Author's Notes: So... it seems that The Casagrandes are ending next week, and considering the timing of this chapter, i feel that it is only fair to give my opinion on the show.
I'm going to be honest here, I didn't like the concept at all, the idea always came off as another greedy tactic by Nickelodeon to exploit one of their few successful brands, the way that they forced a lot of chapters into the premiere of season 4 of The Loud House was probably one of, if not the most desperate marketing tactic i've ever seen, and the whole aspect of a Latino family living in the US i was indifferent about, i just couldn't relate to characters that were obvious Mexican stereotypes for the sake of diversity points.
But did I hate the actual show? Not really, barring some annoying characters like Sergio and Carl taking the spotlight a few too many times, there were some good episodes here and there and, ironically, the show had a really strong cast outside the family, namely the whole Chang family.
So seeing it die leaves me a bittersweet feeling, because more than just a diversion to take resources or talent away from The Loud House, i always saw this show as a way to further expand this universe that we know and love, giving proper development and depth to characters like Bobby and Ronnie Anne, from just a clingy boyfriend and a bully to characters that i can actually respect, and well, there's also the fact that so many characters are going to be essentially orphaned, depending on some cameos in the main show to even exist anymore, potentially flanderized back to one note personalities (I fear for Ronnie), or just straight up vanishing to thin air (Sorry... Sid).
So yeah, that is my short opinion on The Casagrandes, a horrible idea that had some decent execution and managed to create a memorable cast, hopefully the last episode coming next week gives a satisfying closure to Roberto and Ronalda's story, in the meantime, here's this chapter focusing on both families!
Disclaimer: I don't own The Loud House or The Casagrandes, the brands, as well as all of their characters and settings belong to Chris Savino and Nickelodeon, all rights reserved.
Chapter 62: Destiny.
- So, let me get this straight, you modified the climate to avoid the effects of winter from lowering the temperature on the sea, so that we could all swim comfortably? - Carlos Casagrande asked curiously to the child super-genius sitting casually by his side.
- Precisely, and there is no need to be concerned for any unintentional side-effects for over-exposition of greenhouse gases, my agency has guaranteed the removal of any and all leftovers of them on a local scale by the time the ceremony is over - Lisa responded confidently, readjusting her glasses in the process.
- Fascinating! - The father of 4 replied excitedly, before focusing his eyes once again on the shivering, sweating figure of his nephew, who was standing at the altar with a stunning black tuxedo, courtesy of Leni, awaiting for the arrival of the girl that would of become his wife.
It was around 3:30PM at the Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park beach, the place that had been meticulously arranged by the couple for a while now to celebrate their long awaited wedding near the lighthouse, getting the amount of benches for both of the massive families to sit on was no small deal and making sure that the area would be sufficiently unpopulated to avoid distractions while still being appealing enough as a tourist attraction was an even bigger undertaking.
So for making sure that everything worked correctly up to this point, Bobby could certainly pat himself on the back, but that still wasn't good enough to avoid his eternal struggle of thinking the many what ifs of him messing up the entire ordeal.
What if he ruined the vows?
What if Lori said no?
What if someone in his family ruined everything?
The man was currently a sweating mess, trying his hardest to muster a smile as the hour for Lori to walk down the aisle approached.
- Bobby, bro, chill, you're staining your tuxedo - Ronnie Anne, the self-appointed Maid of honor stepped in, checking on her brother's state while giving him a quick punch to the side.
- Y-yeah, I know sis, it's just… I'm afraid of messing things up - The nervous man turned to his sister with a look of deep concern.
- For what? dude, you've been planning this stuff for months now, I'm pretty sure you have nothing left to mess up when it comes to Lori, no offense but she has already seen you at your worst, many, times - Ronnie said with a slight frown, hopping to slap some sense into her train wreck of a brother.
- Well… I guess, you're right! - It seemed to work, as Bobby stopped trembling visibly, but he still remained spurting an expression of unease.
But for now, that would be enough for the skater girl, as she awaited by her brother's side at the arrival of the bride.
