A/N: Geez, been over half a year since I updated this. Well, not anymore! This ball needs to get rolling too, and I have plenty of ideas needed to be written into this story.
Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.
The sun appears to be out in almost all hours of the day, the humidity has risen, storms are becoming more frequent (and more intense), and the temperature would almost make the day a scorcher if it weren't for the cool breeze. But who gives a crap about that? There's only one thing that mattered to anyone...
NO MORE SCHOOL! (until late August)
Kids didn't have to put up with their boring teachers, and the faculty didn't have to deal with shitty kids and their problems until the job demanded they did. Unless you got the short stick and had to do summer courses...
Officially, the summer solstice was just a week or two away, but almost everyone in Royal Woods had plans to get away during the hottest parts of the year; going out of town to the beaches of Florida, taking road trips to the east or west, or just chilling at home for a while because you had no money to plan extensive trips.
For the Louds, it was a mix of all three.
The highlight within the past week was Luna and Sam walking across the stage to receive their diplomas. And then there was what could be described as 'The Most Rockin' Graduation Party Of All Time'.
Well, not exactly; it was what Luna said.
But it was still pretty sweet gig. There was music hosted by the recent graduates, NON-alcoholic drinks (though at one point someone attempted to spike the punch bowl), plenty of activities...it made Lori's party look like it was for a typical birthday get-together.
But, as with all parties at the Loud House, there were some downsides. We're talking about noise complaints, trash being thrown everywhere, a fire nearly breaking out because someone didn't have proper care for using fireworks, some of the kids getting a sugar high, and some of the windows were blown out due to a certain Loud going overboard during her shredding.
The afterparty was an absolute hell to clean up; and Luna found herself short half a grand.
Whether it was worth it or not depends on who you ask, but Lincoln had other things to be happy about. With the start of summer break underway, it meant the annual family road trip to Weeping Willow Resort & Lodge was just a few weeks out. Unlike last time, the family took extra steps to make sure things went as planned; i.e. frequent route and weather checks on the days leading up to the trip, picking out a reasonable time to check in, Lana doing multiple checks on Veronica to ensure everything from the engine and windows to the cup holders was functioning properly, and (most importantly) saving up enough money to rent rooms for 15 people.
Unfortunately, if you were Leni, you were prohibited from making on-the-road meals. However, this served as a blessing in disguise; her organization skills had a chance to run the show. Whenever someone on the family seemed to forget something, she'd be the one to ask and point them in the right direction. You might think this would be ill-advised since Leni is...Leni; but she grew into her role as the eldest sibling of the house rather well after Lori's departure.
After she was done moping about how Lori wouldn't be around for months at a time during her first semester at college.
And speaking of the oldest Loud sibling, that's the reason why Lincoln was in a good mood this morning. Today was when Lori and Carol were coming home for summer break; with some very important plus twos. His favorite sister coming down was awesome enough, but with her bringing Ronalda and Sid as well made the teen not even mind getting up before the sun was above the horizon to do his paper route.
"At least this is my last week." Lincoln muttered to himself as he pulled another rolled up paper from the bike's basket before flinging it towards a neighbor's door. It landed squarely on the mat. "And he's done it again. High-five!" The Loud raised both hands before smacking them together. "All that pitching practice with Lynn is finally paying off."
It was no secret that, in terms of contribution, the middle child came in dead last thanks to having to use his earnings to pay for all the broken windows and dented mailboxes from his bad throws two years ago; who knew 7 pounds of rolled-up paper could do all that?! That's why last year, he didn't feel confident in using the paper route and had instead did odd jobs around the neighborhood. It's best left said he'd have to be dragged to hell before he stuffed his hands into dirty gutters.
So, he came to Lynn about working on his aim.
That in itself was difficult because she was still at a point where her confidence about doing anything related to sports was nearly nonexistent. However, (after a long conversation and some desperate begging) Lincoln managed to convince her he only needed to figure out what he was doing wrong and she just had to watch and give her own input. That week alone felt like it was what kickstarted Lynn's reignited interest in sports. Seeing her act more like her old self, having an aura of enthusiasm, and speaking in a professional manner as she drilled him gave Lincoln hope that Lynn could see that she can move on from the past.
"Too bad that seemed tedious at best..." Lincoln mulled before throwing another paper. He watched as it hit the door before falling harmlessly to the ground. A chuckle escaped him as a small pooch poked its head out the doggy door, grabbed it in its mouth and took it inside.
Pulling his mind away from his troubled sister, Lincoln's thoughts drifted towards Ronnie Anne. Visits from her were quite infrequent; the last time she had been to Royal Woods was last winter break. She would've made plans for spring break, but her family already had the idea to hit the road to the Big Apple around that time. Lincoln didn't picture himself as 'needy', but every time she visited, he felt...wholesome...if he could call it that.
Of course, that made every end feel like a punch to the gut.
He always found himself taking in her beauty whenever she was around: the way she smiled, the times she let her hair down, whenever she laughed, and (naturally) he sometimes let his eyes wander around her body. Lincoln's face developed a scarlet hue at that last thought. He didn't truly understand why he felt this way around Ronnie Anne sometimes. Originally, he was attracted to her because of her tough, yet friendly personality. But lately he noticed...other, things...about her; hence the bloody nose episode earlier in the week. Make no mistake, he knew of the birds and the bees. Lisa sort of made it a point to teach everyone about human reproduction when they were at the right age, but her usual tone made it sound all boring and sciencey. He didn't expect to be feeling this onset of emotions that made him feel flustered and, dare he say it, a little funny in his pants.
Was that what it felt like to really be in love? In both mind and body? Lincoln had the idea that the body part led to 'human copulation', but it left him speechless when experiencing it first hand. And the worst part? He couldn't help but just notice the way her legs curved, how her thighs seemed to fill her shorts just right, and don't get him started on the-
PFFFF!
Whilst he was distracted, and with a funny look on his face, the Loud hadn't noticed the subtle pull he made on the handle as he veered off the sidewalk and onto the grass. He was pulled out of his daydream when he smacked into some rose bushes.
Lincoln groaned and hissed as his upper body poked out of a bush, his arms and face lacerated at certain spots. "That's gonna sting for a while..." He eyed a thorn stuck in his cheek. The moment he pulled it off, hot pain erupted from the spot, making him recoiled instantly. "Ow!"
"LOUD!" Lincoln flinched as he heard the unmistakable angry voice of his neighbor. Turning his head, Mr. Grouse was halfway out the nearest window with his usual scowl adorned for the world to see. "Get your keester out of my roses! You're ruinin' my sprouting buds!"
"S-Sorry Mr. Grouse!" Lincoln stuttered, looking down before bending into the green. He pulled out one of the thrown out papers, shaking off the twigs and leaves. "Here's your paper." He smiled nervously.
The elderly man grumbled as he grabbed the paper. "Thanks..." He took off the rubber band and flicked it away. "So what's got you in the clouds today?" He asked while reading the headline.
"Lori's coming back for the summer, and she's bringing Ronnie Anne with her." Lincoln replied as he stepped out of the bushes, brushing his clothes off once free.
"Ronnie Anne?" Henry turned the page. "Isn't that the little skater girl you have a thing fer?"
Lincoln's face went a little red as he recalled his thoughts before they were interrupted. "Y-Yeah..." He busied himself with setting his bike back up, then he knelt down to dig into the rose bush to find the last paper he had.
