Thank you for reading, I'm glad you enjoyed the first half. Here's the final part.
Lincoln walked into a convenience store, it was just after 4 PM, and was getting some snacks. There were some folks talking about something. What he gleamed they were talking about some woman on the radio looking for love or something. He wasn't that interested. He grabbed beef jerky, potato chips, a couple hot dogs, and a soda and went up to the cashier.
"That'll be $12.49," the guy said.
Lincoln patted his pocket, didn't have cash.
"Do you take cards?"
"Of course, it's after 1996."
"Alright, jeeze," Lincoln said.
He pulled out his red debit card and ran it through the machine. He pressed his pin and asked for 20 dollars cash back. The cash register did its thing, printed a receipt. The cashier gave Lincoln a twenty-dollar bill. He was done, he walked back to his car and set the bag in the other seat and started to eat the hot dogs. Then he started the car and tuned the radio to a station.
"Now, Samantha, you heard your mother's concern, what do you have to say?" the voice asked.
"I can't believe people put their problems on the radio like that," he said.
Then he noticed he didn't have any napkins. "Dang it," he said. He looked around the car looking for something to wipe his face off. There was something in the back of the seat, he reached down.
"Now, I know this was the from the last hour, but if Lincoln Loud is listening, I would love it if he called into to the show."
He stopped, did that radio host just mentioned his name?
"That's 1-800-555-MAXS," the host said.
"Why would he want me to call him?" Lincoln thought.
He couldn't find a napkin, so he turned off everything and walked back inside the store. The guy at the cashier's spot was listening to the radio.
"Hey, excuse me, I need napkins," Lincoln said.
"Over there, now ssh," the man said.
Lincoln rolled his eyes.
Back in his car, he wiped his face and heard his phone ping. "Huh?" There was a text. "Lincoln, they are talking about you on the radio," it said. It was text from his sister Lana. "What?" he texted back. Then the phone rang.
"Lola was listening to that dumb Max Hayes show, trying to hear some sappy stories, and there was a girl who really loves you," she said.
"Are you sure?" Lincoln said.
"I'm not sure how many Lincoln Louds with White hair lived in Royal Woods, and had ten sisters," Lana replied.
"Thanks, Lana," he said.
He sat the phone down, exerted a breath and let it sink in. There was someone out there who spilled their guts on the radio talking about him. Who could that be? He should have asked Lana, he thought in hindsight.
"I wonder who she is, I've not lived in Royal Woods in a few years."
The time was 4:40, he didn't have a lot of time left. He wondered what that number was. He looked it up on his phone and dialed the number. He nervously waited for the phone lines to clear, but they were busy: beep, beep, beep, the phone went. He hung up., He had to try again.
"Wait, am I really going to call some random radio show for some girl?" he asked himself, "I don't even know who it is."
He looked through his phone, years of pictures were collected in cloud storage, it had to be a girl who knew him, of course. There was Stella, but she wouldn't tell him through the radio, and she wasn't in Royal Woods. The idea of calling for a mystery girl was kind thrilling, there's a rush, a tingle, he was going to do it; that's the way to find out.
The Max Hayes staff saw each light up on the switch board as a potential bright hope that they'll be able to pull off something big. They really hoped that Lincoln would call in. Jill looked from the corner of her eye and noticed a new line blinking, quickly she pressed the button.
"Max Hayes show," she said.
"Ugh am I on the air?" the voice asked.
"No, what's your name?"
"It's Lincoln Loud," he said.
There had been a few prank callers, trying to pretend to be Lincoln Loud, so Jill was skeptical and needed proof it was him.
"My sister called me some woman was talking about me on the show, and that I should call in," he said.
"Really? So, you weren't listening earlier?" Jill asked.
"No, I'm sorry," he replied.
"Do you know a Jordan?" Jill asked.
"Jordan? Jordan, a girl Jordan?" he asked.
"Hmm, so what's your hometown?" Jill asked.
"Royal Woods, Michigan," he said.
"Please hold, don't leave the line," she said.
She waved her hands to get Max's attention. He looked up and acknowledged her but pointed at Gerald.
"He's talking to a guest in Joplin," Gerry said.
"I got Lincoln Loud on the line; Get Jordan on the line," she replied.
Stu came in the room, she knew why. Max didn't like her interruption.
"Stu, I've got Lincoln Loud, we're getting Jordan back on the line, tell him to wrap this up, and we're going to put them on the air after the break," she said.