- Hey Babe, long time no see, miss your boy? - Among the many set benches arranged in linear fashion parallel to the red carpet, was the overconfident troublemaker of the Casagrande family, currently trying to earn the attention of the pageant champion by his side.
- Get lost Carl - Lola replied uninterestingly without even establishing eye contact, wanting to be literally everywhere but there.
- Pfff, Your loss, don't come crawling back to me when you're looking for a real man - Carl quickly retracted his view from the bored girl, to set eyes on the other girl by his side - What about you? Surely you can appreciate all of this! - The greedy boy lifted his sleeve to reveal his (barely toned) bicep.
- Get lost Carl - Lana mimicked Lola's attitude, but at least she appreciated the fact that the little asshole was in-between so that she wouldn't be forced to look at her twin directly.
Carl just frowned and crossed his arms while resuming his sitting position, no further interactions to occur on that bench… he really shouldn't have rejected Adelaide.
The rest of the benches seemed to have a little more going on, Arturo and Maria were located on the nearest bench to the altar by the groom's side, while Rita, Frida and Leonard were located on the one by the bride's side, following the next row were the places for Rosa, Hector, Albert and Myrtle, then Leni, Carlota and Carol Pringley, in the next row were Carlos, Lisa and C.J, then Luna, Luan and Lucy, Finally at the last row were Lana, Carl and Lola, then the one where Carlitos and Lily were supposed to be sitting.
That is of course, if they were actually sitting there, and not playing around with the sand and running like the little kids they are.
But their little games would soon be halted, as they would return to their sitting positions, everyone's attention was now shifting at the appearance of the woman that had just made an entrance through the thin veil that was adorning the "entrance", accompanied by her father in traditional fashion, as well as the chosen best man to assist her in her entrance: Lincoln Loud, who took a step forward in advance to join Bobby and Ronnie Anne at the other side of the altar, waiting for Lori to slowly walk over to her chosen spot.
- Bobby, calm down, you've got this! - Ronnie whispered once again to the nervous wreck that was her brother one last time before entering the field of hearing by the bride.
But she could understand his reaction, perfectly, Lori looked phenomenal, ethereal even, Leni more than deserved her reputation in the fashion industry, if she wasn't as Icky about romance stuff, she might have even paid attention to the intricate details of the dress.
Lola, on the other hand, was more than elated to analyze her sister's presentation, the dress was an immaculate white that followed with a thin, star-patterned velvet veil descending from her perfectly arranged hair, currently organized with a bun with white ribbons that matched the dress and made a perfect combination with her aquamarine necklace, the dress was covered with sparkles all the way down to the ample area slightly above her feet, which were adorned with sparkly beige heels that made an important sound even at the feeling of sand… simply, divine.
She even imagined herself wearing that someday, having everyone in the church gasp collectively at her beauty, as she walked down the aisle, ready to give herself away to that handsome dork waiting for her at the altar with his pristine tuxedo, making their vows to each other as the rings were shared and getting ready for the kiss to bind their souls forever…
But enough daydreaming, this was Lori's moment, not hers, she was content to see her sister realize her wish, her well earned happily ever after.
Ronnie Anne and Lincoln looked at each other in the eyes for one second in mutual understanding before coming to the same conclusion, they stepped aside to allow Lori to join the stand, with the bride now making eye contact with her future husband.
The officiant began his speech.
- Dearly beloved, Today we gather to honor and officialize the union in sickness and health, with friends and family, of this young couple who fought with dedication and patience to see their dream become a reality, by allowing their hearts and minds to be connected through their path in life, I am now bestowed upon the will of god to formalize this wedding… -
As the words from the officiant rose in complexity, Bobby's attention span decreased and his heart rate continued to increase, he knew that following the opening speech, he would be put on the spot for some inspirational words as part if his vows, had he prepared a document or something it would have surely been easier, but his mom and grandma kept insisting with "If you love her, It will come naturally, don't worry"
Well, it didn't, he was now entering a panic state, keeping eye contact with the unbelievably gorgeous woman in front of him was already hard enough, he was now doing his hardest to keep it together.
