Disclaimer: The Loud House and associated characters belong to Nickelodeon and Chris Savino.
Sebastopa: A lot does ride on Lynn's cooperation.
RCJ02: I don't know. I'm handling this story a little differently than others I've written. I want it to be relatively realistic within the fantasy described. It's about more than just how things affect Lincoln and Lola. And no, that doesn't mean a harem. That's not happening.
Problematico: Lynn is genuinely concerned, but as we all know, he's a lightweight at heart.
marz-senpai: You're on the money with your assessment of Lynn.
Dancing with the Devil
By Lola Presents
Chapter 9
The following morning, Lincoln sat at Clyde's table, browsing through the newspaper's employment section. As mad as his parents were, Lincoln was sure that neither would accommodate filling out a FAFSA for college, especially when supporting Lola and their child was of more import.
Lincoln scanned the pages with a marker, immediately crossing out anything he wasn't qualified for. He then cut out and arranged the remaining positions in order of preference. Reviewing the list again, Lincoln weeded out those with insufficient wages or salaries.
Finally, only four possibilities remained. DIGICORP needed a designer, Royal Woods General needed stenographers, Winslow Industries needed assembly line personnel, and Reininger's needed a manager. Still, one glaring issue remained; Lincoln's car was unreliable.
He did, however, have his childhood savings, which included royalties from the one edition of Ace Savvy he authored and the Ace Savvy movie he took part in. It wasn't as much as one might think, though. The royalties were minimal, and child actors didn't get paid much, especially side characters, which he had been.
Fortunately, Lincoln had turned eighteen over the summer, and the trust fund his parents set up for him was now his. Taking a few moments to get dressed, he left the apartment, locking it behind him with Clyde's spare key, and called a cab.
After arriving at the local back around ten that morning, Lincoln set up a checking account and transferred his trust fund balance. And with his temporary checks in his possession, he walked down the road to the local Nissan dealer and browsed their selection.
With a balance of sixty thousand, he had more than enough to get started and was immediately drawn to the Altima model. Like most first-time drivers, his first car was a well-used clunker. Now, he wanted something that came with a warranty and the features he desired.
Lincoln's decision came down to the candy red or navy blue car. He leaned toward the candy red version but recalled a conversation about insurance costing more for specific colors with his insurance agent. Opting for the blue one, he flagged down a salesman.
Lincoln drove his new car off the lot within thirty minutes. He elected to pay the first half in one sum, knowing that making payments on time only boosted his score. Securing housing was another matter. There was no overall cost and required proof of employment.
Stopping by Flip's Food and Fuel, Lincoln topped off his tank, then headed for DIGICORP, where they made circuit boards. While Lincoln was reasonably bright, he wasn't nearly as intelligent as Lisa. However, any idiot can learn to operate automated assembly machines.
Looking at his new car's clock, Lincoln realized it was nearly lunchtime. Not wanting to show up at an empty building, Lincoln stopped by Burpin' Burger. Stepping up to the counter, he got a surprise.
"Hi, welcome to Burpin' Burger. What can I get you?" said a red-headed, freckle-faced youth.
"Rocky?" sputtered Lincoln. "Are you even old enough to work here?"
"Yeah," replied Lucy's ex-boyfriend. "I'm fifteen. Now, are you going to order or what?"
Lincoln hadn't seen Rocky in years. Although the boy had grown, he hadn't changed much. However, he now had acne, which looked even worse than it was due to his freckles.
"Oh, right," Lincoln huffed. "I'll have the lunch special, please, with Coke and Curly fries."
"Okay, that'll be seven fifty-eight," Rocky informed him.
"So..." hummed Lincoln as he handed over a ten. "Whatever happened between you and Lucy anyway?"
"Beats me," admitted the boy as he assembled Lincoln's order. "One day, she just stopped calling."
"Dude..." sighed Lincoln, "you know how shy she can be. She's still single, you know. You should call her instead."
"Hm, yeah," Rocky murmured as he handed over the tray. "Maybe I will. Thanks, Lincoln. Come again!"
