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

Why Love Fails

By Lola Presents

Chapter 4

Lola woke slowly that morning, becoming aware of herself comfortably nestled in bed. She smacked her lips as she opened her eyes, the blanket obscuring part of her vision. Pulling her hands up and gripping the edge of the blanket, she pulled it down a little and looked around.

At first, she didn't recognize anything and furrowed her brows. Her room was much bigger than she remembered, and the walls weren't pink. Lola looked around to get her bearings, and her gaze fell upon the inert projector.

"Oh, right," she mumbled to herself. "Not my old room."

Feeling the need to move, she reached for the ceiling and stiffened her legs to stretch, and her whole body vibrated furiously for a moment. With the tension that slumber brings removed, she pulled the covers back and sat on the edge of the bed.

She scratched her head with both hands and looked down at her lap. There was something on her legs. Her eyes had not yet adjusted to the morning light, and she squinted them to get a better look.

"Well," Lola addressed the dried substance. "Good morning, guys. I hope you had fun last night because now I have to clean up."

After rubbing her eyes, she took another look around. Lincoln was already up, and the baby monitor wasn't on the nightstand. Lola smiled, silently thanking Lincoln for the much-needed sleep-in.

Standing, Lola headed toward the master bath, grabbing her pink robe on the way. Once inside, she hung the garment on the door hook, then looked in the mirror. Her hair was a complete disaster, sticking out in some places, and matted down in others. Looking closer, Lola saw that some of her hair appeared glued together.

"Now, how did you get up there?" she asked herself, remembering revitalizing Lincoln last night.

Sighing, she turned on the shower and let the water temperature stabilize while she relieved herself. By the time she finished, the water was perfect, and she slipped behind the shower curtain and stood in the warm liquid for a moment.

Once she was fully awake, she shampooed and conditioned her hair, leaving the conditioner in while she lathered her body up. She made sure to apply and rinse twice per product, giving better results. At least, that's what the bottles said.

As she finished up and got out to dry herself, she caught wind of a delightful scent. She figured Lincoln must have heard the shower and began making her breakfast, which initiated much rumbling from her stomach, which up until now, hadn't made a sound.

Lola stepped from the shower, dried herself, and slipped into her robe before taking a moment to blow her hair dry. She was beginning to get used to the natural look and admired herself in the mirror.

"Not bad," she said before taking her daily dose of birth control and heading out.

As Lola came bouncing gleefully into the kitchen, she noticed Nova sitting in her mechanical swing and went over to her.

"Good morning, Nova!" she cooed. "How's my little girl today, huh? Are you having fun with daddy?"

She then leaned in, kissed the happy baby's cheek, and turned toward Lincoln, standing at the stove. Nova made a curious face after being kissed and watched her mother move away.

"What'cha doing?" Lola asked, acting shy and swaying oddly.

"What's it look like?" Lincoln asked dryly.

Lola stared at him with confusion and peered into the skillet.

"Oh, honey," gasped Lola. "You've got eggshell in the omelet. Here, let me..."

"I've got this!" Lincoln spat, freezing Lola in place.

"Are you alright?" Lola asked, wondering what might have gotten under Lincoln's skin.

"I'm... fine," he said, stirring the eggs.

Lola looked confused, only to rest her eyes upon several cans lying near the top of the garbage can. She walked over and picked one up.

"Smirnoff Smash," it read. There were three of them.

Turning to face Lincoln, Lola put two and two together. "Lincoln! Are you drunk?"

"Obviously..." retorted the young man.

Lola quickly looked over at Nova, still swaying in the swing. She seemed alright, which reassured her somewhat. It wouldn't do to have Nova see him like this, though.

"Alright," she sighed. "Finish your eggs, and then we'll talk. Maybe then your alcohol level will have come down. I'm taking Nova into the living room to feed and change her."

"You do that," Lincoln replied, scooping the eggs onto a plate.

Lola sat in the recliner, cradling Nova in her lap as she pulled back her robe.

"Here you go, baby," Lola cooed. "I bet you're a hungry little girl, huh? Did daddy change you? It's okay, honey. I'll check in a minute."

For the next few minutes, Lola fed Nova while singing childhood lullabies. The two never stopped staring at each other. Their bond grew daily, and Lola always noticed when Nova did something new. Today, however, the little girl only drank and stared.

Once the baby was fed and refusing the nipple, Lola pulled her robe back into place and laid Nova on the changing mat, which was still on the floor from last night. Carefully, she undid the yellow onesie that Nova wore. What she saw almost made her laugh, but she stifled it, not wanting to startle her daughter.

Lincoln had attempted to change Nova but must have been too intoxicated to do it correctly. Lincoln had torn the tabs, the diaper wasn't fit right, and he'd fastened with staples. Staples!

"Oh, lord," Lola sighed. "What are we going to do with your daddy? Hmm? Let's get you fixed up."

Like the expert she was becoming, Lola had Nova changed into a fresh, better-fitting diaper, took her back in hand, and swayed her to sleep in no time. After a few moments, Lola toted their child to its crib and laid her down, returning to the kitchen.