Lincoln was holding the phone to ear; he was wondering what he was doing. This was all strange. He heard Jill tell him that he was going to be put on the air, he wasn't expecting that. "Alright, I guess that's fine," he mentioned. Max was elated, he couldn't wait to get back after the ad break. During that short period, Lincoln had a moment to think.
Girl Jordan loves me? After all this time, she loves me. I haven't seen her in years, yet she was thinking about me. I once told he I liked her, but that was when I was…younger… but I didn't really stop did I? I wanted to say something to her on graduation day but was a coward. I mean, confessing your love to the same person who rejected you earlier is impossible
He racked the fingers of his right hand on the car's console and held the phone to his ear with his left hand. He could hear the ads from the show and felt tense as the seconds changed. Then, music played, and Max started to speak.
Folks, we don't have any more callers because, the last 15 minutes of the show is a special guest. That's right, we have found Lincoln Loud, he is on the phone right now. Lincoln, hello.
"Yeah, that's me," Lincoln said.
"Now hold on Lincoln, I have someone who's been wondering about you, do you want know who this is?" Max asked
"Hello," Jordan said.
"So, Jordan, is that voice Lincoln Loud?"
"Yeah, I know that voice anywhere," she said.
"Alright Jordan, Tell Lincoln, your feelings."
Jordan gripped the phone on her face, she let out a breath and started to speak.
Lincoln, I remember that one time you said you really liked me, and I rejected you; I felt bad about that. I remember the nice things you've done for me through out my life and want to tell you that I love you. I wish I had told you sooner. You are probably with someone, but I had to get that off my chest.
Lincoln listened to Jordan's words. He happy inside, that she was thought about him all this time, and loved him. There was some wariness in her voice.
"So, Lincoln, what do you want to say?" Max asked.
Well, Max, uh Jordan.I had no idea that you loved me, and I feel bad that we lost contact after High were good friends, and glad we were.I think I've always liked you since that first day of Kindergarten, your hair cut was cute. I'm surprised you remember that time from eighth grade, I think I forgot, but I knew I still wanted to be your friend.I'm not in Royal Woods, currently, but maybe we could talk later, and meet soon.
"Yeah, I'd like that; I'm so happy to hear your voice again," she said.
Jordan wiped a tear from her eye.
"I'm going to have my producers help you two exchange info, and I'm going to help you two see each other, again," Max said, "Even better, no strings attached." The quiet part about free publicity was unsaid.
A couple days later, Jordan heard a knock the door, she was staying at her parents' house while they were away on an extended vacation. She opened the door and standing right there, was him. Lincoln Loud, white hair and all.
"Hey, I'm a first-time caller, long time listener," Lincoln said.
Jordan laughed, "Oh Lincoln."
"I know, that was bad," Lincoln replied.
"Oh, uh come in," she said.
"I got you something," he said.
Then he took something out of a plastic shopping bag and handed her the contents of that bag.
"Beef Jerky?"
"Yeah, it's uh protein."
She looked at his eyes they were still as blue as she remembered, they were still earnest. His smile and warmth reminded her of that first time, and the times since that he would be around her. The back of her mind, she felt this was dream, that waking up would ruin this moment. She set the jerky down and grabbed his right hand; it was smooth, and it felt real. Lincoln looked at her for a moment.
"How was the trip?" she asked.
"It was good, that was nice of that radio guy to pay for gas and my hotel room," he replied.
"We're famous, for now," she replied.
She was still holding his hand, he wasn't pulling away, instead he held her other hand. Jordan cleared her throat to wanted to make the moment right.
"You know, when I called that show, I was trying to get my feelings out there, and I meant it, I love you," she replied.
Lincoln was going to say something different, but he didn't; he cobbled his thoughts together and looked straight into her eyes.
"I love you, too" he replied.
Jordan leaned in closer, set her head on Lincoln's shoulder, and her hands behind his back. He moved his hands and embraced her in return. The house was quiet, just the two of them in the locked embrace. It was like they were in the air, floating above the clouds, that's how they felt. Then, Jordan turned her head and grabbed Lincoln's face; she moved closer and pressed her lips against his. He gulped and pulled her closer and they kissed, for a long time.
And there we go, it was fun to put together, really liked that is idea popped in my head, it just had to be written down. Thank you for reading, see you next story!
