Chapter 439.
"An unwanted family last name."
(Royal Woods Mall.)
The snow hasn't returned, but the air is now chilly and some folks are in their winter gear, well some winter gear to keep warm.
The mall is busy and a lot of folks are going by with their business and seeing what else is new and affordable with the New Year Sale still in progress.
School is done for the day and Lincoln and the gang are enjoying some time there, well some of them. The others had plans for something else to do.
Lincoln and Jordan, along with Hope, Gretchen, Ryan, Simon, Stella, Liam and Tabby go into Reiningers.
"So, what are we all planning at Reiningers today?" asked Lincoln.
"Maybe something that would make us feel better now that the rich mean girls aren't around, also did you guys see that big line of people outside of Gryphon's shopping?" asked Jordan.
Gretchen chuckles. "Wow. Never thought the place would also get involved with the New Year sale, and glad we were not part of that. Otherwise we'd be in line all day, until midnight."
"Let's hope everyone doesn't buy the place dry" said Hope.
Stella then sees someone. "We got someone familiar here guys." they all see Michelle Lewis is there, and she's going through some dresses and she also checks out the pink scarves on sale.
They all go over to see what she was up to and she also spots them and smiles. "Hey kids, school done for the day? Any homework or projects?"
"Not at the moment, but chances we'll all be piled up and ready for the big test on the first week of February" replied Lincoln. "So, what are you doing here?"
"Well, your mom said that I should take a break today, while she keeps an eye on Lily, and so I decided to come here to the mall and see what I can do to keep myself occupied, and I am planning to go on a date with Peter Harris later, then I ran into them." Michelle Lewis then points to Jackie and Mandee who go towards her.
"Hey guys, we're so glad we got some of the girls to be here and we were here shopping and then Michelle told us what she was gonna do, and we were totes gonna help her" replied Mandee.
"We wanna make her look so pretty and awesome for her big date with the cowboy this Friday" said Jackie. "And it's not just us helping her in getting her a cool new look."
They then see Fiona, Miguel and Leni with some clothes for Michelle to try out. "Hi Lincoln, Jordan and others. I think Jackie and Mandee already helped cover up what we're up to" said Leni.
Simon smirks. "Yeah, and I can only assume they wanna help too?" They see Jordan and the gals talking and they go over and help with this, which means the boys will be elsewhere in Reiningers.
While the girls and Miguel, help Michelle with what she needs to wear. Lincoln, Ryan, Simon and Liam are walking at the men's wear of the place.
Simon checks out on some socks and then sees some awesome gloves he might wear at the prom. "So, what do you think is gonna happen when Peter Harris is ready for his first date of the year?"
Lincoln checks out the jeans. "Chances he might bring her someplace that would mean so much to Michelle, either somewhere romantic, or someplace memorable for the both of them."
"That guy's got this thing all wrapped up and heck from what we know about him, it could be an exciting time for the gal too." Liam goes through some shorts and then he sees some boots.
"I think I'll also begin my plans for a date with Gretchen, I'm thinking… Next week, Friday?" said Ryan.
Lincoln smirks. "Whatever works Ryan, I know that when it comes to you and Gretchen, there's no telling how awesome or romantic it gets, and heck I think I'll plan my own date with Jordan, soon" said Lincoln.
"Same here, I think Stella and I could use some quality time" said Simon. "What about you Liam?"
"No thanks boys. Tabby and I already had our date" said Liam. They all remain silent and look to him. "What ya'll looking at me for?"
"When did you to even date this year?" asked Lincoln.
Liam then recalls. "Oh right, sorry to not telling ya'll. Tabby and I started our first date when the first Saturday came, which was on January 2 and we had an awesome time at Bangers n' Mosh."
Ryan chuckles. "Wow. First of the guys in the group and he did it way before us, a date with his lady before any of us did. Do the other guys know?"
"Sorry, I forgot to mention, but chances Tabby told the rest of the gals and now they know and are darn right happy she had her date before any of the others" said Liam. "Guess time flew by and I must've flaked out on telling ya'll."
