. But, right now, in her arms, it wasn't the strong and guiding Lori Loud she knew. No, it was a broken, lost and guilty young woman of 22 years old. For Leni, it was like meeting a new face of her sister, a face of sadness, of remorse. She placed her sister in a warm embrace. This time, it was Leni's job to be there for her family.
« I'm so sorry Lori. During all this time, you were there for us, but no one were there for you. As the second sister, I should helped you but I didn't… But now I'll be there for you, I promise. »
« Thank you, Leni. »
They stayed a few minutes like that before Leni heared Lori's little snores. No wanted to disturb her, Leni lay her dowm on her bed carefully. Sleep well Lori.
In the hallway, Lucy was about to go down the stairs when she saw Leni exited her bedroom and also went to the stairs. She noticed her eyes were a little red and her mascara had ran a little, but Leni showed a warm smile. Leni smiling and out of her bedroom ? That's… very unusual. What did Lori told her after what Mom and Dad said ?
« Hi Lucy ! »
« … Hi Leni. »
Leni stopped after hearing Lucy and blinked a few time. « Oh my gosh ! Lucy ! Did you just- »
« Yes. »
She then was tackle into a hug, Leni stroking her cheek with her own. « I'm so happy ! I miss your voice SO much ! I always thought that your voice are one of the cuttest ! » Lucy tried to get out of the hug, blushing.
« Leni, could you please put me down ? »
« Oh ! Sorry ! But it's been so long since I heared your voice ! »
« Yeah… But I think it's been too long. » Lucy said with a little smile.
« Come on. » Leni replied with a bigger smile. « I was just about to make a smoothie. »
« Sweet. »
They went down the stairs and, just before they reached the first floor, they heared a sound, like a book crashing into the ground. Intriged, they went straight in the dining room, knowing that, at this time of the day, they will only be her mother.
« Hey Mom, is everything all… right ? »
Entering the room, the two sister saw an unexpecting scene : her mother hugging a young man about her heigh, the teenager facing the two of them. The teenager looked up and saw the girls. For Leni and Lucy, this moment felt like an eternity. These white hair, this face, those warm and calm blue eyes, only one person could have them all.
« M-Mom ? W-Who is he ? »
Hearing her daughter, Rita left the hug and turned around. The teenager come closer and face the girl with a warm smile.
« Wouah ! Lucy you grown so much. And look at you ! Who could thought that you'll grown into such a pretty girl ! And you Leni ! You're as beautiful as I remember. »
They coudln't. They just coudln't believe it. He was right in front of us. Lincoln, the one who they thought that they'll never see him again. It can be… It just can be… They wouldn't move a muscle, in case all of this was a dream, in case he wasn't really there with them.
Seeing they don't move, Lincoln grew enxious. Why don't they react ?« L-Leni, L-Lucy… D-Don't tell me… you're mad at me ? Do you hate me for leaving and- »
Lincoln was then tackle to the ground, with two of his sister hugging him strong and crying tears of joy, their emotions far more strong than the fear of the man in front of them being a mirage.
« DON'T YOU EVER SAY THAT ! WE WILL NEVER HATE YOU ! »
« LINKY ! PLEASE DON'T BE A DREAM ! PLEASE DON'T BE ! »
He embraced back his sisters and let out a few tears of joy and relieve. « I'm here. I'm not a dream… I'm home. I'm home... » Leni took her brother's head in her hand and looked at him with watering and wide open eyes. « It's you. It's really you. You're not a dream. »
Lincoln smiled and kissed the forehead of his sister. « I'm finally back Leni. »