- … Having understood the importance of a marriage and what it means for you as a couple for the rest of your lives, are there any vows that the groom would like to indicate to the present invites and to this beautiful woman whom he intends to marry? -
He was on the spot!
- Y-yes, I… I mean, L-lori, I, uhhh - The insecure hispanic man was now in the middle of a breakdown, he was heavily focusing on his wife's face, who was quickly turning into a concerned frown, he was messing things up badly, he could feel the others stare daggers at him, he was about emit one of his usual girly screams, to just jump away from that embarrassing situation to plant his head in the sand nearby like an ostrich, he was doomed, he was-
- Uh, sorry, priest, is it ok if I do them first? - Lori spoke in the middle of her man's blabbering, referring to the officiant, who quickly nodded without any additional interruptions.
- Thanks! So, Boo-Boo Bear, I really appreciate all of this amazing planning and I think that suit makes you literally the most handsome man in the world, but I know you Bobby, you are a very meticulous and hard working man and I know you can get overwhelmed when a lot of pressure is put on you, we agreed to making the wedding here so that we could enjoy ourselves, this is a family environment and I don't think there is a single person in this stand that is judging you right now, if you feel a little nervous, just look around you! - Lori turned her face to the families gathering behind them, making Bobby look as well.
He saw everyone just, smiling, some with tears in their eyes, some with a known teasing expression, some with just genuine bliss and pride.
- Correcto Beto, it's your day, pásala bien mijo! - Arturo dared to speak next, seeing the intense need for comfort in his son.
- Hijo, I know you can do this! - Maria replied next, hopeful for her son.
- Come on Babito mijo, make your Abuela proud! - Rosa echoed the sentiment while also hitting hector with her shoulder, making him snap out of his attention to the food stand.
- Right, you have done harder things daily on the mercado Roberto, make it come from the heart! - The grandfather spoke last, partially out of obligation, but he too trusted his grandson to pull it off.
Bobby heard them, now with significantly humid eyes and turned again to face his bride.
- See! You are allowed to feel like that Boo-Boo Bear, but I still wanted to do this first to show you exactly why I'm marrying you, not because you are the most confident man to ever walk on earth, but because you are the most attentive, kind, sweet and generous guy I've ever met, it was never the scale of your gifts or your dates, but the intention behind that caught my heart, or whenever I felt needy at home and you never missed once to rush in to help me out, it's the little things, but also the value that I saw in you as a family man, a man that always looks for his family and would always put them first, never abandoning his duty at the mercado, staying and helping even when it meant the occasional fight with me, a man that managed to gather every single member of his family to be present at our most important day and wouldn't have it another way, in short, a man that truly knows the meaning of a family, and I literally cannot wait to make one with you right now! - The blonde finished with full confidence, holding the hands of the man who would become her husband, to which bobby responded by grasping them strongly, shaking a little at the emotional intensity of each and every single word that came out of her mouth.
- Oh, babe… - His eyes were swelling, he was almost unable to control his tears, but in a last second decision, decided to hold them in.
Not yet.
- Lori Loud, your continued existence makes me the happiest man alive, whenever I think of you in the morning, I get all the energy I need to work myself out, no matter how stressing the routine can be that day, remembering you, remembering everything that we made together, remembering your beautiful smile and the blinding blue irises that make up heaven from your eyes as you stare at my own, all of these memories give me the reason to stay active and to look with optimism to the future ahead, without you, I'd be lost, unable to look past my own nose as I cower at the darkness. Which is exactly why I need to say: I want my path in life to match yours, I want to support you in your dreams, I want to be your teammate and permanent partner, to support you unconditionally, to watch for you at your lowest and your highest alike, to share the happiness and the sorrow as we go through the same hardships as a unit, and well… that is too many words to say - The hispanic man stopped a moment, before resuming his speech - Babe, te amo, y quiero que seas mi mujer! - He finished tenderly, finally allowing the tears to pour in, as well as those of the bride.
- Oh, Boo-Boo Bear… - Now it was Lori's turn to collapse from cuteness, her pupils dilating in a sign of love, her words were almost muffled in a collective "awww" coming from the audience.
But it was now the officiant's chance to seal the deal, raising the sacred book once again.
