"Hey, Lily how come big sister Lori doesn't like me?" Loan asked setting down her doll.
"What do you mean Loan?" Lily questioned still playing with her own doll.
"Well, Lori always seems to avoid me and anything to do with me. She always out when it's my birthday and never gets me a present for Christmas." Loan explained to Lily.
" I'm sure she doesn't mean to Loan she just" Lily was cut off by Loan slapping the doll out of her hand.
" No Lily she doesn't like me. I talked to Mom and Dad but they only make stuff up for her. They say it's school and the break up with Bobby that has her like this but No she just doesn't like me for 6 years it's been this way." she yelled feeling tears form in her eyes. Lily stared at her for a moment before hugging her little sister.
"You know I don't like it when you yell," Lily said holding onto her.
" I'm sorry Lily it hurts seeing her be nice to you and the others but she treats me bad." Loan said crying into Lily chest.
" Shh, it's gonna be okay Loan. Let me talk to Lori maybe I can change her mind," she said patting her back "You will." Loan said wiping her tears away.
"Yeah, I will that's what a big sister for," she replied.
"Is everything alright in here," Rita asked standing in the doorway.
'Yes, Mom just playing." Lily said letting go of Loan "Okay, then but it's time for Loan to go do her studies with Lisa," Rita said waving her hand for her to come.
"I'm coming Mom." Loan said standing up and walking towards Rita.
"We will talk more at dinner," Lily said as she waved her little sister goodbye.
"Mom why can't I go to school like Lily and the others?" Loan asked holding on to Rita's hand as they walked downstairs.
"Because Loan we think Lisa would be a better teacher for you then the schools," Rita explained to her.
"But then why does Lily get to go to school she's only 2 years older than me." Loan argued.
" Well, Lisa wasn't done with her studies when it was time for Lily to start school. It wouldn't be fair just to take her out now." Rita continued to explain as they headed outside to the garage.
"But…" Loan was cut off by Rita stomping her foot down.
" Loan sweety we've been over this already we only do this because we think it's what's best for you," Rita said kneeling down and giving her a hug.
"I know Mom." Loan said hugging Rita back.
"Good now be a good girl for your sister and pay attention she's been telling me you've been daydreaming recently," Rita said opening the door to the garage.
" I will Mom." Loan said entering the garage turned laboratory turned classroom.
"Lisa I'm here for school." Loan called out entering the unkempt classroom. Nothing but the sound of Lisa's machinery could be heard in the garage. " Maybe she left a note for me." Loan said to herself walking up to the desk. Loan spotted a manila folder with her name written on it. Loan opened the folder assuming it was work Lisa left for her.
Subject: Loan Loud Age 6 "The Subject shows no signs of any learning disability nor any abnormalities considering the circumstances of the subject this is a good sign of the medicine is working as expected."
"Sorry Loan I lost track of time," Lisa said entering the garage causing Loan to jump.
"That's okay Lisa." Loan said quickly closing the folder.
" What are you doing at my desk?" Lisa asked hanging up her Lab Coat.
"Nothing I thought maybe you left me a note on what work to do." Loan answered trying to keep a straight face.
"I wouldn't do that Loan I need to be here to make sure you understand the lesson," Lisa replied sitting in her chair. "Go ahead and take your seat for today's lesson."
"Yes, ma'am" Loan said taking her seat.
While Loan was busy with her homeschooling Lily decided to go talk with Lori.
" Lori?" Lily asked knocking on the door to her room. "Yes," Lori said opening her door and looking down to see Lily "Hey Lori can I talk to you?" Lily asked.
"Sure Lily anything for you," Lori said letting Lily enter the room.
" What did you want to talk about Lilybug?" Lori asked taking a seat on the bed.
"I was playing with Loan and she got upset as we played house." Lily said before being cut off by Lori " Did she hit you, Lily, because if she did I'll make sure she gets in trouble with Mom." Lori hissed.
"No no Loan would never do that but she told me that you where being mean to her," Lily explained to her.
" What do you mean Lily?" Lori asked.
" Well Loan was saying how you avoid her and your not there with her or us when we celebrate her birthday. Even on holidays when we are all supposed to be together your always gone" Lily answered "Oh Lily I'm not avoiding her it's just work has me scheduled those days and if it's not work school also has me in a bind. If it wasn't for that I would have plenty of time for her you and the family." Lori said with a smile patting Lily's hair.
"I get it now. I'll tell Loan that she was just being silly and that you like her." Lily said getting up from the bed.
"Thank you, Lily, for helping her understand now if you don't mind I have to study for an upcoming test," Lori told her ushering Lily out the door.
" Oh okay bye Lori," Lily said turning around and bumping into someone.
" Hey there Lily." A familiar voice said. Lily looked up and saw the smiling face of her older brother.
"Linky." she said hugging him tight "When did you get here." "I just got here." he said hugging the girl and spinning her around causing her to giggle, "I thought you had school still." She told him.
"I do but most of my classes got canceled so I decided to come over for a visit." He explained letting the girl down.
" It's always nice when you visit," Lily said with a smile.