"Well, if ya want," Henry looked out over the window to take note of the damage to his bushes. "You can take some of those roses you just ruined." Turning his attention back to the paper. "Might as well since you broke the stems."
Lincoln raised a brow as he leaned up whilst pulling the paper loose from its entanglement. Seeing where his body left an imprint, some of the roses did indeed have their lifelines broken with a pedal or two having fallen off. However, they weren't completely dead yet; and the Loud had to admit, it was a pretty sweet suggestion. Ronnie Anne usually preferred something long lasting if she were to get a surprise gift, but she wasn't one to turn down good food or flowers.
"Wow. Uh, t-thanks!" Lincoln replied.
"Just don't make it a habit..." Henry scolded before closing his window.
Lincoln didn't have any scissors or sheers, but the stems were weak enough to break without damaging the flowers any further. Picking out seven, and making sure not accidentally touch a thorn, he guided his bike back onto the sidewalk.
"Even though he was mad, Mr. Grouse thought of a gift I could give her." Looking down at the flowers, "I read somewhere that red flowers were a symbol for love." A warm smile formed on his face. "And I do love her, a lot..." He had the mind to go back and pick more, but he didn't want to be greedy; and risk irritating his neighbor further.
Pulling up to his house, Lincoln left his bike at the base of the steps before climbing up to the front door. Turning the knob, he only opened the door a crack before a white muzzle poked through the opening. Lincoln smiled as Charles gave a cheerful bark before sticking out halfway through the door, smelling his owner's shoes.
The middle child knelt down and petted the pitbull terrier affectionately. "Here ya go boy." He held the paper in front of the canine's face, who gleefully grabbed and shook it vigorously in his maw, sending a few pages flying. Satisfied, the dog turned and hopped back through the door.
Turning to the viewer, "What? You thought it was for my dad? He gets his news online now." He walked down the steps. "Charles always wants a paper so he can bury it. Guess he gets bored of his chew toy these days." He continued whilst shrugging. "Though sometimes Lana will want one as cage liner or..." He rolled his eyes. "She'll bury it too."
Looking at the clutch of roses in hand, the Loud pushed the door open wider before stepping inside. No one was awake yet, seeing as his parents' door was still shut, and nary the sound of floorboards creaking upstairs.
Lincoln grinned. "Perfect." He moved towards the kitchen through the dining room. "Don't want anyone spoiling anything."
Inside the kitchen, the Loud opened up one of the lower cupboards and grabbed a small plastic wrap with some scissors. Cutting off the thorns, he then tied the flowers off with a rubberband then used a second one to tie the plastic to encase the flower stems. Satisfied with his work, the boy gingerly walked up the stairs as to not alert his sleeping siblings, soon placing the roses on his dresser.
"And now," Lincoln dusted his hands of any dirt. "Time to get paid!"
"Are you sure you got everything, dear?"
"Yes Mom."
"Got your toothbrush?"
"Yeah."
"Enough clothes to last more than a week?"
"Yes..."
"Did you also remember to pack your swim wear?"
The young teen rolled her eyes before lifting one of her swim trunks high enough for her mother to see. "Yes, Mom." Ronalda put the shorts back in her suitcase before turning her head just enough to glance backwards. "I already went over everything I wanted to bring last night."
Maria chortled a little. "Just making sure. Though I'm not ready to become a grandmother yet."
Ronnie Anne was glad she already turned back to focus on arranging the clothes in her suitcase, as her mom would've seen the red hue that overtook her cheeks. "W-We haven't...uh..." She stuttered out. The immediate shock from her mother's words didn't last long as anger started to overtake her. "UGH!" She slammed her hands on the mattress and turned hotly towards the woman. "Really Mom?!"
Maria had a hand covering her mouth to suppress a fit of giggles. "Just playing with you sweetie. I'm more concerned with Lori and Roberto on that end. I know you and Lincoln are still years away from that."
Ronnie Anne bit her cheek, not really buying that statement. "That was a poor joke..."
"Probably." Maria shrugged. "But, you are two years away from your quinceanera." She sat on a part of the bed that wasn't occupied with clothes. Giving a light sigh, "Those days raising you from a bebé to a little girl weren't easy."
"Psssh." Ronnie Anne scoffed, grabbing one of her shirts and started to fold it. "I couldn't have been THAT bad."
Maria gave a knowing smirk. "One time, you lost your pacifier, and wouldn't stop crying until we got a new one. Marcus had to go out in the dead of night to buy one," She snorted. "A-And not even Bobby could make you happy!" The nurse paused as to get the laughter out of her system, much to Ronalda's annoyance. "Also, you threw up on him when he tried to hold you."
Ronalda paused her task, pursing her lips with a neutral look in her eyes. "...I don't remember that..." She packed the shirt and repeated the process with her shorts.
"Do you still remember the time you two were," Maria started an air quote with her fingers. "Lightning Pals?"
"Pretty sure I'm not the only one who gets afraid of a thunderstorm when I'm 3." Ronalda stated evenly as she grabbed the last garment before folding it and placing it in her suitcase. "At least we didn't pick 'Thunder Buddies'..."
Maria chuckled lightly. "Bobby took forever to get past that phase. Marcus always took joy in making fake thunder sounds just to spook you kids."
Ronalda smiled a little as she pushed down on her clothes. "Yeah...kinda hated when he did it, but..."
The smiles on both Santiagos fell near simultaneously. "I miss that man..." Maria stated solemnly.
Ronnie Anne watched her mother out the corner of her eye, seeing her eyes start to become wet as she sat in silence. It was next to impossible watching her mother silently grieve; sometimes she'd be in such a state for hours at a time if it was dwelled on for more than a few minutes.
Pulling her attention away from her luggage, Ronnie pushed the suitcase aside before sitting next to her mom. "I miss him too Mom..." She wrapped an arm behind her mother's back. "But you still have me and Bobby. So you don't need to cry alone..."
"I know..." The upcoming doctor pulled her daughter closer. "And I have both you and him to thank for keeping me levelheaded to some degree..."
Ronalda gave a cut nod. "Though we both owe Mrs. Loud most of the credit..."
Maria may not have known about it, but Ronnie Anne had noticed her mother's slide into alcoholism during the early part of the family's struggle after her father died. The widow didn't drink so openly, probably because a part of her felt shameful for turning to such an unsightly act as a coping mechanism. Thankfully, it didn't get to a point where Maria might inadvertently take her frustrations out on her own kin, but seeing her mother falling from grace and possibly becoming an abusive mother...
Once in a blue moon Ronnie Anne would have a night terror on the matter...
During the few times she managed to catch glimpses of her mother's sin, a part of Ronalda was deeply considering trying to talk her mother out of the habit. This was always struck down due to the young girl still dealing with the grief in her own way (being distant and unresponsive) and her more worried that her mother might grow hostile. She watched enough law enforcement TV shows to see how a drunk person acts when confronted about their problems, and the last thing she'd want is to make Maria strike at her.
Rita finally putting a stop to it proved her right as the Hispanic woman tried to engage in a physical bout with the Loud matriarch; though it looked more like a clumsy drunk trying their best to stay upright whilst throwing a haphazard punch that had little force behind it.
But the fact remained that, for the first and hopefully ONLY time, Ronalda felt she was going to end up an orphan...