- Do you, Roberto Alejandro Martinez-Millan Luis Santiago Jr. take Lori Loud to be your wife, to cherish in friendship and love today, tomorrow, and for as long as the two of you live, to trust and honor her, to love her faithfully, through the best and the worst, whatever may come, and if you should ever doubt, to remember your love for each other and the reason why you came together with her this day? -
- I do - Bobby replied without a trace of doubt in his voice, as he picked up the ring from Ronnie's grasp to place it on Lori's ring finger from her left hand.
- And do you, Lori Marie Loud, take Roberto Santiago to be your husband, to cherish in friendship and love today, tomorrow and for as long as the two of you live, to trust and honor him, to love him faithfully, through the best and the worst, whatever may come, and if you should ever doubt, to remember your love for each other and the reason why you came together with him this day?
- I do! - Lori responded with equal enthusiasm, also picking the ring from Lincoln's handkerchief and placing it where it belongs -
- As you have both accepted the vows of the other, you may now go forth and fulfill your vows with the same love and devotion which now blossoms between you. You are now hereby regarded as Husband and Wife and may seal your union with a kiss - The officiant declared.
And so they did, without anymore formalities in the way, Lori took the immediate lead and pounced on her now husband, kissing him with ferocious (but controlled) intensity, grabbing his neck with both arms as she closed her eyes, Bobby was a little surprised at the outburst but quickly accepted the kiss and hugged her back through her torso, an action that was soon followed by the roaring applause, screams and cries (Waterfalls in the case of Leonard, Lynn Sr. and Frida) of the two families witnessing the event.
Lola cried too, but not of happiness.
She wanted… so badly, to be happy for Lori, she deserved the world, and she earned every single great thing that came to her today, but…
Witnessing the results of the wedding of a lifetime, seeing the genuine happiness emitted by her sister, the beautiful words exchanged by both parts, the shiny rings, the support, the clapping, the cheering and love of both of their families, the presence of the handsome man that she wanted to experience all of that with…
All of those things…
…that she would never have.
She had to wake up and face reality again, she wasn't a little girl anymore, she knew why.
How much more cruel could destiny get?
Soon after, the celebrations took place, The 3-tower tall wedding cake and Rosa's "double family sized" stacks of Tamales and Quesadillas were promptly devoured by the hungry invitees, while Lynn had also brought a few desserts of his own, Cookies, Casserole and "Lynneaples" which were also all terminated on sight, then the latino-inspired "salsa" and "ranchera" music kicked in, with a few live arrangements courtesy of Hector Casagrande (and some help from Luna), which made for some jamming tunes to dance to.
A joyous evening was on its way, A group of teenagers in the form of Lori, Bobby, Carlota, Carol and Leni were all dancing from and center to the main event, while the younger ones preferred doing activities in the beach, the parents were just sitting comfortably in the many tables arranged, drinking wine and chatting, while some of the elder ones simply sat at the edge of the coast to watch the waves and think about life.
It was during this event that Lola sought for her dancing partner, waiting to have some fun after admittedly being a downer in the middle of the wedding, harsh realities of life aside, she was still looking to get something out of one of her sister's happiest days ever.
She found him, laying his elbow carelessly in the now ravaged food table, talking to Ronnie Anne, who mimicked his behavior, she became hesitant to approach him, not that she didn't trust him, but she had a particular "reputation" to the hispanic girl and didn't want to press thing further.
Regardless, she was curious to see how they would "catch on", so she sat on the sand behind a palm tree, away from their sight but at hearing distance.
- Man, about time those two married, no offense dude but Lori was driving us crazy with her "late night" calls… - Ronnie expressed with discomfort to her former best friend.
- really? here I thought Lori had calmed down, ever since she visited us I didn't really see her on the phone anymore - Lincoln replied with surprise in his voice.
- Well, maybe she really missed her family, I did see Bobby more chill since she visited you guys - The hispanic girl added while slurping on a homemade shake made by her abuela.
- She totally did, in fact, she single-handedly saved us all - Lincoln looked to the side for a brief moment as he said that last part.