Lincoln smirks. "Well, it's okay buddy. We're glad you got to bring Tabby on a date before we did." Then Lincoln notices something. "You guys see them?"
Ryan, Liam and Simon look to what he sees and they see two folks come into Reiningers and are looking for someone. They are adults and both with some winter gear and seem pretty shady and look like trouble. This raises a ton of red flags in the boys, and they've had their fair share of facing trouble.
"Looks like we got ourselves some trouble coming into town and just when the trouble was gone" said Liam. "This is gonna be bad real fast, should we call someone about this?"
"Who the heck are they looking for?" asked Simon.
"Chances it could be Lincoln" said Ryan.
"We can't be sure of that dude" said Simon.
"Then why the heck are they coming towards us?" asked Liam.
He's not wrong, the two grownups see the boys and walk towards them. Lincoln stands fast and ready. "I picked a bad day not to bring my bat."
Lincoln backs up alongside his friends as the two grownups approach them. "Excuse me, are you Lincoln Loud?" asked the male stranger.
Lincoln gets cautious from this. "Wh-Who wants to know?"
"Hey!" They all see Michelle and the other girls go towards them. "Stay away from my brother!" said Leni. They all stand between the boys and these mystery grownups.
"When we see some shady people going towards Lincoln, then that raises more than enough red flags to spell out trouble" said Mandee.
"And we've all seen the kind of trouble that's been going on and trouble ends up getting hurt" said Jackie.
"And locked up" said Jordan. "Now, what the hell do you guys…...?" Michelle gets in her way and she looks closely at the two strangers.
"Oscar? Emily?"
The figures then reveal themselves as the ones she speaks of.
Oscar S. Lewis – in his early 40's. Long brunette tied into a ponytail, but the front of the bangs looks like Michelle's style and he has a goatee. Wearing a red shirt, brown hoodie jacket and dark gray jeans with black boots.
Emily J. Lewis – in here late 30's. Long brunette hair and is flopped to one side, but the style in the back of the hair looks like Michelle's. She's wearing a yellow shirt, dark brown hoodie with the logo of a bull, blue jeans and brown winter boots.
"Hello Michelle, long time no see" replied Emily.
"Been a long while since we last spoke to each other, or even see each other" replied Oscar.
Lincoln looks to Michelle. "You know them?"
Michelle is now angered seeing these two. "Yeah, they're my cousins and they are not welcome here."
That was enough to make them stand with her, and Mrs. Carmichael overhears this and she readies the surveillance cameras just in case.
"Look, Michelle we didn't come here just to see you" said Oscar.
"We came here to give you thi." Emily hands her the letter and so Michelle takes it, she then opens it and reads what it says and the others also read what it said.
"The Lewis Family reunion is set to be held back home at Fresno California, on January 16 2021. All members of the family are to attend for a big celebration – yours truly; Bernard Jameson Lewis Sr."
Seeing this was enough to shake her to the core. "What the hell is this?"
"We want you to go to the reunion" replied Oscar in annoyance.
"Why? I thought I wasn't even a Lewis anymore, even though I kept the last name, because that's the last name of my parents!" said Michelle. "Why the hell is this even for me? Last I heard, you didn't want anything to do with me."
Emily sighs. "Look, we don't like this as much as you do, but we were sent here to tell you this and also because Bernard Sr is gonna pass away soon, and someone in the Lewis family name is gonna be…." Michelle tosses the letter to her.
"What the heck are you doing?" asked Oscar.
"I'm not going, and you two clowns better pack up outta here or someone is gonna get a beating" said Michelle. She then looks to her friends. "The reason why I called them clowns was because they both are afraid of clowns and yet they hire clowns to their kid's birthdays."
The others kinda chuckle at this. "Oh man, would Luan wanna be part of that" said Lincoln.
The two grownups are red in embarrassment. "Look, Michelle you have to come. All members of the Lewis family has to attend and you are a Lewis" said Oscar.