"Lola?" prodded Lincoln as she sat at the table. "These eggs are horrible. They're all crunchy."

Lola chuckled. "Well, I did offer to make them."

"You did?" asked Lincoln, unconvinced.

"Yup," replied Lola. "Now, do you want to tell me why you felt the need to get drunk and huffy this morning?"

Lincoln took a sip of coffee and pushed the plate away from him, furrowing his brows after recalling his reasons.

"Yeah," he told Lola, "something is bothering me. You said Winston took those photos when you were eight, right?"

Lola nodded. "Yes, that's right."

"And you started losing shortly after?" he continued.

"Thereabout, yes," Lola replied, slightly annoyed at Lincoln's tone.

"You also said something about having gotten over him a few years ago, which would've made you somewhere between ten and twelve, right?" Lincoln asked, folding his arms and staring intently at Lola.

Lola nodded again, this time understanding where he was going.

Sighing, Lola began to explain. "Lincoln, it's just an expression. It's ambiguous and could've meant anything. Two years, five years, it doesn't matter. I swear I was done with him the day I walked out."

"So, why do I have this feeling you're lying?" sobbed Lincoln as he began to cry into his hands.

Lola got up and walked behind his chair, hugging him close and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Oh, Lincoln," cooed Lola. "It's alright. You are letting the events of yesterday affect your judgment. I understand, but I promise you, nothing happened then or after."

"It's more than that, Lola," Lincoln admitted amongst his tears. "I'm scared."

"Of what, honey?" prodded Lola, squeezing him tighter.

"Of everything," came Lincoln's response. "Of losing you, of hiding our relationship. It's either siblings or a couple. Why can't it be both? If people find out, I'll lose my job, or worse, the pressure will get to you, and I'll lose you."

"I'm sorry, Lincoln," said Lola, tearing up at the thought of her beloved so stressed. "I'm not sure I know what to say."

Lincoln took a deep, cleansing breath and leaned back a little.

"I'm just so tired of hiding everything, you know?" he queried his sister.

Lola suddenly let go, spun around, and stared at him sincerely.

"Then don't," Lola instructed him. "Quit hiding. And quit worrying about every little detail. You've been doing that to all of us since we were kids. It isn't healthy for you. It would help if you thought more about yourself. Do what's best for you, for us, for Nova."

Lincoln nodded, trying to stop his lip from quivering.

"I know," he conceded. "You're right. It's just so hard for me, though. The thought of anybody looking at you the way I do..."

Lola retook her seat and laid her hands on Lincoln's.

"Look, Lincoln. People are going to look," Lola said. "I can't help that. And they're going to look at you too. But you don't see me fretting over it, do you?"

"I guess not," Lincoln stammered. "But, still... how do you feel about Winston?"

"He's a grade-A creep," Lola informed him. "Sure, he's cute. And yes, I've seen him around. He was a judge, and it was unavoidable. He can be a real charmer when he wants to be. But I chose you, Lincoln, and that's the end, alright? You gave up Ronnie Anne to be with me, and I know you still had a thing for her, even after she left. Should I still be worrying about her? Of course not, because I trust you. Do you understand?"

Lincoln nodded again, this time smiling, and started laughing.

"I'm sorry, Lols," he said. "How'd you get so wise?"

Lola smiled and shrugged. "I've been chatting with Lori a lot lately. Maybe she's rubbing off on me. I don't know. I just spoke from the heart."

"Tell you what," announced Lincoln. "How about I shower, then when Sunshine wakes, we'll go to the park? How does that sound?"

Lola stood and kissed Lincoln on the forehead before clearing the table.

"That sounds delightful, Linc," she replied, smiling. "I'd love that."

Lincoln rose and headed for the hallway leading to their bedroom.

"By the way, thanks for last night," he said. "Whose idea was that anyway? It didn't seem like something you'd do."

Lola grinned as she spooned the leftovers into the waste bin. "That was Luna's idea. She wanted our first night in our new house to be special. Although the last part was all me."

Lincoln nodded, grinning from ear to ear, and headed off. He was going to have to thank Luna later, he noted.

While Lincoln washed up, Lola made some sandwiches, poured some tea into a cooler, and stuffed them into a picnic basket, along with various single-serving bags of chips. She also included a small radio and a lightweight blanket.

She then gathered everything by the door; the basket, Nova's stroller, and a replenished diaper bag, complete with a bottle of breast milk, some diapers, and some wipes. Lola considered taking a pacifier, but Nova didn't seem to like them, so she left it on the table.

Opening the front door to stash the supplies in the car, she noticed an envelope taped to the outside doorknob. Her nerves froze up as she ripped it free and closed the door. The sender had written her name in cursive, with little hearts surrounding it. Hesitantly, she opened it and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Looking around nervously, she unfolded it and began to read.

