Disclaimer: The Loud House and associated characters belong to Nickelodeon and Chris Savino.

Who Love Chooses

By Lola Presents

Chapter 5

Lori pulled up alongside the curb in front of Lincoln's and Lola's home a little after two o'clock. Though Lorianne insisted on visiting them immediately, it was near lunchtime, warranting a meal at the local Burpin' Burger.

However, the younger Loud wasn't as impressed with the sandwich as her mother was. For Lori, it was a walk down memory lane. For Lorianne, it was just another fat-inducing food.

Once finished at the restaurant, they stopped by Flip's to fuel up, as they were running low. Last night, the impromptu trip to Royal Woods used up most of what was already in the tank.

Lorianne tried to keep her frustration at the constant delays under control, but occasionally she would moan or groan something under her breath.

"We're going! We're going!" Lori would say, after which Lorianne would only sigh and roll her eyes.

When they finally arrived, the young girl unbuckled herself before the car came to a complete stop, inciting a half-hearted reprimand. Lori didn't have it in her to scold her child, considering everything the girl endured. All she wanted now was for Lorianne to be happy.

"Okay," Lori announced as the engine silenced. "NOW you can go."

Lorianne bolted out of the car and ran up to the door. With no patience for permission to enter, she turned the knob and strutted in. Their arrival had already been delayed several times by her mother. At least, that's how Lorianne saw things.

Lincoln looked up from his table, trying to review some work documents. Seeing his niece, however, all thoughts of his career became irrelevant.

Lorianne looked just like her mother, except for some cosmetic differences. Her hair was a bit longer and a medium brown instead of blonde, but it still bore the same texture and shape.

Her skin was a creamy tan, a few shades darker than Lori's. Most impressive, though, were Lorianne's eyes. They were a lovely shade of brown and seemed more prominent than Lori's.

"Booboo!" Lorianne squealed as she ran toward Lincoln, her arms held wide.

"Ree?" gasped Lincoln, accepting the child into his lap and hugging her tightly. "Where'd you come from?"

"Me comed from away!" exclaimed Lorianne, grinning like someone who'd gotten away with murder. "This time, me is here."

"Well, I'm glad you came," said Lincoln, squeezing her gently. "I missed you. How long has it been? Last Christmas?"

"Too many days ago," whispered Lorianne, relaxing in her uncle's lap.

Just then, Lori entered and came up to them.

"Lorianne?" she asked. "What have I told you about waiting for permission to enter? You mustn't barge into somebody's house like that."

"Relax, Lori," Lincoln insisted. "I'm happy to see her. Of course, I miss you too. You both have standing invitations. So there. Nya!"

Lorianne giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. She had never seen anyone stand up to her mother, which tickled her pink.

"So, what brings you back to town?" asked Lana, standing on the other side of the counter island with a glass of tea.

"Oh, Hi, Lol…" Lori said before realizing she wasn't looking at Lola. "Uh, Lana?"

Lana waved merrily. "Sup?"

"Oh, uh, well," Lori began. "I have some things to tell you, but not here. Later, once the kids are busy."

"Ah…" nodded Lana as Lola wandered through carrying a basket full of dirty clothes.

"Hi, here is me!" Lorianne greeted Lola. "You has nice looks."

"Awe…" Lola cooed before dumping the clothes into the washing machine hiding in a nook behind some Venetian doors. "Thanks, Ree. You look nice too."

"Where Nova is at?" Lorianne asked, straining to face Lola while keeping her position on Lincoln's lap.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, but she's not home from school yet," explained Lola. "She'll be here in about an hour, though. You can watch television until she gets here if you'd like."

"Okay," acknowledged Lorianne as she slid from Lincoln's lap, coming to a stand, all in one motion.

Lincoln watched his niece disappear into the living room. It seemed like she had grown more than she should have since her last visit. Of course, he knew that wasn't true. The interval was just longer this time.

How old was she again? Ten, maybe? Almost eleven? No matter, she was still the same person he'd always known. She was sharp and had an incredible memory; her artistic talents were off the chart.

Overall, she was an average child and changed something about herself every so often, from her favorite foods, clothes, and animals, to what teen music idols she liked.

Yet, one thing remained unchanged over the years: her fondness for calling him "Booboo."

At the time, Lincoln had sustained many of what Lorianne referred to as booboos. Upon commenting on it, Lincoln agreed that he was one big booboo. She never forgot that and still insists on calling him by that name.

"Well," sighed Lincoln, stacking his papers and reinserting them into his briefcase. "Nova should be home soon. I may as well put up for now. How does everyone feel about tonight's steaks, grilled corn, and baked potatoes?

"Oh, man!" gasped Lana. "That would be amazing! Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, thank you," Lincoln responded. "Not this time. Manning the grill is a personal getaway for me. You know, a guy thing? Lola? What about you?"

"That sounds amazing, Lincoln," Lola declared, leaning in for a quick kiss. "I always love your cooking."

"Great!" announced Lincoln as he pulled away from the table and spun his chair around like some showboat NASCAR driver just having won the Daytona 500.

"Oh, brother," sighed Lori. "Does anything get him down?"