"-Didn't want to move if it could be helped..."
Ronnie Anne blinked as reality came back to her. "Huh?"
"...You know we wouldn't have moved if it could be helped, right?..."
The teen mulled in consideration. "M-Maybe..." She shrugged lightly. "I dunno..."
Maria sighed. "I really didn't like having to force you and Roberto into a new change of scenery; especially since you two had a lot of friends there..." She paused to wipe a stray tear before it fell. "It might be selfish on my part...but being in Royal Woods just became too painful for me to deal with. The bills piling up weren't helping, Roberto taking many jobs to help was...it was a little soothing, but not something I wanted him to bear..." She took a moment to gather her thoughts. "B-But without your father around..." Maria breathed in, which sounded uneven as if she was trying to keep herself from bawling. "I-I just wanted to get away from it all..." She glanced at Ronnie Anne. "But I couldn't leave you or Roberto behind..."
"Mom, I don't hate you for the move. "Ronnie Anne started, moving a hand to grasp her mother's. "I didn't want to leave Lincoln or my friends behind; but I also didn't want to stay in that house anymore..." Her frown deepened a little. "It sucked for the first few weeks. I love my cousins and all, but city life and starting school with a bunch of new people just felt awkward." A smile started to grow. "But then I met Sid, and Nikki, Casey, and Sameer. They can't replace the friends I still have in Royal Woods, but I'm still glad I met them. Plus, Bobby's adjusted well too since he's working the Mercado weekly."
Maria started to smile, her hand firming its grip around her daughter's. "And I'm glad you two got used to city life." She gave a light huff. "Personally, I still prefer living in the suburbs. It's quieter and peaceful." Her look soured a bit. "And A LOT less traffic..." Ronnie Anne giggled. "And I still plan to have us return there some day. I don't mind living with my parents; but I'm also a grown woman who wants to live in her own house. And honestly, while I love my brother and Frida (she's like a sister)," Maria made a so-so movement with her hand. "But they can be a little..."
"Weird?"
"I was gonna go with eccentric, but that works." The nurse shrugged. "And speaking of which..." A frown took shape again, which made Ronalda grow a little worried. "...Do you plan on visiting him while you're there?..."
It didn't take a detective to know what Maria meant by him. On almost every visit to Royal Woods, Ronnie Anne made sure she visited the cemetery to spend a few moments at her father's grave. After the funeral, she couldn't bear to be within a few miles of the burial site due to the amount of pain she felt just looking at it. Not even when they moved from Royal Woods did she make a visit; though it ate at the young girl for months afterward. It got to a point that, during winter break that same year, Ronalda forced herself to go alone and see Marcus' grave.
A few minutes were spent having an awkward one-sided conversation before Ronnie Anne burst into tears telling the headstone how much she missed her father. Thankfully, she wasn't completely alone as Lori, Lincoln, and Bobby hid just out of sight. In fact, Bobby insisted on going with her, but the tomboy demanded that she face the task alone. The two Santiagos embraced each other silently for what seemed like hours before Bobby carried his sister back to the van before she caught a cold.
Since then, Ronnie Anne dealt with the visits better, sometimes even having one of her friends going with her if they felt she needed moral support. And to her shock, the tomboy realized one important fact: she and Bobby had time to visit their deceased father, but Maria never had the opportunity since the funeral. She was either too busy with work and now her classes to afford going anywhere, and the teen was now silently cursing herself for not even realizing it.
"Y-Yeah. Hopefully before we go to the resort."
"Well, when you do..." Maria dug into her pocket and pulled out a medium-sized brown locket. "I want you to give him this for me."
Ronalda raised a brow. "What is it?" She grabbed the circular end.
"It's an old photo of us when we were in our mid 20s." Ronnie Anne opened it, her eyes widening a little at the ridiculous poses her parents were making for the selfie. "This one in particular was taken before we had known I was pregnant with your brother."
A light chortle escaped the teen, but her heart warmed seeing both her parents happy. "Hold on." She squinted at the photo. "You guys went to the Grand Canyon?"
Maria nodded. "Only time we went. It was pretty hot that day, but the view was gorgeous!" The nurse squealed. "I hoped some day we could all go as a family..." A frown started to form as the absence of her husband became more obvious.
Ronnie Anne took a quick look back at the photo. "We still can." She told her mom as she snapped the locket shut. "It might not be the same without Dad, but that doesn't mean the rest of us can't go. W-We'd just have to plan it out."
"If I can catch a break, that would do me wonders..."
"You will Mom." Ronnie Anne smiled. "You will. And don't worry; I'll make sure Dad gets this as soon as we get to Royal Woods."
She also made a note to talk to Bobby, and maybe her cousins even, about how they could pull some strings to give Maria some time to R&R. The Grand Canyon definitely sounded like a fun trip; she'd never been there, but the pictures she occasionally found online were fantastic. However, the tomboy doubted such a trip would happen this summer, seeing as she'd be gone for six weeks and scheduling a flight and hotel on such short notice would be costly.
"We'll figure it out. Sides, we helped Abuela and Abuelo make their anniversary trip."
"Oooh thanks hija." Maria hugged her daughter again before letting go. "Now, you may want to hurry and finish packing. School might be over, but the morning traffic is still a nightmare."
Ronalda huffed. "I'm sure it is." She watched her mother exit the room for a moment before eyeing he locket. "And I'll make sure you are kept safe and sound until you reach Papi." The teen unzipped the top pocket of her suitcase and deposited the sacred treasure. Ronnie Anne would spend a few minutes to make sure she packed everything she needed before zipping the entire suitcase closed, then focused on getting her computer stuff ready.
As soon as Lincoln arrived back home, he set up about getting prepped for the rest of the day. Being that it was a few minutes til 8, his parents were already awake to greet him when he came through the door. Rita didn't stay long as she was going to pull more extra hours, and Lynn Sr. was busy making breakfast for everyone who had yet to awaken. Depositing his earnings inside the giant plastic jug the family used to build up cash for the trip, the Loud boy quickly made his way up the stairs, grabbing a fresh set of clothes from his room before fast-walking to the bathroom.
Though there were 3 bathrooms in the house, the only other shower aside from his parents' room remained upstairs; which meant the dreaded bathroom line still haunted the family to this day. And Lincoln was hoping some warm water might relax his tense muscles after that clumsy stunt from earlier. He made it to the oval office just as he heard another door open up behind him.
On any other day, Lincoln would've ignored the bathroom to grab whatever sleep his job made him miss. But he felt too energetic to let that bother him.
"Lori's coming back, and Ronnie and Sid are gonna hang for a while." He monologued to himself in a happy tone. "Lori said they'd be leaving kinda early to beat the traffic, but she didn't say when." Lincoln stripped out of his shrub and leaf covered clothes, eyeing his shirt for any cuts in the fabric. "Either way," He dumped the shirt on the floor, "They'll probably be here around noon." He slid out of his pants and undies, then turned the handle above the tub to get the water running.
He stuck his hand into the stream, waiting for it to get to a suitable temperature before stepping in. "Wonder what we can do first today..." Lincoln mulled in thought as he brushed dirt and twigs from his hair. "There's a couple new action movies that came out, and that new ride at Dairy Land." He squinted an eye in thought as he lathered soap across his body, only hissing a little when he brushed over a fresh cut. "Though what if everyone else wants to go? I mean, I wouldn't mind, but I'd prefer if it was just us two..."