"So where's Loan?" Lincoln asked looking around the empty hall. "She's usually with you."
" Well she's at school right now with Lisa so she won't be out until dinner," she answered him.
" Dang it, well I got some time to kill Lily. Wanna play some Muscle fish fighter?" Lincoln asked rubbing the top of her hair.
"Only if you wanna get beat," Lily told him.
" You sure about that Lily you haven't won once against me," Lincoln said as they headed downstairs and into the living room.
" This time I will beat you." She told him getting the game ready.
"Well see about," Lincoln said picking up a controller.
The two played games for next couple of hours until finally, they heard their mom call out for dinner "Kids dinner time," Rita called out from the dining room.
"Coming Mom," Lily called pausing the game and looking at the score seeing she hasn't won a single match against her brother. " How are you this good.?"
" I spent a lot of time playing this" Lincoln told her standing up and stretching. "Maybe too much time," she said moving to the dining room.
"Where is everyone?" Lincoln asked taking a seat at the table noticing some plates missing.
" Let's see Lola is out with her friends, Lana house sitting for a friend and Lucy has her poetry club meeting. Other than that Lisa and Loan should be coming any moment and Lori should be here." Rita answered sitting down as well.
"I'm here," Lori called out walking into the room and flashing a smile towards Lincoln.
" How have you been Lori? Lincoln asked smiling back.
" Good school and all" She answered back sitting across from him.
" That's good," he said turning his attention to the sound of the kitchen door opening. He saw Lisa and Loan enter the room with the latter of the two looking down at her feet.
"Loan come sit here I saved you a seat next to Linky," Lily told her waving her over.
" Linky." Loan said looking up from her feet and seeing her big brother. She quickly ran up to him and gave him a hug before taking her seat.
"Alright, kids everyone's here dig in." Lynn Sr. told them before taking his seat as well. "How was school today Loan?" Lincoln asked chowing down on his meal.
"It was…" Before Loan could finish she was cut off by Lisa.
"It went horribly today she wouldn't pay attention at all to the lesson. She's always daydreaming or her mind is somewhere else," Lisa told him.
"I-I-I" Loan tried to say something but couldn't get words out. she pushed herself away from the table and ran upstairs. "Loan please," Lily called out chasing her sister but before leaving turning back to Lisa and sticking her tongue out at her.
" Come on Lisa was that necessary." Lincoln huffed.
" No it wasn't but you asked and I answered," Lisa explained.
" Yeah I asked Loan not you," he argued.
" She would have just told you a lie on how it went," Lisa argued back.
"Don't worry about Loan Lincoln she's always causing drama." Lori chimed.
" Kids that's enough I'm not having this at the table finish eating or go." Lynn Sr. yelled.
"Sorry, Dad." They all said in Unison.
" Good now finish eating Lisa got dishes after this." Lynn Sr. told them.
" Why me?" Lisa asked shocked at what he said.
" Because you started this and I said so," he answered.
"Fine but what about Loan and Lily's plates," she asked "Leave them. When Lily calms Loan down they'll finish and clean up after themselves." Lynn Sr. told her.
" Understood Dad," Lisa replied slouching in her chair.
"Loan where are you?" Lily called out entering their shared room and shutting the door behind her. Lily checked all over the room with no luck she wasn't even under the bed leaving only one spot she could think of. Lily headed for the closet and moved some clothes to the side revealing a little trap door. "Loan?" Lily called out knocking gently on the door waiting for a reply.
" GO AWAY." Loan cried "Loan please talk to me?" Lily asked trying to open the door but finding out it was locked.
" I said to go away." Loan cried out again.
" What happened today Loan?" Lily asked sitting close to the door.
" I saw something I wasn't supposed to see." Loan answered her.
" What did you see," Lily asked her " Come in and I'll tell you." She told Lily opening the door and inviting her in. Lily crawled through the door entering their hidden room. Lily saw Loan sitting down in the corner of the room holding on to Lincoln's old stuffed rabbit that he had given her on her 2nd birthday. She crawled over to Loan and sat by her. "I'm scared Lily really scared." Loan told her as she laid her head on Lily's lap.
"What happened Loan," Lily asked running her fingers through Loans hair.
"When I went to school with Lisa I saw something on her desk. It said I was a subject to something and that the medicine I'm taking is working but I don't know what it's doing. They tell me the medicine is supposed to help me focus, b-b-but I'm scared because the very end of it said Mom and Dad aren't my real parents." Loan croaked out before crying into Lily's lap. "Shh, it's going to be okay," Lily said brushing Loans hair trying to calm down the girl.
"H-h-how are you so calm?" Loan wept wiping her tears.
"Loan I grew up watching our older sisters and brother always helping each other out when things are tough and now it's my turn to help because I'm your big sister," Lily told still brushing her hair.
"B-b-but Lily we may not even be sisters would you still be there for me." Loan cried getting up from Lily lap. Lily grabbed Loan's arms and brought her into a hug holding her close.
"No matter what Loan you will always be my sister I love you," Lily told her as she felt her own tears come down.
"Thank you, Lily, you're the best big sister ever." She cried hugging on to Lily.