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

What Love Creates

By Lola Presents

Chapter 5

Lola awoke early the following day to yet another bout of vomiting. When she returned to her room, she noticed a small stoppered vial on her nightstand. It contained a purple fluid and was holding down a yellow sticky note. Moving the little bottle, Lola picked up the message.

"Here you go, Lola. ~Lisa," it read.

Eyeing the fluid, the princess hesitated but picked it up regardless. She removed the cork and downed the entire thing in one gulp, afraid of how it may taste. In retrospect, it wasn't entirely unpleasant. There was a hint of grape in it. Licking her lips, she placed the empty vial into the nightstand drawer, intending to return it later.

Now came the hard part, telling her parents. Taking a single deep breath, she held it for a moment, then released it. Okay, she was as ready as she ever would be. She slipped into her usual dress, now taught against her belly, and headed downstairs to her parent's room. There, she knocked softly upon the door. From inside, Lola heard waking yawns.

"Come in," her father said.

With trepidation, Lola turned the knob and entered, closing the door behind her.

"Well, hey there, princess," Lynn greeted her as Rita sat upright beside him. "What can I do you for?"

"Mom? Dad?" pleaded Lola in a near whisper. "I have something to tell you, but you aren't going to like it." As her parents looked on expectantly, Lola gently pressed the fabric of her dress to her body to reveal her slightly bloated belly. "I'm pregnant," she cried, tears beginning to fall.

"Your what now?" gasped Lynn.

"Oh, honey," soothed her mother, patting the space between her and her husband.

Lola felt like a little child, who had gotten in trouble or hurt, and needed comfort. Gently, she padded between them and curled up to her mom.

"I'm so sorry!" she pleaded. "I didn't mean for this to happen!"

"Nonsense," Rita consoled her daughter. "These things happen. We wish it hadn't, but we can't change what's already happened, right?"

Lola smiled through her tears and embraced her mother.

"I was so afraid you might make me get an abortion!" Lola whimpered. "I want this baby so bad. For me, and Lincoln. It's part of us, and I've already lost Lincoln. I couldn't handle losing the baby too!"

Lynn and Rita curled up to their daughter, patting her gently, trying to ease her worries. Though they didn't say, both were beginning to reconsider asking Lincoln to leave. Nodding silently to each other, they understood that a later discussion was in order. After all, a baby needs its father.

"Oh, Lola," Lynn said, stroking her hair. "There's no way we'd ever ask you to do that. Life is too precious."

"Come on, Lola," Rita said, pulling herself out of bed. "Let's get some breakfast and get you to a doctor."

Lola sniffled back some mucus.

"Why? Lisa has all but confirmed it," the terrified girl stated.

"Well, we need an official test before you can get supplements and supplies, not to mention W.I.C. coupons," her mother told her.

Lola snorted again.

"What's W.I.C.?" she asked.

"It stands for Women, Infants, and Children. It's a program to help new mothers get things like diapers, food, and formula."

"Oh," replied the girl, wiping her tears away. "That would be nice."

An hour later, mother and daughter sat in the waiting room of the local clinic. Lola didn't much like the smell, oozing the essence of sterility. Furrowing her brows and scrunching her nose, she made light of it.

"It smells like Lisa's room in here," Lola griped.

Rita chuckled before responding.

"I suppose it does," she laughed.

"Lola Loud?" called a young man standing behind a desk.

Lola stood along with her mother.

"Here," Mrs. Loud announced.

"The doctor is ready for you. Please, step this way," the nurse said as he moved from sight and emerged from behind a door.

Glancing at Lola to ensure her daughter was ready, Rita and her daughter followed the man and disappeared from view.

About forty-five minutes later, they emerged into the waiting room. Lola now carried a small zip-lock bag with some prenatal vitamins and a formal prescription for more.

"Thank you so much," said Rita upon parting. "We'll be back in a month for a checkup."

The nurse noted their log and filed their bill with Medicaid.

"Excellent, ma'am," he said. "Have a nice day, and congratulations, miss."

One can only take so much strain in their life before release is required, and lately, Lincoln's life was nothing but stress and heartache. His family kicked him out, separating him from the love of his life. Living with his aunt and the weight of work didn't help. Lincoln was looking for an escape. Lucky for him, he knew exactly where to turn.

Alcohol.

On his way home from work, he stopped by a local convenience store to purchase some. As he stepped through the glass door, a familiar, yet unfamiliar, scent presented itself. Although somewhat different, it reminded him of Flip's store.

He breathed deep and longed for the carefree days of his youth. Grabbing a case of dark lager from the cooler, he approached the man at the counter. The man's nametag had the name Russ printed on it.

"May I see your I.D., please?" Russ said.

"Uh," replied Lincoln.

Never having been carded before, he was unprepared for it and began patting his pockets before remembering it was in his wallet.

"Yeah, here," he said, pulling his I.D. out.

"Very well, that'll be sixteen-oh-seven, sir," informed Russ.