"Nope!" smiled Lola, folding things that remained in the dryer.

Lincoln rolled over to the fridge and pulled out several large steaks and a bag of frozen corn on the cob. Placing them in his lap, he hurried to the lower cabinet and pulled out a bag of Idaho potatoes.

"Lana," Lincoln said, extending the bag of spuds. "I take it back. Would you wrap these in tinfoil, please, and bring them out to me when finished?"

"Sure thing," Lana said sweetly. "Honey..."

Lola laughed, still folding the clothes, but Lori cocked a brow. Since when did Lana call Lincoln "honey?" Maybe it was nothing. Then again, things were already different in their house. Shaking her head, Lori let it go.

Lincoln wheeled himself out the back door and placed his things on a small wooden bench beside his grill. He lifted the lid and ensured everything was clean and working, then closed it again.

Reaching under the unit, he felt for the valve, turned it, and pressed the "on" button, lighting the propane that flooded the chamber. Soon, the temperature was optimal, and Lincoln laid out the steaks and the corn.

Lincoln then opened a small door under the main chamber, pulled out his secret spices and herbs, then began creating his latest masterpieces. Finally, he leaned back in his chair and felt the cool air against his skin.

Life was good, he thought. "This" is what it was all about; family, fun, and delicious food.

Lorianne was currently watching a teen-oriented show called "Vampire High" when the sound of brakes squealed outside. Poking her head through the drapes, she saw Nova's bus stop in front of the house and ran out excitedly.

Lori tried calling her to be careful and rushed to the door to keep an eye on her. Being her only child, Lori was conscientious about her baby's safety. She tried hard not to overdo things, but it wasn't easy.

Lorianne's speech issues often led to ridicule by others her age and falsely gave the impression that she was mentally deficient, making her a prime target for abduction.

"Nova!" called Lorianne as she approached the bus. "You is here! Come, me has a lot of the things to say."

Laughter ensued as Nova stepped from the bus, and one kid, in particular, was capitalizing on the moment.

"Hey, Nova!" he yelled. "Who's the retard? You're Mom?"

Lorianne stopped completely, wringing her hands together in front of her waist. Averting her gaze, Lorianne began to sob. Lori wanted to run to her side but knew there were some things kids must face independently. She would deal with the fallout later. Still, it saddened her.

"Fuck you, Wallace!" Nova spat before grabbing Lorianne's hand and pulling her toward the house. "Ignore him. He's a jerk."

Lori moved to hide herself from view as the kids approached. She had heard it all, including Nova's insult. Stifling a chuckle, she walked back into the kitchen just as the children entered.

"Hey, Nova," Lola said as her baby walked in. "How was school today? Do you have any homework?"

"No, Mom," said the first-grader. "Well, I did. But I got it done during recess."

"Baby, you need your exercise, too," Lola reminded her. "Otherwise, you'll end up like Aunt Lisa."

This time, everyone laughed; Lori, Lola, Lana, Lorianne, and Nova.

"Hey, Nova," called Lori quietly as the girl walked past, reeling her into a hug and a kiss. "I saw and heard what you did for Lorianne a moment ago. I'm proud of you."

Nova's face turned bright red. "Please don't tell mom I said a bad word!"

Lori used her fingers to zip her lips shut, throw away the key, and then winked at Nova. The diminutive girl sighed in relief, then excused herself to her room, followed closely by Lorianne.

"They're so cute," Lana said, admiring her sibling's children before heading outside with a tray of wrapped potatoes. "Maybe one day, I'll have one of my own," she hoped. "Nah. Not likely."

"Oh, thanks, Lana!" praised Lincoln as he accepted the tray. "You did a good job. These look perfect."

"Thanks," Lana said shyly, blushing after her brother turned away to change the food on the grill.

After taking the steaks and corn off the grill and replacing them with the potatoes, Lincoln tapped the wooden seat beside him with his tongs.

"Have a seat, sis," He requested eagerly. "I don't bite."

"Shoot," Lana whispered to herself.

"So, I've been thinking about your situation," Lincoln said. "And I believe I may have an idea."

Lana cocked her eye at him. "Really?" she gasped. "Well, I have to say I'm not surprised. You always come up with something."

"Well, I know little about being shy and not knowing what one wants," he admitted.

"Okay, now I'm interested," Lana said with curiosity.

"Have you given any thought to starting your own business?" Lincoln suggested to Lana. "You wouldn't have to answer to anyone and could work at your own pace."

Lana's eyes lit up, but only briefly.

"Lincoln…" Lana said sadly. "That would be a dream come true. But who has that kind of money to invest? I know Mom and Dad don't, all I have is about fifty bucks, and I couldn't impose on you guys."

"But staying here indefinitely, isn't imposing?" asked Lincoln jokingly. "Listen, I'm saying that I'd rather invest in your future than your dependence. Now, Lola and I have some funds stashed away that might help. Of course, I'd have to discuss it with her first."

"What?" Lana gasped. "Really? I mean, how? Where'd you get that kind of loot?"

Lincoln leaned in and whispered, despite being outside with nobody around. "It just so happens that we got quite the sizable settlement from Winston's family to drop the charges against him for what he did to Lola. Now, please, keep this to yourself. I don't want people to start showing up at our door asking for handouts."

