Chapter Twenty-Eight
Royal Woods Elementary (Part One)
A yawn escaped Lincoln, barely covered by the soft fuzzy fabric of his sleeve. His shoulders bunched up against his neck with the yawn and he couldn't help but rub at one of his eyes during the duration of it.
"I'm sleepy, Bun-Bun," Lincoln told the little plush toy next to him, wordlessly sitting on the arm of the couch he was kneeling on in the waiting room of Dr. Finestein's office.
He had taken up residence there to look out into the rain. Just outside the little dental practice, an impressive deluge tap-tap-tapped the streets of Royal Woods in a whispering hush of great big raindrops.
That was probably one of the reasons Lincoln was feeling sleepy. The gentle murmurings of the rain paired with the light gray ambiance of the day made for perfect napping weather.
And Lincoln probably would've succumbed to such ideal snoozing conditions had it not been one thing keeping him awake; one thing nagging at his mind and keeping him in the waking world, like the lure of a fishing rod bobbing in and out of the water.
Today, Lincoln would be going to his future school for the first time.
Even just thinking about it made a lump of anxiety crop up in his throat, and he had to grab Bun-Bun so he could hug him against his chest.
"I'll be fine, Bun-Bun," He murmured between his fluffy rabbit ears. "The girls all go to school every day, and they always do okay." He took a breath, taking in the lilac scent of the stuffed rabbit, freshly imbued from his latest trip through the washer and dryer.
"And they told me I have nothing to worry about," He went on.
That was very much the truth, as the morning beforehand had been filled with a great deal of encouragement from all of his sisters. So even though anxiety clawed at Lincoln's mind, he found the strength not to let it tear through him, because even though the thought of walking through those school doors sent a shiver down his form, he was able to salvage a speck of confidence with the knowledge that his big sisters were behind those very same doors.
"Everything is going to be okay, Bun-Bun," He told his companion again in a self-soothing whisper. "Everything is going to be just fine."
He repeated the phrase several times to himself, a self-soothing mantra that did its job so well, that his drowsy, heavy eyes eventually fell completely shut and his body essentially melted against the back of the couch, the sounds of falling rain coaxing him into the dream world.
…
"Luan? Luan? Luan!"
Luan jolted at her desk, her neck jerking her sights onto her teacher, now the epitomal picture of irritation in the way their arms were crossed and their eyes were narrowed.
"Welcome back to class, Luan," They said lowly. "I don't suppose you know the answer to the question I've asked you, do you?"
Luan's eyes widened slightly and she brought her hand to scratch at her head absentmindedly. "Um…22?"
Her teacher quirked an eyebrow, "Interesting. You believe that the capital of Michigan…is 22?"
Luan felt her cheeks grow pink when she heard the giggles of her class following the response. Fortunately for her, crowd work was a quickly burgeoning talent of hers. "Hey, what can I say? The old guys at the capital do a ton of weird stuff. Maybe next year, it'll be 23!"
The faint giggles burst into a generous bale of hearty laughter after that (And one sneeze faintly heard in the back) and any embarrassment Luan had felt a second ago morphed instead into a seedling of self-satisfaction.
Ha! Good one, Luan, She congratulated herself.
Her teacher though, was not as amused and shook their head in response, "Very amusing, Luan. Now how about you use that quick thinking and apply it to the here and now? Need I remind you that progress reports tend to go out right before the holidays?"
Luan smirked and offered a sheepish chortle in return, "Right, sorry, Mr. Flynn. Will do."
Luan tried to pay attention after that, but try as she might, she still found her mind wandering not long after.
The reason? Simple. She was still completely over the moon over her little brother telling her he loved her! She had hoped with every fiber of her being that the previous Halloween night would go well considering the importance of it being Lincoln's first holiday with her family, and truthfully, just hearing that he'd had a good time would've been enough reward, but fate had decided to up the ante and have her beloved baby brother not only make his affections towards her known, but even gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek to boot!
Just remembering it there at her desk made her want to squeal in pure elation. She couldn't believe it. Lincoln loved her!
That's what she had been doing when her teacher had asked his question. Remembering how Lincoln had held tightly onto her as she swayed him back and forth in her arms, letting her rock him to sleep as she gushed about how much she loved him herself, how unbelievably happy having him in her life made her.