"Already planning your date Romeo?" A feminine voice cut through his thoughts, making the white haired teen give a yelp, and nearly dropping the shampoo bottle he was holding.
Peeling the curtain back a little, he immediately drew it back as he found one of his sisters on the toilet; with her pajama bottoms down at her ankles. "Luna! C-Couldn't you hear the shower running?!" Lincoln yelled out of embarrassment.
"Oi, you try holding it in for five minutes." Luna folded her arms. "Sides, not like none of us haven't seen you in the buff before."
"Yeah, when I was in diapers..." Lincoln refuted.
"Either way," Luna grabbed some toilet paper. "I'll be done before you get out." She rolled it into a wad before sticking it into the bowl. "Makes the line go quicker."
Lincoln bit his cheek. "I guess..." Popping the cap, he squirted some shampoo directly into his follicles and started digging his fingers into his hair. "By the way, do you have any idea where Ronnie Anne and Sid are gonna sleep? I don't think we figured that out yet."
"They could hang in your room. Ya know, a stud like you havin' two lady friends in a room; alone, with the door locked." The musician smirked when she heard something drop onto the tub floor.
"Leave the innuendoes to Luan..." Came Lincoln's grumble. "Or don't. Either way, I'm not a perv..."
"Aw come on brah. You've handled jokes about your relationship this far; ain't like it's gonna..." Luna stopped for a second before clenching hard. She grunted as she pushed something out, letting it plop into the bowl. "Stop any time soon. But in all seriousness, they'll likely stay in mine and Luan's room for a week."
Lincoln raised a brow. "Why a week?"
"Gonna be chillin' at Sam's place while we do our next few gigs. Out of town stuff; and we're goin' BIIIIIG!" Luna sang the last few words. "Plus, it's better than sleeping on the couch or floor."
Lincoln leaned his head back to wash the shampoo out. "True."
"Although," Luna dragged out. "Your crib is still on the-" She stopped midsentence when a bar of soap flew out of the curtain towards her head. She laughed as she leaned a few inches to the side, causing the bar to make a loud bang against the wall. "Yeesh, why are you so defensive? We know it's gonna happen one day." The musician unfurled more toilet paper to wipe her mess before dumping it in the bowl.
The irate glare the younger teen had faded a little as he glossed over that last sentence. "One day..." He stuck his face into the water stream, keeping his eyes closed whilst running a hand down his face a few times to get rid of any excess shampoo or soap. "But when that happens I want to do it without you guys trying to help."
He heard the toilet flush for a moment before Luna answered with, "You'll still ask for help of ya need it though, right?" He could already see the smirk on her face through the curtain before he heard the faucet on the sink run.
"...I'll take a rain check on that."
The Loud boy glanced to the side as Luna stuck her hand in, holding the bar of soap he chucked at her. "Dropped this." He rolled his eyes before taking the bar.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The sudden noise made Lincoln jolt, making the bar slip out his hand and fall to the floor of the tub.
"Will you hurry it up in there?! I need to tinkle urgently!"
Lincoln came out of his startled trance and put on a stoic face. "She might not be beauty-obsessed, but Lola still has her fierce attitude." He muttered, picking up the bar and placing it on its pad.
"I heard that!" Lola screeched. "You try holding it in for twenty minutes!"
"She's got a point." Luna agreed. "Give me a sec, sis." She called out, drying her hands. The musician paused and turned her head towards the curtain when she heard the shower stop. "You done already?"
"Yep..." Lincoln's hand reached out from behind the curtain and grabbed the towel resting on the rack. "Thought I had enough time to change, but might as well do it in my room."
Luna shrugged before moving to open the door. No sooner did the barrier swing out did Lola push the door wide open and brush past her older sister, a pained look on her face as she covered her sensitive area in some faint attempt to hold her pee in. Lincoln drew the curtain back and stepped out the tub, his hair still wet with a towel wrapped at the waist.
Right when he grabbed his clothes, he felt someone pushing him from behind. "OUT-OUT-OUT!" The 8 year old demanded as she shoved her brother out the bathroom, slamming the door shut not a second later.
Lincoln glowered a little. "Nearly made my towel come off..." Using a hand to fix the waistline, Lincoln strolled towards his room.
A couple meters ahead, one of the bedroom doors opened. Lynn gave a tired yawn as she rubbed one of her eyes, getting rid of the dried skin that developed during the night.
"Hey Lynn." Lincoln greeted as he walked past.
"Hey..." She waved haphazardly, scratching at her side before looking towards the bathroom. Hearing Lola giving a content sigh as she relieved herself, the brunette groaned before heading downstairs.
Along the way down, her foot caught the edge of a step too early. Lynn gripped the railing hard as she felt gravity take hold of her body.
"Shit!" She yelled out instinctively, catching her footing two steps down.
"Junior?" The Loud patriarch called out as Lynn heard his footfalls below. As he poked his head from around the corner, "You ok?"
"Yeah..." Lynn planted a hand on the stairs and pushed herself up. "Just haven't fully woken up yet."
"You catch any Zs last night?"
"Um, yeah?" Lynn put a hand on her hip as a small glare formed. "Give me a break pops, I just got up..."
"Alright." Lynn Sr. shrugged before disappearing into the dining room. "Though I'd appreciate it if you didn't swear so openly like you did just now."
Junior rolled her eyes. Almost everyone in the house had done it at some point, parents included. Heck, if your were unfortunate enough, you'd hear the two getting it on in the bedroom with their dirty talk. Whether who did it the most was something Lynn couldn't tell you; though she suspected her mother found it the most alluring for...some reason...
Eh, forget it. What was she coming down for again?
A wave of pain rocked through Lynn's lower core, making her recoil with a groan as her abs tightened. Her intestines gurgled as she wrapped her arms around her waist, practically jumping down the steps and running into the dining room bathroom.
"Christ..." Lynn could be heard as she lifted the seat cover. "Two years on and I'm still getting bathroom pains!..."
A few hours later...
Lori sighed in content, idly glancing at the passing scenery. "It's good to be back home."
"You and me both." Carol nodded, keeping her focus on the road. "City life is ok, but I'm definitely gonna enjoy NOT waking up to a train every morning."
"Hah." Ronnie Anne huffed in amusement. "Have fun while it lasts, cause we gotta go back around the end of July."
"Hate to interrupt," Sid cut in, squirming a little in her seat with her hands over her bladder. "Are we gonna reach your house soon Lori? Cause I gotta go, BAD!"
Ronnie Anne frowned at her bestie. "Why didn't you go when we were at that rest stop?"
"I didn't need to go then!" Sid glared, starting to sweat a little. "Plus, you know how dirty those things are?"
"Well, you literally thought you'd die without that large drink you bought at McDonald's." Lori added.
"Hey!" The Asian girl pointed a finger at the back of Lori's seat. "Orange juice is good for your blood!"
Lori rolled her eyes, looking at the houses they passed. "Can you afford a few minutes? We're almost there."
"Mmmm...ugh..." Sid groaned, tightening the muscles of her bladder.
The quartet hit the road around 7, just beating the morning rush to the highway. Once they hit the interstate, it was pretty much smooth for the first two hours. They only stopped to get something to eat, as doing so closer to the city carried the risk of getting caught in slow traffic. Another 2 hours later and the sun was almost at the middle of its arc by the time they reached the Royal Woods City Limits.