As Lincoln ate his meal, his thoughts turned to his love, Lola. He already had money and had just purchased his first decent car. All Lincoln needed was to get hired and find a place to live. Then, he only had to make it through the next five years without going insane. Easy, right?
With at least an hour on his hands, Lincoln took his time eating his lunch, and just as he was finishing up, his phone vibrated. Fishing it from his pocket, he read "Lola Loud" on the prompt. Eager, he set the last bit of his sandwich down and answered.
"Hi, baby!" he chirped. "How are you doing?"
"I'm fine, sweetie. How are you?" Lola purred into her phone.
"Not bad, but I miss you terribly," he told her. "I claimed my trust fund this morning, giving me around sixty thousand dollars," he announced. "I just bought a new car and am out job hunting as we speak."
"That's wonderful!" Lola cheered. "I know you'll find something. I have news too."
"Oh?" wondered Lincoln. "Do tell."
"Well..." sighed his baby. "The thing is, I don't know how you'll take it. So, I wanted to ensure you were sitting and not driving."
"I'm eating at Burpin' Burger," Lincoln replied, growing hesitant. "What's up?"
"I went to my first doctor's appointment today," she told him gently. "They confirmed that I'm pregnant and gave me prescriptions for a bunch of supplements and WIC forms to fill out."
"Was there ever any doubt?" he chuckled. "I'm glad to hear you're getting what you need. So, why do I have the feeling there's something more?"
"Because there is, sweetie," Lola purred. "They found two heartbeats."
"What?!" Lincoln gasped, nearly dropping his phone into his soda.
Lincoln was stunned into silence. It had already been a mental exercise in adjusting to the idea of one baby. He now faced having twins as if he didn't need any more pressure. Though, he should've expected it. Not only was Lola a twin, but they were related, increasing their chances.
"Lincoln?" inquired Lola after a moment of silence. "Honey, are you there?"
"Uh, yeah..." muttered Lincoln before focusing. "That's amazing, Lola-bear!"
"Are you sure?" queried his sister. "You went quiet all of a sudden, so..."
"No, I'm good!" Lincoln replied enthusiastically. "I promise. It just took a moment to sink in."
"Anyway..." sighed Lola, sounding like she was under quite a bit of stress herself. "They say I'm about seven weeks along. It's a good thing I'm home-schooled. Otherwise, I might not make it through the year."
"Yeah. I can see where that would be a problem," Lincoln responded thoughtfully. "How are Mom and Dad doing?"
"They're fine," Lola informed him. "They've cooled off a lot over the past couple of days, but they still aren't willing to let you come home."
"I see," muttered the disappointed young man. "Well, I should have a job and a place to stay by the end of the day. Perhaps, once they have more time to process everything, they'll let you stay with me, even if it's only on the weekends. I mean, how much more damage can I cause?"
"True," exclaimed Lola. "Thanks. I'll use that in our discussions. Maybe they'll reconsider once they see how well you're doing. And if I improve my grades a little, that would help too."
"Baby, you should bring your grades up regardless," her brother suggested. "Who knows what the future holds? One day, you might need them."
"You're right. I will," Lola chirped. "Say, don't you have an interview?"
"Not specifically," Lincoln replied. "I'm answering advertisements listed in the newspaper."
"Oh, I see," cooed Lola happily. "Well, you get on that. I love you, sweetie."
"I love you, too, baby," chirped Lincoln. "Later!"
"Bye..." sighed Lola before the call ended.
Lincoln felt horrible and excited at the same time. While he understood Lola was lonely and faced many difficulties, the news they were having twins offset his emotions. He wanted more than anything to be there to comfort and care for her during her trying times.
However, that wasn't presently possible. All Lincoln could do was call her when able and prepare for their future. In retrospect, he began to realize why his parents made the decision they did. Lincoln would be too occupied with Lola to do much else if he were home.
There was no changing the past, but their futures still lay ahead, and Lincoln realized that's where his focus should be. Silently thanking his parents, Lincoln threw away his trash and headed for his car, intending to make good on his obligations.
After ending the call, Lola sat on her bed, leaning against the headboard. Now wearing a loose white tee shirt and a baggy pair of shorts, she pulled her shirt up and caressed her belly, talking to their children. Though they had yet to develop ears, Lola insisted they could hear her.