Lincoln pulled out a twenty and handed it to him. After receiving the change and the beer, he headed to the car. Lincoln opened the trunk, placed them inside, hopped behind the wheel, and drove home. He needed to be careful, though. His aunt requested certain things of him and didn't know if she'd be amenable to alcohol.

After pulling into the driveway, Lincoln fetched the beer and placed it outside his window behind a bush. Then, he entered. Ruth was waiting for him with a list of chores that needed doing. Sighing, he accepted the list and spent two hours finishing them. At long last, the young man was free. And after taking a shower, he retreated to his room.

Quietly, he opened his window, retrieved the case from behind the bush, and stashed it under his bed. They'd get warm soon without refrigeration, but he didn't care. He didn't get them for the taste but their numbing effect. Popping the top off one, he sat in his chair and leaned back a little. The liquid tasted good going down and sent a rush of warmth through him.

Lincoln's eyes felt heavy and weary and began to wander. The painting he started the previous night attracted his attention. Continuing to nurse his beverage, he picked up his utensil and filled in the remaining family members, minus Lola. For whatever reason, he couldn't bring himself to render her.

It felt as though he would never see her again, and he didn't want his last memory to be a crudely sketched image. Of course, his thoughts were ridiculous. They lived in the same town, just a few streets apart, they had phones, and she would get older. Still, when one goes through heartbreaks, something occurs inside them which inhibits rational thought.

By the time Lincoln finished the drawing, he had put back two lagers and felt quite numb. While not intoxicated by any means, Lincoln had a decent buzz going, not having imbibed before. He threw the empty bottles away and lay on the bed. Closing his eyes, he replayed every moment he had spent with Lola over the years. Soon, aided by the alcohol, the young man fell asleep.

The family had just gathered around the dining room table for their evening meal when their father got everyone's attention.

"Ehem," he coughed. "Before we dig in, Lola has something she'd like to share with you all."

"I do?" gasped Lola. "I mean, yes, I do."

Lola pushed her chair back and came to a stand.

"Well, some of you know already, but for those who don't..." Lola mumbled, presenting her belly through the fabric of her dress. "I'm pregnant!"

Everyone stared at their parents, waiting to witness their reaction first.

"Well, I think that's great," announced Mr. Loud. "Congratulations, honey!"

Rita nodded tentatively.

"I wished it could've waited until later in life," she sighed. "But I'm happy too. Congratulations, Lola!"

A sudden eruption of clapping resounded in the room. But once the initial excitement subsided, Lily was the first to run around the table.

"May I feel?" she pleaded.

"Of course, just be gentle, alright?" Lola offered.

Cautiously, Lily placed her hand on her sister's belly. Other than being more round than usual, nothing happened, so she tried jiggling it a little.

Lola laughed.

"It's too early for any movement you can feel. I'm sorry," chuckled Lola.

"So, you're going to have a baby, huh, Lols?" chided Lana with a wide grin. "What are you going to name it?"

"Oh, goodness," exclaimed Lola. "I hadn't even thought of that. We don't even know what it's going to be."

"It's going to be a girl," announced Lana prophetically. "How can it not be in this house?"

"Well, it doesn't matter what it is. I'm still going to love it," the young mother-to-be proclaimed. "Now, let's eat. My baby and I are starving!"

A little while later, Lori picked up her ringing phone after setting the groceries she'd just purchased on the table.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Hi! It's Lola!" came the reply.

"Oh, hey there, twerp. How are you holding up?" Lori inquired, plopping onto their sofa.

"Pretty good. I mean, I still have my moments, but I'm getting better," the younger girl informed.

"So, what can I do for you?" asked Lori, happy that things were progressing well for her sister.

"Well, I have something to tell you and hopefully get some advice," announced Lola. "It turns out that I'm pregnant."

"What?" exclaimed Lori, leaning forward in her seat. "Do Mom and Dad know?" she asked.

"Yeah, I told them earlier. They were supportive, though. I wasn't expecting that," Lola exclaimed excitedly. "Anyway, Mom took me to the doctor, and I got some iron supplements. The doctor said something about being anemic?"

It took a moment to process everything that Lola told her, but eventually, Lori regained focus.

"Right. Yeah, those pills will help with anemia. I have to say, though, I'm a little stunned. I knew it was a possibility, but I assumed you guys were smart enough to use protection." said Lola's older sister.

And though Lori couldn't see it, Lola shrugged.

"Unfortunately, we didn't plan the event, and neither of us had any," Lola offered in consolation. "I'm not sorry, though. I love our baby. However, I do have a question."

"Yes?" answered Lori. "What's that?"

"Well, I was wondering how I should break it to Lincoln. He's got a lot on his plate now, and I don't want him to freak out."

Lola's older sister considered things for a moment.

"Well, you know, his birthday is coming up soon. Why not wait until then? That way, when you tell him, he'll be on a high note," suggested Lori.

"Oh! That's perfect, Lori!" exclaimed Lola, making her sister pull her phone away slightly. "Thank you!"

"No problem," Lori replied happily. "Is there anything else?"