Ronnie Anne glanced out the window as they passed through a neighborhood. All of the houses still remained the same during her last visit, with a couple 'For Sale' signs here and there. When they passed a road labeled 'Jefferson Way', Ronnie Anne bit her cheek. Although it was only for a few seconds, just a couple houses down from the entrance to the street, she spotted her old house. She heard from Lincoln that a family had bought the house last year, but seeing if every time made her feel a little funny. The tomboy couldn't tell whether it was longing, some kind of depression, or whatever the hell it was; maybe just seeing the place you had so many memories in made you feel like this.
"...I hate this..." The Santiago girl mulled to herself, folding her arms. "Felt a little better being out of that place after Dad died, but I had like, SOOOO many fun times in there." She leaned against the window. "I hope whoever has my old room didn't turn it into some girly paradise..."
About five minutes later, making a turn on Franklin Avenue, the girls spotted a familiar and welcoming site. Sitting just a house away from the closest intersection, Lori's home stood in all its glory; if you didn't mind the chipping paint, a few roof shingles missing, and a freshly covered hole in the front yard.
"Welp, home sweet home." Lori stated happily as Carol pulled to a stop on the curb.
"Home away from home in our case," Ronnie Anne joked, pushing her door open. As she closed her eyes whilst leaning back to stretch her legs, she heard the door opposite from her seat open and shut within a split second. When she straightened herself, the Hispanic girl wasn't at all surprised to see a frantic Sid knocking profusely on the door.
"Coming, coming!" A masculine voice answered before the front door swung open. Lynn Sr., now dressed in his usual attire, looked at his eye level as he expected to be dealing with another salesman. He raised a brow when not only was there no sales person to run off, but there was a teenage girl looking like she needed the bucket.
"Sid?" The Loud patriarch asked.
"Doyouknowwherethebathroomis?!" Sid spoke quickly with a pained smile, her legs crossed and quaking like she had the chills.
"Um..." Lynn Sr. took a moment to pick apart her sentence before jerking a thumb to his left. "In the dining room on the right."
Sid nodded rapidly before squeezing past him. "THANKYOU!"
Momentarily being occupied by the bathroom door slamming shut, the man looked back out the door, immediately gaining a warm smile. "Well well well, look whose returned to the nest."
"Hey Dad." Lori hauled her suitcase up the front steps before hugging her father, who returned it in kind.
"Heya Mr. Loud!" Carol called from the driver seat.
"Mmmmm..." Ronnie Anne had lines of steam coming off her head, seeing as she had to tug both hers and Sid's stuff from the car, on top of carrying a bag slung on her shoulder. "Told her we weren't stopping after that rest stop." She slammed the trunk shut, then pulled both suitcases behind her. Putting her irritation to the side, "How's it hangin' Mr. Loud?" She greeted with a smile.
"I'd say I'm hanging like a fresh peach on a tree now that you guys are here." The father joked with a chuckle. Lori gave an awkward laugh, though Ronalda stuck her tongue out at the poor joke.
"I'd stick around, but I gotta get back to my own place." Carol shouted before shifting gears. "Later girls!" She waved out the window before driving off.
"See ya tomorrow Carol!" Lori called after her before turning back to her father. "So, is Mom home?"
"Nope." Lynn Sr. shook his head. "She pulling more extra hours today. And speaking of which," The Loud patriarch pulled out a chef hat. "Your old man needs to get down to the restaurant for the lunch rush!" He spoke as he placed it on his head. After Ronalda pulled the luggage inside, he started stepping out. "Why don't you three go and enjoy yourselves? That ride must've been a killer for the leg muscles."
Lori shrugged. "Kinda used to it. The traffic in the city is literally a nightmare..."
"Still, don't want those quads going bad on ya." Lynn replied before closing the door.
A pair of footsteps were making their way downstairs. "I thought I recognized those voices from anywhere." The pair turned to see Luna carrying a duffel bag in one hand with her axe strapped to her back. "Sup sis."
"Hey Luna." The two sisters hugged.
"Sup dudette." Luna extended a fist out to Ronnie Anne, who responded by bumping it with her own.
"You heading out for band practice again?" The oldest sibling surmised.
"That's half the story." Putting a hand on her hip, "Gonna be chillin' at Sam's for a week while we go around on tour around the area."
Lori raised a brow. "You're leaving already?!" She put on a faux pout. "But I just got heeeeere!..." Her shoulders sulked as she whined.
Luna chortled. "Ah don't be like that." She waved dismissively. "I already told ya days ago."
"I know." Lori smiled. "Still haven't see you in months."
"Oh you'll see a lot more of this," The musician gestured to herself, "When we go on that road trip soon."
"Not doubting that." Lori put a hand on her hip. "Soooo is anyone else home?" She looked around. "I'm a little surprised I didn't get dogpiled at the door."
Luna began counting off her fingers. "Luan's downstairs doin' laundry, Lisa's in her room, I have no idea where Lucy is; she still got that disappearing act man." Luna uttered the last part in a whisper. "Lana and Lily are playing around out back," She smiled and pointed at Ronnie Anne, who paused at the sudden attention whilst slipping her shoes off. "And this girl's boyfriend is watching over them."
The tomboy met the smirks on their faces with a deadpan. "If you're trying to get a reaction, that doesn't work anymore." She slid her foot back into her shoe. "Me and Link already got past that stage FYI."
"You were gonna ask anyway." Luna teased before looking towards Lori. "Also, Leni's clocking in a few hours today. Lola went with her to pick out a couple dresses for this pageant she has coming up."
Lori narrowed an eye. "What about Lynn? How's she been doing lately?" Ronnie's interesting grew after that question was asked.
Luna hummed in thought. "She's been doing alright; as far as not talking to herself and all that. She went out running a little after breakfast, so she ought to be back soon."
Lori sort of hoped there was something other than the usual bit of news she got when it came to Lynn. The brunette herself wasn't much of an open book these days, and Lori never stopped worrying about her wellness since the incident two years back. But, there wasn't much she could do about it now.
"Well then." Lori grabbed the handle of her suitcase. "I'm gonna unpack." She started towards the stairs as she glanced at Luna. "Just make sure you don't get too frisky with Sam."
Luna's face turned a light crimson as her eyes went wide. "Pfff." She rolled her eyes. "Can't be as much as the many times you and Bobby did it."
"Touche."
Ronalda scrunched her face in disgust. "I don't need to hear this..." She turned and reopened the front door before stepping out.
She closed it before any of the two girls could've asked where she was heading. If the question was "Don't you wanna see your boyfriend?", um yes, she still did. However, the tomboy had a different approach in mind. If Lincoln was in the yard, then he'd spot her easily if she came out the back door. A grin spread across her face. She didn't want it to be obvious; it was much more fun surprising him. And she felt certain neither Luna nor Lori would spoil this for her.
Sneaking around the side of the house, Ronalda stopped where the siding met the chain link fence that surrounded the backyard. Gripping the corner, she poked her head out just enough to get a clear view. She immediately picked up movement and focused in on Lana and Lily playing some kind of fantasy game; Lana was pretending to be a dragon whilst Lily was wearing cardboard as armor with a toy sword in her hand. Charles was, for better or worse, acting as the horse.