"Hello, babies," Lola cooed with a voice like honey. "Mommy and Daddy love you so much! We can't wait to meet you," she told them, running her hands gently across her width.
"What, in the name of Einstein, are you doing?" questioned Lisa as she wandered into the room.
"Talking to our children," Lola retorted. "Do you have a problem with that?"
"You do realize that..." Lisa began lecturing, adjusting her spectacles.
"Yes, I know!" barked Lola, interrupting Lisa's dialog. "It'll be a few months before they can hear me. But that doesn't mean they can't feel the vibrations. Trust me, they understand."
"If you insist..." sighed Lisa, knowing when to back away from a potential argument. "Still, I'm glad to hear that everything went well at the clinic."
"Yeah..." sighed the young mother-to-be. "But I'm worried."
"About what, if I may ask?" queried the little scientist.
"We're having twins," Lola murmured. "Most likely, I'll get a C-section, or they'll come early and underweight."
"I see," acknowledged Lisa. "Those are two alternatives. Of course, they could also..."
"If you say 'not make it,' I'm going to feed you Lana's critters!" scolded Lola fiercely.
"Eheh, no..." chuckled Lisa, blushing in embarrassment when she realized how her words may have sounded. "I was going to say I could give the matter some thought. May I remind you that I am a Ph.D. and have won the Nobel Prize? I'm sure I can think of something."
"What did you have in mind?" stammered Lola, unsure if she liked the idea of her sister poking around.
"Well," sighed Lisa, adjusting her glasses again. "I do have the time machine I invented in storage. I could easily recalibrate the portal generator to move things in space instead, then extract the fetuses that way."
"What?!" gasped Lola, picking up a spare pillow and tossing it at Lisa's face. "And have my babies lost in some other dimension? Forget it!"
"Alright, alright..." griped Lisa as she backed out of the room. "Nobody appreciates a good idea when they hear one."
After getting riled up by Lisa's suggestion, Lola needed to eat, and she planned on eating a lot. Or perhaps, she was just hungry and only then noticed. Either way, she rose and padded downstairs to the kitchen, where her mother was doing her mid-day chores.
"Hi, Mom," Lola announced before fetching some of last night's leftovers.
"Hi, honey," replied her mother warmly. "How are you holding up?"
"I'm good," Lola assured, taking a bit of the meatloaf. "I talked to Lincoln earlier."
"Oh?" her mother cooed. "How's he doing?" she asked with genuine concern.
"He's doing well," Lola said in between bites. "He got a car today and is looking for a job already."
"Well, that's wonderful!" cheered Rita. "Does he have any prospects?"
"A few, I think," replied her daughter. "Though, he didn't say where."
"Listen, honey..." Lola's mother cooed, stopping what she was doing and joining Lola at the table. "You do understand why we asked him to leave. Right?"
"Honestly, no, Mom. I don't," admitted the young mother. "Lincoln could get a job and a car while living here and save money rather than spend it on an apartment. I'm already pregnant. What else could he possibly do?"
"Honey..." sighed Rita, placing one hand on Lola's free arm. "Someone could find out and report him, then that would be the end of your relationship for a very long time. Besides, think about your sisters. Do you want them exposed this way? Your situation may unduly influence their future behavior."
"Mom, I'm sorry, but that's the dumbest thing I ever heard," Lola complained. "The chances of someone finding out are higher with him living outside the home, and like it or not, me being here will affect my sisters one way or another. Making Lincoln leave doesn't help."
"Hmm," murmured her mother. "You have some good points, but it'll take more than that to convince your father. He wants Lincoln to focus on his future. If he were here, he'd be too distracted."
"Don't you mean our future, Mom?" barked Lola. "We will be together, whether you like it or not."
"Yes..." Rita sighed. "I think I'm beginning to see that."
"Well..." hummed Lola in surprise. "Good, because I'm tired of arguing about it. I want people to accept us and love our children."
"Oh, honey..." cooed her mother. "We do. We're still in shock over the whole thing. But your father is a big softie. He can't stay mad at the two of you forever."