"Dearest Lola, I apologize for my past behavior. I am not well, and my mother is making me go to therapy. She and my father raided my room last night and found everything. I am so very sorry. Not just for what I did to you but all the others. I don't want to get into the details at the moment, but I wanted you to know that I had a very disturbed childhood. Maybe, one day, I'll tell you about it. For now, go live your life. I won't bother you anymore. However, I will always love you. Let my absence from your life be my proof. Yours truly, Winston," read the letter.

Lola stared at the words, unsure if she was able to believe them or not. He sounded sincere, but he had seemed genuine before. Still, if he was indeed attending therapy, maybe there was hope for him. For just a moment, she saw herself in Winston's arms. The sounds of the shower turning off knocked her back to her senses, and Lola quickly stashed the letter between two books on the nearest bookcase and hurriedly moved their supplies out to the car.

Just as Lincoln stepped from the master bedroom, dressed and ready to go, Nova began cooing softly from her nursery. Lincoln peeked in to see his little one staring at the ceiling fan in awe.

"Good afternoon, sleepy-head," he said calmly as the tot turned to look at him, smiling, kicking her little legs.

Lincoln scooped her up and carried her to the living room, where Lola was sitting down after lugging the last of their supplies out to the car.

"Here, Linc," Lola said. "Let me give her a quick feed before we go. I packed a bottle just in case, but you know she doesn't like them much."

"Can't say I don't blame her," quipped Lincoln jokingly, handing over their child.

"Huh?" asked Lola, bringing Nova to her breast.

"You know..." he teased her. "I'd much rather have a boob myself."

"Oh, lord," sighed Lola, shaking her head while smiling.

After feeding Nova, Lola changed while Lincoln settled the child into the car seat, carried her out, and clicked her in. Lincoln then waited for Lola before getting in and driving off. The park was only a few minutes away, yet the ride nearly lulled Nova back to sleep. However, the sudden stop of the car as it parked woke her.

Lola grabbed Nova while Lincoln carried the basket and stroller. Together, they found a nice shady spot under a large oak tree near the lake. Lincoln got down on his knees, reached into the basket, and procured the blanket. Lola cuddled Nova until Lincoln spread the blanket, then laid her upon it.

"What a nice day!" Lola observed as the light breeze blew through her freshly washed hair.

"You can say that again," Lincoln replied, looking in awe at his girlfriend and daughter. "Do you want to eat right away or just relax?"

Lola laid back on her arms, folded beneath her head. "Relaxing will do for now. Let's enjoy the fresh air."

Lincoln lay down as well, with Nova lying between them. He sighed deeply. What a crazy day yesterday was, not to mention last night and this morning. He was glad to lay there and not think about anything, which is what he did. That is, until he didn't.

"I wonder what Lana talked about with Winston," Lincoln said absent-mindedly.

Lola turned her head. "What do you mean?"

"Hm?" responded Lincoln, completely distracted.

He hadn't meant to say that out loud. He only thought about it.

"What does Lana have to do with Winston?" Lola prodded, now propped up on her elbow.

"Oh, it's something Winston said the other day," Lincoln explained, still staring wistfully up at the leaves.

"Well, what'd he say?" Lola asked.

"Just after the Dairyland ticket faux-pa, he talked with her off and on," Lincoln explained. "That's how he knew where I worked."

"I see," noted Lola. "That was quite recent, though. Which means he still talks to her. Doesn't it?"

"Um, maybe?" Lincoln stated, somewhat more like a question.

Lola's mind was going a thousand miles an hour. Why would Winston be talking to Lana at all? Was it innocent, or was there something more malicious going on? Her chest began to hurt as she considered the possibilities. Her love for her twin was causing her anxiety to rise.

"Hey, Linc..." Lola asked pensively.

"Yes, Lols?" he asked, lolling his head toward her.

"Can we stop by our parent's house on the way back?" requested Lola. "I think I should speak to Lana about this."

"Of course, dear," Lincoln replied. "That sounds like a good idea. In the meantime, let's have some fun!"

Lincoln sat up, opened the basket Lola prepared, and began setting out the food and drink. Soon, there were two neatly arranged place settings, each with a sandwich, a cup of tea, and a bag of chips.

Lola balled up her sweater and propped Nova up, so she could participate. For the next several minutes, they ate and chatted merrily. Soon, they finished their meal, and Nova began squirming around. It was clear she was restless.

"Come on, baby," Lola said as Lincoln repacked their things. "Let's get you in the stroller."

Lola opened the stroller and pulled the canopy down to shelter Nova from the sun. It may not have been in full effect, but even a little sunlight can leave newborn skin burned. After placing Nova in the seat and buckling her, she and Lincoln proceeded to walk her along the lakeside path.

It was a pleasant afternoon, and there weren't many people out. On the other hand, the birds were out foraging and occasionally swooped toward the couple, alternately scaring or exciting Nova. Her reaction depended on how much noise the birds made.

Once they'd made it around the small lake once, they returned to their car. While Lincoln replaced their things in the trunk, Lola strapped Nova and herself in. Finally, they headed off to their parent's house at the end of a long, enjoyable day.