"Awwww." Ronalda cooed at the cute scene. But, that wasn't what she was looking for. "Now where is-" She stopped upon finally spotting her prey. "Bingo." She grinned. "Guess I could've went through the door anyway."
Some 20 feet away, Lincoln was on a lawn chair extended in the full flat position with a comic book covering his face. Both hands were behind his head, making the Santiago girl assume he was taking a nap. Being as quiet as possible, she climbed over the fence and started to tiptoe towards him. Lana jumped towards Lily as she made a not-very-convincing roar, only to stop short as she spotted the teen girl creeping towards her brother. Lana was about to shout a greeting, but Ronnie Anne immediately put a finger on her lips as a way of asking her to keep quiet.
Both girls looked towards Lincoln, then back to Ronnie Anne, then mirrored her gesture. Ronnie gave a wink and continued her sneaking until she was right behind Lincoln's chair. Lincoln's chest rose and fell smoothly, and Ronnie could hear the breaths he took through his nose.
"This is almost too easy." Ronnie Anne giggled to herself as she leaned on the chair with one hand until her face was right above Lincoln's. Using the other hand, "Lincoln..." She whispered affectionately as she lightly tapped the side of his head.
He didn't stir, only drawing in a deeper breath as he rested.
"Lincoln." She tapped him again.
"Mmmm..." Lincoln groaned as his eyes opened under the covering. Removing a hand from behind his head, he grabbed the comic and slid it down to his chest. He expected to be temporarily blinded by the midmorning sun, but his vision was immediately darkened again as something moved down towards his face. The sleep from his eyes was immediately forgotten as they opened up to their maximum size upon the boy feeling another pair of lips on his.
Lana and Lily squealed in joy, making Charles fold his ears onto his head.
Upon breaking the kiss after a few seconds, Ronalda leaned up so she could grin at the perplexed Loud. "Morning sleepy head~~"
It took Lincoln a minute to get his mind working again to realize his girlfriend was standing over him. His cheeks reddened as he said, "H-Hey Ronnie Anne." He finished with an awkward smile that made the Latina laugh.
"That never gets old!"
Lincoln chortled a little before sitting up straight. The girl hugged him tightly, which he returned in kind. "When'd you guys get here?"
"Just now." She released him before taking a spot next to the boy. "Didn't think you'd be asleep at this hour."
"Normally I wouldn't; in fact I wasn't all that tired earlier. But I still got that paper route to do." He raised his arms to stretch their muscles. "Guess sitting in the sun made it catch up."
"Hi Ronnie Anne!" Lily shouted once she got within arms reach, hugging the older girl around the leg.
"Sup Lilybug." The tomboy leaned down and hoisted the toddler up.
"DOGPILE!" Lana shouted before she and Charles jumped onto Ronalda's chest.
Lincoln recoiled in surprise as the Latina let out a yelp due to being knocked off balance. Her upper back hit the opposite side of the chair, kicking her legs upward; she had to grab the edge to avoid tumbling over completely.
"I missed you guys too." Ronalda managed to say with what little air remained in her lungs, wrapping them all in a hug.
"This has gotta be the cutest thing I've ever seen." Sid stated with a grin, coming down the back steps.
"Heya Sid." Lincoln greeted, putting his hand out.
"Fancy meeting ya Mr. Loud." Sid grinned as she took his hand into her own and shook it. "Didn't think Ronnie Anne was good with kids."
The tomboy rolled her eyes. "Only the ones I actually like." Lana and Lily released her as she sat up, with Charles still sitting on her lap as she petted him. "You know how difficult it is looking after Carlitos."
"Until you taught him how to speak." Sid replied as she leaned on the chair.
Lincoln developed a knowing smirk. "Plus, you kept going past the maternity ward to look at the babies while Lynn was healing."
Ronalda pursed her lips. "And? Babies are cute. We all know that."
"Really." The Chang girl chuckled. "Maybe you were thinking of having one of your own one day?"
Both Lincoln and Ronalda clammed up blood rushed to their cheeks.
"So am I gonna be an Aunt one day?" Lana asked, scratching at her cheek. "I bet I could teach my nephew or niece a thing or two about maintenance."
"But," Lily turned to the couple. "Wouldn't you guys need to get married first?"
"Great...she HAD to get them started..." Both Lincoln and Ronalda thought in unison.
"Lana." Lincoln began with a sickeningly sweet smile. "Don't you have a new pet you wanted to show Sid?"
"New pet?" The young plumber raised a brow. Her eyes brightened a second later. "Oh yeah!" She said whilst snapping her fingers before grabbed Sid's hand and started to lead her towards the house. "You gotta see El Diablo's daughter. I paired him up with a friend's constrictor, and she hatched two months ago."
Lily frowned. "But I wanna slay the dragon!" The baby of the family made a pouty face as she crossed her arms.
Seeing the dilemma they faced, Sid opted for a compromise. "Tell ya what: how about I play the dragon," She gestured towards herself, "And you two," She pointed at the kids, "Have to take me down."
Lana frowned a little, seeing as her new baby would have to wait. But, she was quite bored of being the dragon for nearly two hours. Giving a shrug, "I'm game."
"Yay!" Lily cheered with her arms raised high.
Lana took the opportunity to hoist Lily onto her shoulders, with Sid moving to grab the towel and fake dragon head the 8 year old was using. Humerously, it was a bit small on her, but she made it work. Charles decided to climb down from Ronnie Anne, stopping for a moment to scratch an itch behind his ear with one of his hind legs before trotting towards the house.
"...I hope he didn't have fleas..." The tomboy stated with a concerned look on her face.
"Nah." Lincoln waved his hand dismissively. "I bathe him in anti-tick shampoo on the regular."
Ronnie shrugged before leaning back, placing her hands behind her to support herself. "Seems you're still the Man With The Plan." She spoke whilst watching Sid and the two little Louds play around.
"Honestly," Lincoln gave a wry smile. "Sid joining them was just a fluke." He eyed her shirt. "I'm guessing you were planning to surprise me like that since this morning?"
Ronalda glanced down, her attire having the SMOOCH logo on the front with names of all the band members on the back. "Not really." She shrugged. "I only threw this on because it was one of the few things I hadn't packed yet.
Lincoln gave a humorous huff. "If you say so." He momentarily watched as Lana and Lily overpowered Sid and began to 'decapitate' her. "Soooo, you wanna go out later?"
"Hmm?" Ronalda looked towards him with a brow raised. She frowned a little as she remembered the suitcases piled at the front door. Looking away, "Crap, I still gotta unpack..." She glanced at the Loud. "Where are we gonna sleep by the way?"
Lincoln immediately recalled the words Luna said earlier, shaking his head a little. "Waaay too soon to be thinking about that..." Drumming his fingers on the chair, "You and Sid will be using Luna and Luan's room for a little while. Luna's gonna be at Sam's for a week, and Luan practically gave an arm and a leg to stay at Benny's."
Ronalda nodded. "Luna said that when we came in." She looked towards the house, eyeing where she believed the two performer's room was. "I hope Luan didn't leave a 'gift' in her bed for us..."
"I doubt she does stuff like that anymore." Lincoln replied. "April was pretty low key this year." He winced a little as he gave an offhanded stare. "Though I think we went a little overboard with all the pranks we did to each other."