"Do you mean that?" cried Lola, her eyes tearing up.
"Of course I do," Rita said. "Give your father some time, and I'm sure he'll come around," she assured her daughter. "In the meantime, I did a little research, and did you know there are states where incest is legal? Though, you'd still have to be of age."
"There are?" gasped Lola. "I hadn't even thought to look! Which ones?"
"Well, there's Rhode Island, for starters," her mother told her. "But that's a long way away. Then, there's New Jersey, which is closer, and finally, Ohio."
"Ohio?!" chirped Lola. "That's right across our border!"
"Of course, you still have to make it to eighteen before you can legally be together," Rita reminded her. "I think it best if you remain here until then. That way, your father and I can help keep your relationship under wraps."
"Mom!" chirped Lola. "It almost sounds like you've come to terms with this!"
"Maybe I have. I don't know," muttered Lola's mother reluctantly. "It's either that or lose both of you over it."
"In that case, I have a request," chirped Lola eagerly. "Once Lincoln lands a job and gets a place of his own, I want to stay with him on the weekends. I can always come back here during the week while he works and I do my schoolwork. What do you say? Please?" she begged.
"I don't know, honey," admitted Rita. "I still have to talk to your father and see him through this. Let's hold off deciding on that until then. Alright?"
"Alright..." conceded Lola, returning to her meal after her children began begging.
"Oh, good. You're already together," announced Lola's father as he walked into the kitchen, joining them at the table. "I wanted to talk to you both before I left for work, anyway."
Lola rolled her eyes, not wanting to repeat everything she had just said.
"I heard the news. Twins, huh?" he laid out. "I hope you understand how serious this is, Lola. There's a chance you may not carry them to term, or you may develop other health issues during labor."
"I know that, Dad," Lola assured him, chuckling slightly. "Mom and I have already talked about it, and Lisa won't leave me alone."
"This isn't funny, Lola," her father scolded her. "You're acting like a child."
"Lynn!" interjected the man's wife. "No, she isn't. We've been sitting here talking, and she's handling things with great maturity. You should try treating her like an adult for once!"
"But she isn't an adult, is she?" quipped her husband.
"Not an adult..." repeated Rita quietly. "That's it! I'll be right back. Neither of you speaks another word until I return! Do you understand?" she demanded before leaving the table hurriedly.
As father and daughter awkwardly waited for Rita to return, Lola's phone rang, emanating a cheery nursery tune, alerting her to an incoming call. Quickly, she picked the device up and gazed at it. The notification read "Leni Loud," and Lola answered it immediately.
"Hi, Leni!" she chirped excitedly, knowing Leni, of all people, would be happy for her. "What's up?"
"Hey, you!" Leni chirped in her usual cheery way. "I heard you were having twins, so I thought I call and check on my baby sister! How are things going?"
"Oh, you know," sighed Lola playfully, happy to speak to someone on her side. "I'm doing good. Lincoln got a new car today and is looking for a job to get an apartment of his own."
"Oh?" inquired Leni. "My old store is looking for a manager," she merrily told Lola. "I can hire him tonight if he's interested. I'll personally handle everything, including training."
"What?!" gasped Lola with glee. "You will? How much are you offering?"
"I'm fair," Leni told her. "Since I'm now the regional manager, I know the averages, and I'll pay him seventy thousand per year. Does that sound reasonable to you?"
"Seventy thousand?" choked Lola, coming to a stand. "Let me call you back. I need to tell him right away."
"Okay!" chirped Leni. "I'll mark the position as filled until then."
Once the call ended, Lola hurriedly clicked the call button next to the label "Lincy-boo."
"Lola?" Lincoln answered. "Is something wrong?"
"No, not at all!" Lola chirped. "I have great news! I just talked to Leni, and she says that if you're willing to let her train you, she'll pay you seventy thousand a year to manage her old store!"
"What?!" gasped Lincoln. "That's amazing! Call her back and tell her I accept!"
"I'll do that right now, Lincy-boo!" Lola squealed. "I love you!"
"I love you too," purred Lincoln. "Bye!"
I'm sorry," hummed Rita as she re-entered the kitchen. "Did I miss something?"