"Well," sighed Lola. "I wanted to know if I can call on you after the baby arrives to get childcare advice."

"Of course, you dweeb," Lori laughed. "I'll even come over and help if you need it."

"That would be wonderful. I'd like that a lot," chirped Lola.

"Well then, I guess I'll see you in nine months!" cheered Lori.

"More like seven months and three weeks," Lola corrected her sister.

"Huh?" inquired Lori. "That doesn't make any sense."

Lola took the next few minutes to explain what Lisa had done.

"Well, I'm sure everything will turn out just fine, Lola," Lori said. "Lisa makes mistakes, but she's always able to fix them. In the meantime, take care of yourself, and throw out those infernal sandwiches, young lady!"

Lola laughed.

"I will, and I'll make new ones to replace them. Just do me a favor and call Leni, Luna, Luan, and Lynn. Go ahead and tell them the news, but ask them not to tell Lincoln yet. I want to do that myself," responded Lola.

"No problem, sis," Lori replied. "Later!"

"Ugh," mumbled Lincoln, rising awkwardly. He glanced at his watch, which read nine-thirty-four. "Damn it. I didn't mean to fall asleep," he grumbled. Coming to a stand, he stretched and listened to his vertebrae pop. "Damn, I feel old, and my head hurts like a bitch. Could things possibly get any worse?"

As if on cue, his phone began to ring, vibrating in his pocket. He still hadn't replaced his ringtone but switched it to silent mode. Pulling it out, he answered without looking to see who was calling.

"Hello?" he said. "This is Lincoln."

"Hey, Lincy-boo!" said a very cheerful voice.

"Lola?" asked Lincoln. "Shouldn't you be texting me instead? Calling is risky!"

"No, it's alright," Lola pleaded. "I'm outside, in Lisa's bunker. Lucy lent me her phone."

"Oh, well, in that case, I suppose it's okay," Lincoln conceded. "How have you been, Lola-bear? I've been so worried about you."

"I'm fine. Mostly," Lola said. "I love you too and miss you every second of every day. How's work going?"

"Great! I'm putting some money away now. I hope to have a place of my own soon," Lincoln told his sister. "Living with Ruth sucks ass."

Lola giggled into Lucy's phone.

"I know. I can't even stand a weekend. How are you dealing with it?" Lola asked.

"Uh, well, beer, to be honest," he admitted, not wanting to lie to his beloved.

"BEER!" Lola exclaimed. "Please, do be careful, Lincoln. I don't want you turning into a drunk!"

"I am careful. No more than two an evening, and even then, not every night," he explained. "It's hard without you by my side, you know? I need something to take the edge off."

"Okay, just promise me you won't go overboard, okay?" pleaded Lincoln's girlfriend.

"Heh, I promise," assured Lincoln.

"Good, otherwise you'll ruin the surprise. Well, I need to get back into the house before people wonder where I went. I love you, Lincy-boo!" Lola said, followed by some kissing noises.

"I love you too, Lola-bear," Lincoln said before returning her kisses and ending the call.

"Wait, surprise?" he thought after hanging up.

Lincoln tried to ignore the innuendo, but after a few minutes of struggle, he could no longer keep his composure. Picking up his phone, he clicked the call button beside Clyde's name.

"Hello. You've reached Clyde McBride," came the answer. "How can I help you?"

"Hey there, Little Bo Sleep. It's Slumberjack," Lincoln said. "I need to ask you something. I was on the phone with Lola earlier, and she slipped in something about a surprise. Do you have any clue what she's talking about?"

"Hm. I may or may not have the information you're looking for," replied Lincoln's best friend. "But I am sworn to secrecy. All I can tell you is that it involves your birthday."

"Crud, man, come on, really?" said Lincoln with exasperation. "You can't even throw me a bone here?"

"Nope," snapped Clyde. "Sorry, man. You're just going to have to wait. But, speaking of your birthday, how will that go down this year?"

"I don't know, buddy," Lincoln admitted. "With my work schedule, studying for my G.E.D., and not being around Lola, it's tough," Lincoln confided to his friend. "I was thinking of maybe doing something here at Ruth's. I will send out invites tomorrow."

"Oh, sounds good," replied Clyde. "Do you need me to bring anything?"

"Nah, just be ready to have some fun!" Lincoln told him. "Well, I need to finish studying before I fall asleep again. So, later."

"Alright, later, buddy," said Clyde before hanging up.

Lynn put his book down and placed his reading glasses beside it.

"Honey," he said to his wife. "I know how you initially felt about Lola and Lincoln being together. I did too. So, I'm both surprised and happy at your reaction to her being pregnant."

Rita looked up from the dental journal she was reading and sighed.

"I'm frightened, Lynn, for her sake. What if she has a miscarriage or gets born with defects?" Rita argued. "I don't know if either of them could handle that. Hell, I'm not sure I could either."

Lynn nodded and kissed Rita on the cheek.

"I'm sure everything will turn out fine, honey," he reassured her. "After all, it's a Loud."