Ronalda chortled. "Those pictures you sent made me question if World War 3 broke out in your house." She paused for a moment. "And to answer your question," The Latina smiled warmly at him. "I'd love to. However..." Her smile was lost as a neutral look took its place. "There's something important I gotta do first..."
Lincoln felt an uncomfortable pressure filling his chest. "What is it?"
Ronalda sighed, leaning forward and clasping her hands together. "It involves my Dad..."
Lincoln mouthed an "Oh" in understanding. It was nearly impossible to forget Ronalda's reaction to her first visit to the gravesite. He even feared she'd regress back into her shell like she had the weeks after her father's unfortunate passing. Fortunately, the Santiago girl was more communicative than expected; though it still took a few days before her usual demeanor returned.
"Want me to come with?..."
"Nah." Ronalda stood up. "I can handle it on my own now. Plus, it's something promised to do for Mom."
After getting their stuff settled in their temporary room, Ronalda set out towards the cemetery. It was a bit of a ways from the house, being a 15 minute walk. Getting there wasn't difficult; in fact it would've been quick if she took her skateboard or asked to borrow someone's bike. Instead, the Santiago girl opted to walk; it gave her more time to reflect on things, which was hard to do on either modes of transport unless she wanted to crash into something.
Every few moments, Ronalda would feel her pocket to make sure the locket hadn't slipped out. She already checked them for holes, but in this case, she felt better being a little paranoid than regret it later. Satisfaction sated for the time being, the tomboy lifted her head up, closing her eyes as a fresh breeze hit her face.
"I miss stuff like this..." The tomboy mused. "Don't know if it's just me, but it definitely feels cooler out here; even though it's low 80s right now."
She passed by the park, glancing absently towards the citizens who were out enjoying their day. Pleasant memories ran through her head, some recent while others were long ago. The park in Great Lakes City might have its charm, but it still couldn't beat the fun memories the Latina had growing up here. She caught a glimpse of sandbox near the playground, spotting a couple of young kids trying to build a castle.
Ronnie may not have had many friends when she was a toddler, but she could always count on her brother to make her happy. "And here I thought Bobby being who he is now was embarrassing." She chortled, looking up at the sky. "Mom talks about it a lot," Her head tilted to the side. "Though I still can't remember when I tried to distance myself from him." She twirled the end of her ponytail with a finger. "Must've been when I was trying 'change my image' after that fight in 4th grade." Focusing back on her sense of direction as she rounded a corner, "Although...I wonder if Lincoln would've been into me if I was more..." She cringed as chill went up her spine. "Girly..."
While she considered her change in attitude years ago as her being 'a bit silly', it was hard to imagine herself looking like...Cristina in a general sense appearance wise. Hell would freeze over before she would act like one of those pompous bitches from 3rd grade however. And she'd rather shoot herself long before that happened.
Ronalda started to frown as she passed by the a particular section of fence that lined the perimeter next to some tall bushes. There were no signs of lasting damage, and the blood that had been spilt that day had been washed away by the rains long ago.
She ran her fingers along the fence as she walked, feeling the subtle vibrations as the digits bounced along the metal pillars. "Even if those jerks were stronger...I wish I had a chance to put up a better fight..." Putting her hands in her pockets, Ronnie Anne held her head low as she moved away from the park.
After ten minutes of silently passing through town, the Santiago girl stopped at an open archway bordered by barred fence posts. Greater Royal Woods Cemetery was cast in iron and embedded in stone at the top of the entrance, with the entrance itself being wide enough for a hearse to fit through. From there, one can see the many headstones lining the dirt road that led deeper into the resting place for the deceased.
Ronnie sighed. Every time she got here, vivid memories of the procession for her father's funeral loved to make themselves known; even if she had gotten somewhat comfortable with the infrequent visits. The young teen sniffled a little as she blinked back a few tears, then breathed in deeply before walking into the burial grounds. Her eyes floated over headstones and placards embedded in the ground, only reading the birth and death dates; she didn't give too much thought about people's names, and most of the dates were well before those of her parents.
Somewhere towards the middle of the cemetery, Ronalda stopped and turned towards a headstone carved out of granite. Her lips pursed and eyes became wet as she read the name and epitaph.
Marcus R. Santiago
March 26, 1972 - November 5, 2017
Loving husband, father, brother, and son. Lived a good life, but was taken too soon.
Around the base of the headstone were some bouquets of flowers that were either wilting or dead, along with some photos that had been dirtied and torn after months of being exposed to the elements. When it came to doing stuff like this, Ronnie's main concern was someone being callous enough to steal from a grave. Even with the low crime rate in the city, she took little comfort in that the gifts were easy pickings for any lowly individual.
"Hey D-Dad, it's me again..." Ronalda started, her shifting foot carving a small path in the dirt. "Just got into town, and I'm gonna be around for half the summer. Wish it could be longer, but I still have to go back to the city..." She gripped at her sleeves. "It's still not too bad living there; but it's still less crowded and less noisy here in Royal Woods." The tomboy sighed. "Hate to give bad news, but we won't be back by the end of the year...Mom needs a couple more years of training before she's ready. I'm not holding that against her, but..." She felt a weird pressure starting to fill her chest, making her pause to gather her thoughts.
"It...it just sucks. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad for all the friends I've made there, but it still doesn't feel like...like being in a real home..." She pouted whilst crossing her arms. "Though I guess you wouldn't call a 3 bedroom apartment a house anyway..." The tomboy dropped her arms to her sides, a groan leaving her as she stared at the sky. "I still wish things would go back to normal; or as normal as it could get. I'm almost jealous of Lincoln on that; he managed to make things up with his family and at least gets some comfort, but then we get sacked with..." She stuck her arms out for a moment before they dropped. "This...and on top of that, I have to worry about my relationship possibly tanking because of the distance, and my body growing in ways that's making me feel weird. Mom's definitely gonna be a big help on that," Ronnie shoved her hands into her pockets again, looking back at the tombstone. "But still..."
Her fingers felt around the locket in her pocket, soon gripping the golden body as she whipped it out. "But speaking of Mom," The teen opened it, keeping her gaze focused on the picture. "She wanted me to give you this. I doubt I can figure out how much this means to her," She said whilst closing it. "But you guys looked super happy during your trip. She also told me you guys planned for us to go there some day (that's pretty bust now...) but I told Mom we'd figure that out some day." Ronnie managed a tiny smile. "Not only that, b-but I want to bring Mom here to see you too." Her balance shifted due to stacking her weight more on one leg. "She hasn't been here since the funeral...and I know she's still hurting like I was months back...that's why I want to bring her here so she could at least have some closure. Me and Bobby already do, and it'll be good for her too..."
Ronnie Anne stood in silence for a few moments, letting a few stray tears fall from her face before the wind blew them away. Giving a sigh, "Nothing like talking to a tombstone...I bet if someone came by, they'd think I'm crazy..."
"Actually..." A younger, monotonous voice joined in.
"AAAAAAH!" Ronalda shrieked with a jump. Her arms flailed until her brain overrode her instincts, and upon realizing she threw the locket into the air, she quickly grabbed it after a few slips. Her head turned so quickly towards the intruder that the end of her ponytail smacked her eye. Giving a growl of irritation as she rubbed stray hair out of the socket, her one good eye focused on the person who disturbed her.
It widened after she realized it was the gothic sibling of the Louds. "It's very heartwarming that you're visiting him, even if his spirit is has passed on."