- Huh, what do you mean? - Ronnie looked with interest to Lincoln's remark.
- Long story short, our family wasn't getting along 'till she came back - The boy commented without much energy.
- Weird, you guys are like the craziest family out there, second to mine obviously! - The skater girl said that last part with a degree of pride.
- Keep dreaming Ronnie Anne, nobody's louder than the Louds! - Lincoln poured his own pride to the mix.
- Sure thing dude - She rolled her eyes - Hey, now that I think About it, where's Lynn? I wanted to show her some new wrestling moves - Ronnie said while looking expectantly for an answer.
- Lynn is… - As much as he dreaded talking about the subject, Lincoln was cornered - She… couldn't come, she was too busy with an opening play at her high school that she couldn't cancel - Lincoln looked everywhere but his friend's eyes while saying that.
- Wow, not even for her sister's wedding where everyone else could? - Ronnie understandably questioned while raising an eyebrow - Well she needs to sort her priorities, don't you think? -
- Y-yeah, we'll totally call her out for that! - Lincoln continued looking to the sides.
This did not fail at catching Ronnie Anne's suspicion.
- Lincoln, call her out? The damage is already done, she should have been here! - Ronnie frowned at her friend's insufficient remark.
- No i mean you're right Ronnie, w-we'll do something about her - Lincoln began sweating on his forehead.
- hmmm… - Ronnie began looking very suspiciously at the albino, eyeing him up and down - dude, you're not hiding anything are you? - She approached and leaned her face closer to his, who was now visibly dripping sweat from his forehead.
This approach did not go unnoticed by other people.
- Ha! I knew it, mi Ronalda esta creciendo, I'm so proud of you mija! - Rosa came from behind, surprising the couple of teens and hugged them both to push their faces even closer to each other.
- *Gasp*, abuela what are you doing! - Ronnie became flustered as she complained about the actions performed by her grandma.
- Oh come on mijita, I told you that Ernesto Estrella's prediction couldn't fail, esto es obra del destino! - The grandmother continued teasing the young people below her grasp.
- Abuela por favor! This is embarrassing - Ronnie continued struggling under her abuela's powerful lock.
- Ok, I get it, I'll leave you some privacy, just please don't take as long as tu hermano~ - Rosa gave one last wink at her flustering granddaughter before leaving the scene to join the others at the party.
- … What was that? - Lincoln could only regain his breath as the vicious grip of the hispanic woman was no longer empowering his neck.
- Ugh, I'm sorry you had to see that Lincoln, abuela can get really "superstitious" with some TV people, there is this dude called "Ernesto Estrella" that gives predictions based on the horoscope, and she watches that junk daily… - Ronnie explained to her friend while still struggling to overcome her embarrassment.
- Really, and what is this prediction that she's talking about? - Lincoln wondered honestly.
- It's… - Ronnie looked a moment to the side as a visible blush became present in her features - Look, no judging ok? - She prefaced while raising her hands defensively - Well basically this dude on the TV told her about "reunited lovers connecting on the day of their family member's wedding" based on her zodiacal signs and blah blah - Ronnie struggled to keep the words going, gulping in the process - and well… she connected the signs to be those of mine and y-yours - She flinched at the words, but continued pushing through - B-but! I know It's bull, Ernesto is a hack, dude's already been proven wrong many times haha - She quickly added while scratching her arm in awkwardness.
- Wow, I didn't… - Lincoln also looked to the side with a small blush creeping through - haha, you grandma can be really creative huh? -
- Yeah I know, totally ridiculous stuff hahahaha - Ronnie Anne followed the mocking sentiment, attempting to dispel the awkwardness with laughter.
- Sure is! Hahahaha - Lincoln followed through.
And that was enough for Lola to hear, she quickly retracted back to the noisier crowd and pretended to forget everything, somehow, she even found the idea of dancing with Carl acceptable for a moment.
… Nevermind, never ever, she just went back to sit on a chair by the side of her dad, who was chatting with Arturo in regards to parenthood, waiting for him to notice her presence and take her out for a moment, or to at least talk to her.
Anything to get that sinking feeling out of her chest.