And when he actually did fall asleep, Luan only chuckled and hoisted him up into a carrying position. Sure he was difficult to carry for someone of her size, but what was Luan gonna do? Leave him laying on the floor like a discarded plushy? No way! She was his big sister, and she had to make sure he was properly put to bed. So, with a nod of determination once she had him securely in her grasp, she sauntered towards Lincoln's bed, awkwardly shifting their combined weight with each step so that the both of them didn't go tumbling to the floor.
It was difficult, but the sight of Lincoln's serene expression when she finally got him into bed made it worth it.
There was no doubt about it, she loved him with her absolute whole heart at that moment, and she made a promise to herself that she'd always be there for him, for good and for bad.
So when she ran into him in the hallway the next morning, noticing his expression mired in an anxious gray tinge, she of course went up to him to try and bring some much needed cheer into his morning.
"Hey there, Linky!" She had greeted jubilantly.
Lincoln lifted his sights from his socked feet, offering his best attempt at a smile towards Luan, "Good morning, Luan."
"What's got you looking so down in the dumps?" She asked.
Lincoln's false smile faded and he instead bit his lip, allowing his stance to sag in showcase of the actual emotions he was feeling.
Luan's smile lessened and she instead opted to crouch down to Lincoln's height, placing her hands on her knees. "Hey, seriously, what's up?" She gently queried. She caught his gaze when he looked up and gave him a grin. "You can tell me."
Awkward shuffling was her response from her little brother, who brought his hand to rub at his arm as he usually did before he answered a difficult question for him. "I—Um…" He gulped and took a step closer to Luan. "Missus Mommy is bringing me to school today."
A bolt of remembrance struck Luan's mind as that fact resurfaced for her. "Oh yeah," She said, standing up at her full height again. "She did say she was bringing you sometime today! You're meeting your teacher today, aren't you?"
Lincoln nodded, "Mmhmm."
Luan clapped her hands together, "That's great! You get to see all the cool stuff you'll get to do at school then!" Her brief second of excitement went quickly when she remembered Lincoln's apparent anxiety on the matter. "So what's bothering you about that?" She probed further. "Aren't you excited that you'll finally get to go to school with us?"
"What if it's scary?" Lincoln didn't beat around the bush with his next response. He looked up at Luan, eyes gleaming with squiggly moisture. "What if I can't go because I get too scared? I'm going to be away from Missus Mommy, and Mister Daddy, and you, and the rest of the girls, and I'm going to—going to—I'm going to—"
"Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa!" Luan thankfully interrupted Lincoln's impending spiral by getting down on her knees and placing her hands on his shoulders. When she managed to get him to look at her again, she gave him her best smile, "You have nothing to worry about, Linky! School can be scary, and yeah you won't be in the same class as any of us, but we still won't be far away at all!"
Lincoln blinked and brought his sleeve up to wipe at his nose. "But won't you be busy with your own class?" He asked.
Luan laughed, "Do you really think something as silly as class would keep us from you? I don't know about the other's Lincoln, but if you need me, I'll personally kick down my classroom door and sprint over to you."
Lincoln's eyes widened. "Really?" He said, standing up on his tiptoes.
Luan brought a thumb to her chest, "Abso-tooda-lutely! I will run clear across the school to get to you if you need me, got it?"
Lincoln's cheeks tinged pink, and a small, adorable smile crept across his face. "G-Got it," He confirmed with a nod.
Luan felt Lincoln's inkling confidence coming off of him, and she decided to cinch the deal with a gentle flick to Lincoln's bangs. "Besides," She giggled. "Considering how brave you were last night while we were out trick-or-treating, school's gonna be no problem for you, no doubt about it!" She stood back up with her hands on her hips, "Because you know what, Linky? You're one of the bravest boys I've ever met!"
Lincoln's blush deepened, and he twiddled his fingers while looking down, his smile practically luminous beneath his spiky little white bangs.
"Thank you, Luan…" He mumbled. "I'll try my very bestest to be brave for you then!"
Luan grinned and leaned forward to plant a quick smooch of affection on his cheek, "I know you will, Linky."
And she believed it, both then, and at that moment at her desk.
…
"Lincoln?"
Lincoln wasn't sure he had actually fallen asleep given his inability to tell time, but in what felt like a millisecond after closing his eyes later, Rita's voice roused him back into the waking world.
His eyes fluttered open, and he saw Rita from where he laid on his side. A yawn escaped him and he stretched out his legs from where they had been curled against him.
"G'morning, Missus Mommy," He mewled, sitting up and rubbing at one of his eyes with a balled up fist.
