"Ah, this is the life," Lincoln said as he took a sip of his smoothie.
"Sure is bro," Luna agrees.
"Yeah, I guess. It would be better if Lori was here with us," Lana lamented.
"After she tried to rain on my parade?" Lincoln complained. "I don't think so."
"Lincoln," Lynn intervened. "Are you still on that? You really need to learn to let go."
"Have you guys forgotten about the way she scolded me? And now you're saying I should just let her come over here and forgive her?"
"I know Lori can be mean and bossy sometimes, but she's also our sister. She's responsible."
"And protective," Lisa added.
"And caring," Leni said.
"And she lets me sleep with her when I have nightmares," Lana claims.
"Lincoln," Luna comforted. "You can't let one thing she said get between you. Sometimes you just gotta let go. I'll bet she's willing to forgive you too."
"I don't know." Lincoln was still a little unsure. While he did forgive his other sisters and he wanted to make things right, he still wasn't ready to forgive Lori quite yet. Despite that, the girls were being very persuasive, even giving him the puppy dog eyes. "Come on sis, you're playing my heart like a big dull fiddle. Look, if it'll make you feel any better, I'll go talk to her. But that doesn't mean I'll forgive her right away."
"Thanks bro."
Lincoln walks over to the other side of the beach and finds Lori sitting all alone, staring at the moon. "Hey Lori." His big sister doesn't respond. "You know, everyone else is over there. We've still got room on my side for one more. If you wanna join."
"No thank you."
Lincoln takes a seat next to his sister. "Look, I know you're mad at me. And I don't blame you. I'm sorry I wrecked the boat. And I'm sorry we're stuck out here. I didn't mean for this to happen. But I was thinking. Maybe if you just gave this place a chance, you might actually enjoy it."
"Lincoln! I'm tired! I'm hungry! I just wanna go home."
"I know you do. I do too. I miss being home in Royal Woods. I even miss Mom and Dad. But the reason why I wasn't upset was because I wanted to make you guys happy." Lori is surprised after hearing Lincoln say that. "I was just trying to cheer you up, the same way you guys cheered me up. I like being happy, but sometimes, having fun is no fun when everyone else is bummed out. I just wanted us all to have a good time." Lincoln gets up and leaves. "Just in case you change your mind, you know where to find me."
Lincoln goes back to his own side of the island, leaving Lori alone with her thoughts.
After thinking it over, Lori ultimately decided to make her way over to the other side of the island. She then knocked on the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's the pizza man. Who on earth do you think it would be?"
Lincoln opened the door slightly. "Yes? Can I help you?"
"I was wondering if I could join you guys?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Look, I know I've been kind of a jerk to you. I've just been so desperate to go back home that I let my anger do the talking. But, I've been thinking about what you said and I realized that I haven't given this place much of a chance. I guess what I'm trying to say is…..I'm sorry."
Lincoln then unlocked the door to let her in. "Welcome to Casa del Loud. Take a load off."
As Lincoln lead her sister in, she is truly amazed by what she saw.
"Lori!" Leni greeted. "Glad you could make it! Is this place great?"
"Yeah. I guess it is pretty cool. I gotta hand it to you, little bro. You really outdid yourself."
"Thanks," Lincoln said. "I've had a bit of practice."
"Listen, I'm sorry about what I said earlier. Can you ever forgive me?"
"Well…..I guess if you're really sorry, I forgive you. Can you forgive me for not forgiving you? I don't want to spend the rest of my life with you guys not being my sisters."
"Of course. Thanks Lincoln." The two of them shared a hug while the others watched in satisfaction. "So what's there to eat around here?"
"Glad you asked. I found some fruit lying all around the island. There's fruit smoothies and roasted pineapple and mango on a stick. Help yourself."
The kids are all sitting around the campfire and eating the fruit kabobs.
"I must say Lincoln," Lisa explains. "These ananas comosus (pineapple) and mangifera indica (mango) are positively scrumptious."
"I could not agree with you more Lisa," Lana agrees. "Especially when they are roasted on an open fire."
"Yeah," Lori sighed. "I don't know how it can literally get any better than this."
"Oh, but it does. Check this out." Lincoln opens up the walls of bamboo and it shows the ocean and the night sky. The Louds look up and are truly amazed by this view.
Moments later, the rest of the girls went to sleep in the hammocks, while Lori and Lincoln were busy sitting on the beach looking up at the stars. "Sure is a lovely night, isn't it?"
"Yeah," Lincoln answered. "I kinda wish Ronnie Anne could've been here to see this."
"You still thinking about her?"
"A little. I mean, not like the kind of thinking that you're thinking of! I just thought she might enjoy this if she was here."
"It would be so romantic."
"Lori!"
"Just teasing. But seriously, I'm sure she would enjoy this."
"I guess so." Lincoln then thinks for a minute. "Lori? Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"How come we never get to do anything fun together?"
"What do you mean? We do fun stuff all the time."
"I mean just you and me. Ever since you started growing up I felt I've gotten farther apart from you. You're always busy on your phone talking to Bobby."
"Well, what about all those times we went to the mall together?"
"I never said I enjoyed it."
"What do you mean? You always find fun stuff to do."
"I know. But we always have to vote on where we go or what we do, and everytime we vote it's always 10 against 1 and I'm the loser. It just makes me feel really left out."
"Oh. I guess you're right. Sorry little bro, I didn't realize. How come you never say anything?"
"Because I never had anyone to back me up. Everyone sides with you and I'm always the odd man out. I'm single, only one, all alone. It's not that I don't like spending time with you guys. I do. I really do. I just wish that for once, I could decide what we do. But I guess my voice just doesn't matter."
"Don't say that Lincoln. You're voice does matter as much as any of ours. And I'm sorry for not realizing that sooner. Tell you what, whenever we get off this island, we'll make it up to you. We'll even let you make a decision from time to time."
"Really? No more second bananas?"
"No more second bananas."
"Thanks Lori. That'd be great…... if we ever do get off the island that is."
"I'm sure we'll find a way. It's getting late. I think we should hit the hay."
"Yeah, you're probably right."
The two kids made their way back to camp and started to rest in a couple of hammocks tied up to a couple trees.
"Lori?"
"Yeah Lincoln?"
"Do you think we'll ever get off this island?"
"I'm sure we will. It might not be today, or tomorrow, but someday. But you know, aside from the boat being smashed in the storm and the fact that our parents and our friends are thousands of miles away, this really isn't going so bad. And whatever happens tomorrow, I know we'll get through it together. *yawn* Goodnight Lincoln."
"Goodnight Lori."
With all the Loud siblings forgiven (for now more or less), Lincoln happily drifted off to sleep, waiting for what's in store for the next day.