Lana's hands flew to her mouth, her eyes glazed over, and she gasped sharply.

"And… the potatoes are finished," Lincoln said, breaking the awkward silence.

It only took a moment to place the spuds onto the tray and douse the grill. Lincoln wheeled himself back into the house with Lana in tow, holding the tray.

Lola had set the table already, save for the silverware, and was now gossiping with Lori in the kitchen. Lorianne and Nova were standing around the table, waiting for dinner.

"Hey, Ree," Lincoln said, wanting to make his niece feel helpful. "How about grabbing six forks from the drawer for me?"

Not wanting to disappoint Lincoln, the girl opened the drawer, reached, and grabbed a handful of forks. Looking at them briefly, she replaced two and placed the rest before Lincoln.

"Here they is," Lorianne cooed happily.

Lincoln stared at the forks and mentally counted them. There were six in total, even though she'd barely glanced at them.

If there was one thing about living in a fantasy world most of the time, it was that one's mind was free to explore the possibilities, and Lincoln's brain was full of them at the moment.

"Now, Ree," he said gently. "Can you fetch me six knives and six corn holders?"

Gleefully, the girl complied. Reaching into the drawer with both hands, she pulled out the requested utensils and laid them before Lincoln. After only a moment, she removed one knife and returned it to the drawer.

At this point, they had gained the attention of Lola, Lana, and Lori, who were now curiously watching.

"Nova," Lincoln said, turning to his daughter. "If you don't mind, get the red basket from your shelf. You know, the one with all the colored blocks in it."

"Okay, Daddy," Nova replied before running off.

"What are you doing, Lincoln?" Lori asked with extreme confusion.

"Hopefully, something wonderful," he told his sister just as Nova returned with the block basket.

Lincoln proceeded to place four blocks in a row in front of Lorianne. One red, one green, one blue, and one yellow. He glanced up at the girl, who remained fixated on himself, then back at the blocks.

Gently, he touched the red block. "I," he said, looking at Lorianne.

"I," she said.

He then placed his finger upon the green one. "Am," Lincoln said.

"Am," repeated his niece.

Next, Lincoln place his finger on the blue one. "Hungry," he said clearly.

"Hungry," Lorianne echoed.

Finally, he landed his finger on the yellow block. "Mom," Lincoln said.

"Mom," repeated Lorianne.

Lincoln paused for a moment, then slowly placed his finger on the second block.

"Am," said Lorianne.

A smile began to form on Lincoln's face. He then tapped each block in order, pausing slightly in between taps.

"I… am… hungry… mom," said Lorianne.

As soon as the girl finished her sentence, her mouth fell open, looking up at Lincoln with wonder.

"Good job, Ree," applauded Lincoln as the women watched in astonishment. He placed the blocks back into the basket, then gently held Lorianne's wrist, holding her hand in front of her face.

The girl looked at her hand, then back at Lincoln.

"I," he said before lowering her pointer finger.

"Am," he continued, eliminating her index finger.

"Hungry" came next as Lincoln lowered her ring finger.

"Mom," Lincoln said, curling her pinky.

"Now, you try," he said, turning the girl to face her mother.

Lorianne looked back at Lincoln, who urged her on with a broad smile.

"I… am… hungry… mom," Lorianne said, putting one finger down with each word.

Lori was becoming highly emotional and lost all strength in her legs. Slowly, she guided her butt into the nearest seat and collapsed before ending up on the floor.

"Now, Ree," Lincoln said softly. "Do it again. But this time, you think of the words. See them in your head. I know you understand them. But instead of putting them into one long sentence, separate them into a numerical list. Then assign the words in the list to your fingers."

Lorianne lifted her hand before her eyes, and a look of concentration formed, her brows twitching occasionally. Finally, she began speaking and, with each word, lowered a finger.

"I… love… you… Booboo," Ree said.

"I.. love.. you.. Booboo," she said again, this time a little faster.

"I. love. you. Booboo," Lorianne repeated.

Then she suddenly paused, a sublime realization hitting her like a ton of bricks. Her hand slowly fell away as her gaze moved upward to meet Lincoln's eyes.

"I love you, booboo," she said, as clear as day.

The room erupted in cheers and tears of joy as Lorianne spoke clearly for the first time. Dinner, momentarily forgotten, gave way to festivity and celebration.

Lori nearly knocked Lincoln over in his wheelchair when she jumped him. Lunging forward, she wrapped her arms around her brother's neck and gave him the biggest hug she could muster.

"Oh, Lincoln!" Lori cried as crocodile tears streamed down her face. "I don't know how you did it! But thank you! I didn't think it was possible, but you did it, you sweet man, you did it!"

Finally, Lori peeled herself off Lincoln and stood there weeping as she looked upon her child anew.

Lorianne beamed up at her mother. Her eyes glistened, and a big smile stretched across her face. She held up her fingers and began reciting again.

"Can… we… eat… now?" she said.

"Of course, baby," Lori whimpered, hugging Lorianne tightly. "You can eat as much as you want!"