"What are you doing here, Lucy?" Ronnie asked, blinking her left eye until its vision cleared.
"Paying my respects to Geo #4..." Lucy replied, gazing sadly at the ground.
"Geo?..." Ronnie scratched her head. Realization of the owner of said name hit her not a second too late. "Ooooh, your hamster. How'd he die again?"
"Hawk grabbed him when we let him out of his ball at the resort last year. We got him back," The 10 year old's gaze darkened. "But we were too late..."
Ronalda gave a solemn nod. "I sort of remember Lincoln mentioning it, but he didn't say much." Her foot tapped the ground, feeling a bout of awkwardness setting in. "Did...did you guys think about getting a new hamster?"
"It was a tempting thought." Lucy stared at the teen. "But after the last three, we decided it was best to let Geo rest in peace." She looked in the direction she had came from. "We probably wouldn't have had a 4th Geo if Lana hadn't found him; she was the most devastated." Looking back at Ronnie Anne, her focus shifted towards the Latina's hands. "What's that?"
Ronnie Anne looked down. "A locket from my Mom to give to Dad." She opened it and showed Lucy the picture. "It has this photo of them when they were at the Grand Canyon some years ago."
Lucy silently studied the picture. "Young love that's matured into something more," She clutched the area over her heart. "Only to be cruelly ripped away by an outside force..."
Ronnie Anne frowned with a disapproval look. "Don't remind me..." She closed the locket.
"Sorry." Lucy clasped her hands behind her back. "It's a good offering though. I'm sure he'll like it."
The tomboy turned towards the headstone and knelt at the base. "I'm sure he will too..." Not wanting something that looked expensive to be visible, Ronnie dug up a few clumps of dirt with her hand. Once she felt the hole was deep enough, she planted the locket inside and buried it.
"I'll always love you Dad..." Ronalda spoke softly, matting down the freshly laid dirt before standing up.
Sticking her hands into her now empty pockets, Ronnie Anne turned and started walking back up the path with Lucy close behind her. The Santiago girl had to remind herself a few times the Loud was a few paces back; her footsteps were so damn quiet...
As they reached the entrance, the tomboy raised a brow upon seeing Lincoln and Sid waiting for them. They didn't notice their approach as they were chatting to each other. She was about to question how they got there, though once she could see past the brick wall, she saw a bike and a pair of skates.
More importantly, "What are you guys doing here?" Ronalda asked. Sid cut herself off as she turned towards the two, with Lincoln flinching a little whilst keeping an arm behind his back. The tomboy narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Whatcha hidin' back there?"
"W-Well, it's-" Lincoln stammered out, nearly losing his voice.
"Come on man!" Sid cried out, nudging him with her elbow. "You missed your chance giving them to her earlier, why are you going into your shell now?"
Lincoln gave Sid the stink eye. "I already told you it wasn't the right time for it!"
Ronalda looked at them quizzically. "What are you talking about? And what do you mean by them?"
Lincoln sucked in a breath. "These." He removed his hand from behind his back, and what Ronalda saw made her go wide-eyed. A bouquet of roses was held up in his hand for the world to see. "I was gonna give these to you when you guys first got here." Lincoln smiled nervously, his cheeks forming a faint tint of red. "But then you said you had to go to the cemetery and I didn't think it was the best time..."
Ronalda gently grabbed the flowers, her fingers gracing his for a few seconds. She took a small whiff, noting they were the real deal and not those cheap plastic ones you see at a flower shop. "Yeah, it would've been nice to have them earlier." Sid smirked whilst Lincoln deadpanned at the Asian. "Buuuut," Ronalda smiled at her boyfriend. "It's just what I needed after coming here." She wrapped her arms around Lincoln's shoulders before planting a kiss on his cheek. "Thanks..."
The white-haired teen smiled whilst putting a hand around her waist.
"You sure seemed focused on hounding Lincoln over that." Lucy replied, glancing at Sid.
"What can I say?" Sid folded her arms, phone in hand as she snapped a picture. "I like seeing my bestie happy."
"So where'd you get these from?" Ronalda asked, now only having one arm around Lincoln's shoulders as she inspected the flora.
"Mr. Grouse." Lincoln shrugged like it was no big deal.
"Grouse?" The Santiago girl chortled. "How'd you manage to snag these without pissing him off?"
"He just gave 'em to me after I said I wanted to get a gift for you." He omitted the part as to what led to him getting them, and hoped she didn't ask.
Ronalda chuckled. "Really. Did it have anything to do with the band-aid on your face?" She asked, poking the wrap sticking to his right cheek.
Lincoln deflated a little, knowing he couldn't just lie to her. So much for not asking. "I crashed into his bushes this morning during my route."
Both girls giggled a little; Lucy only smiled ever so slightly.
"Alright." Ronnie shook the bouquet in her hand. "Let's get these in some water before they die." As Lincoln parted from her to get his bike ready, the Santiago looked at Sid. "Think you can carry Lucy back?"
"Psssh." Sid waved her hand in a coy manner. "That'll be easy."
Lincoln leaned in towards Ronnie Anne. "You know Sid can't skate that well, right?" He whispered, watching as Sid put her skates on.
"She's had some practice." The Latina shrugged. "Can't be that bad."
"I think she needs more," Lincoln held up a rope. "Since she held onto this while I pedaled here."
Lucy stared at Sid, who was now wobbling around as she struggled to maintain her balance on both skates. Her visible eye winced. "Have you done this before?"
"Come on..." Sid stuck her tongue out before finally planting both stoppers on the ground. "Gotcha!" Looking towards the goth, "I've got this in the bag. Just hop on!" She pointed at her back.
Lucy didn't look convinced. "You sure?..." She had a brow raised.
Sid gave a thumbs up, never dropping her smirk. "Positive!"
Lucy sulked a little. "Sigh. It's our funeral then."
Sid might've been prepared to carry the brooding 10 year old, but she didn't expect Lucy to make a running start. The animal lover widened her eyes in horror as the goth got closer. "Wait wait wait, slow down-" The moment Lucy made contact and clung to her back, Sid inadvertently rose up to compensate for the girl's weight, coming off her stoppers as they rolled forward. Sid screamed in terror whilst Lucy gave an unenthusiastic, bland shriek of her own, not once changing from her dull stare.
Lincoln watched as the two rolled away. "We should do something, right?" He turned his head to Ronnie Anne, whom was sitting on the aft end of the seat with a hand to her mouth as she suppressed a fit of giggles.
She stopped after noticing the disapproving look she was getting. "Aw don't worry Link, they'll be fine. I taught Sid first and foremost how to keep her balance; plus we practiced with our bookbags." The tomboy stated with confidence. "Sides, there's an uphill slope just ahead that'll stop them if Sid can't hit the breaks."
Lincoln rolled his eyes, kicking the bike stand up. "If you say so."
They would later come across the duo near the section of road that started to go uphill, with Lucy hanging from a low tree branch and Sid orbiting around a lamp post with one hand on the base as she tried to slow herself down. Needless to say, Lincoln had to put pedal to the metal just to get everyone home.
What a great start to summer vacation.
A/N: Now that the girls have arrived, the question of the matter asks what antics they'll get into during their stay. Not to mention, we'll see some bonding between Ronnie and Lynn; Sid might or might not get jealous about it.