"Well, try and make me, because no way am I going back to be glared at by everyone who casted me out. I may have changed into a Hollywood woman back then, but after my 'rents died, I wanted to go and see them and what did you dorks do? Shunned me out!" said Michelle.
"You wouldn't even let me say my final words to the people who raised me and did what they could to help me reach my dreams. I made a mistake long ago, but my parents would be truly ashamed at what you and the rest have done to me!"
"Wow. I thought the Lewis' were loyal or something, but I guess they're dark within, but we know some can change and Michelle is one of them" said Leni.
Michelle smiles hearing this, then she looks to her cousins. "You two clowns can go and tell the others, that I am not going and I am not gonna be part of anything the family has, I'm done with you two and the others."
"But you are a Lewis, you have to come!" said Emily.
"When the lady said no, she means it you sorry ass pansies." they all turn around and see a cowboy with his head down and his belt showing his allied officers badge and FutureTech troopers badge. The clock then ticks to 4:00 and the man walks in, it's Peter Harris.
"How about we skip the pleasantries and you hoodlums back away from the lady I call my lover, and just skedaddle to whatever mud hole on the earth you two Pennywisers came from, because that's all I can see, ya rodeo clowns."
The sight of this man was enough to startle Oscar and Emily.
"Who the heck are you?" Then Oscar recalled what he said. "Wait, lover?"
"You're dating Michelle?!" asked Emily.
Peter readies to draw out one of his pistols. "That's right, that's damn right and sure as hell am I fateful to her and the rest of those she calls friends and family, but right now, I don't think you two dingus' are family. So, what's it gonna be peons?"
They see that other folks are looking at them, they have heard of how this town has faced the odds and countered trouble dead in the face, and right now the folks of Royal Woods sees them as trouble.
"Fine! We'll leave" said Oscar. "But this is not over!"
"We'll be back, and you have to come to the reunion!" said Emily.
Michelle crosses her arms. "Never in your lives, clowns."
The two cousins then walk off angrily and get back to their car, but as they drive off, they run into an Abomasnow and it chases them away.
Michelle goes towards Peter and they hug each other. "You folks alright, now?"
"We are, thanks for coming too" said Jordan. "Wait, what the heck were you doing in the mall anyway?"
Peter has a bag with him. "Getting them boots I ordered for my date with this lady right here, and I'm glad those two are outta here, but I doubt this'll be the last time they do show up."
"Then we'll be ready for them" said Lincoln.
Michelle sighs. "I just….. I never thought they would be here, I mean the family I once was a part of, and it's come back to haunt me and….. I don't know what else to do."
Leni goes over to her. "You're not alone in this, we got you're back. All of us, sure you were once the Hollywood gal, but that was Doug who influenced and kinda, blackmailed you. But you changed."
"A lot of people who were once mean and cold-hearted can change, like Hope and myself" replied Gretchen.
"And we ain't gonna let you face something like those people, we're not gonna let you get outcasted again Michelle" said Peter, he then kisses her cheek which makes her smile.
"Thanks everyone, well we should get back to shopping." Michelle then looks to Peter. "And you should get going, because I do not want you to see what I'm gonna be wearing on our date early." she then pushes him out.
Peter chuckles. "Alright, alright. I'm going, I'm going." He then walks off, but he feels excited for Friday, but then he makes a call for the Outpost to check on a black van that's driving away, and keep track of it Ensure the two Lewis cousins do leave town.
Michelle and the others all go back to shopping, but unknown to them, Mrs. Carmichael used her phone to record what happened and she begins to post it on social media. Which is gonna be seen by all the folks in the country and world, and that includes the Lewis family.
Those two are in deep trouble for making some trouble in Royal Woods.
To be continued…..
A/N: Michelle's family last name past has come to haunt her, sort of. Chances they might come back, or not. Leave a review and tell me what you all think.
The OC's are from my other story "Family of Two."
Date made: 12/15/20 – 12/16/20.