Rita smiled and reached out to set Lincoln's sleep mussed locks back into place. "Good morning, sweetheart," She said.
Lincoln felt a twinge of anxiety crop up in his chest. "Is it—Is it time to go to school?" He asked, squeezing Bun-Bun against himself.
Rita pulled her hand back, continuing to offer what she hoped was a comforting smile to the boy. "Sure is," She whispered. She reached out to him with her arms. "Do you want me to carry you to the car?"
Lincoln shook his head and turned himself around so he could start wriggling his way down from the couch, "No thank you, I can walk." His foot hung above the tiled floor, swinging back and forth as he looked for a place to set it.
Rita chuckled. She'd come to greatly enjoy Lincoln's burgeoning drive for independence, but she couldn't deny there were most definitely some humorous moments in his endeavors, such as when she had walked into his room that morning to find him wobbling around with his sweater only halfway over his head and his arms flailing about.
She'd be lying if she said she wasn't pleased with his efforts, but she did want him to remember one thing.
"Here you go, sweetheart," She said, placing her palm beneath Lincoln's foot and carefully leading it to the floor.
She wanted him to know that he had a mother there to help him when he needed it.
Lincoln set himself down, finding his footing with a nod of affirmation to himself, and turned towards Rita. "I—I'm ready, Missus Mommy," He said tremulously.
The shakiness of his vibrato did not go unnoticed by Rita, and in an effort to help further calm him, she pulled out what she'd been hiding behind her back.
"Not quite, Lincoln," She cooed, revealing the object with a grand flourish. "You'll need this if you're going out into the rain, won't you?"
Lincoln's face brightened and he all but sprung out for the object. "My umbrella!" He joyously shouted.
An umbrella it was, a bright prismatic beauty sporting all seven colors of the rainbow with a silver band tying it closed whenever not in use. Rita had purchased it on a previous day with her beloved son, when on a trip to the market, the previously sunlit day had become overtaken by a torrential downpour leaving them facing a soaked through parking lot just outside the sliding doors.
Now what kind of mother would Rita be if she allowed her son to be caught up in such a deluge? So, she quickly ushered Lincoln back inside, and a few minutes later, she got to see him joyously run into the rain with the rainbow umbrella spinning above him.
Rita laughed and gently stilled Lincoln's hands from opening the umbrella preemptively. "Just a second, Lincoln," She cooed. "We need to head outside first. And before that…" She stood up and retrieved a pair of raincoats from a coatrack kept by the front door. "We need to get you ready. Would you come over here, sweetie?"
"Yes, Missus Mommy," Lincoln said, dutifully going to Rita's side. He allowed Rita to aid him in getting the bright orange raincoat over him, switching his umbrella from one hand to the other as Rita led his arms through the sleeves. He couldn't help but admire the thing every time he got to use it. The pure vibrancy of the colors were just wondrous to him, a brilliant shimmering array of colors that made his heart jump with a tiny jolt of joy that was just what the doctor ordered for a little one who had gone through so much in his young life.
"There we go!" Rita proclaimed when the raincoat was securely fastened around Lincoln. She brought up the orange hood over his head and stood up, "Ready to go, little man?"
Lincoln hopped towards the door, his hand already undoing the silvery loop around the umbrella. "Uh-huh!" He said, stopping at the door. "I'm ready, Missus Mommy!"
Rita chuckled and went to the door, not wanting the keep the excited little one from using his umbrella any longer, "Alright, let's be off then, Lincoln!"
Lincoln trotted out, making quick work of the umbrella just as Rita had shown him on the day she had gotten it for him. "Look, Missus Mommy, I did it!" He jubilantly exclaimed when the umbrella opened up. He stepped out into the rain, holding the umbrella above his head as he showed his accomplishment. "I did it all by myself!"
Rita's heart went molten at the proud grin that adorned her son's face. "You sure did, Lincoln!" She congratulated whilst stepping out into the rain with her own dark blue umbrella. "Great job!"
Lincoln giggled and span on a single foot while twirling his umbrella, gazing at the blur of rainbow colors they casted down on him. It was such a small accomplishment to the average person, but to one such as him who had been plagued by a woeful lack of self-esteem and had spent far too much time beleaguered by feelings of worthlessness, it was a matter of great pride to him that he was taking those minute steps towards self-sufficiency.
Not that he was averse to help from his loved ones though, as was most evident when he freely let his mother take his hand a moment later.
"Wanna lead the way back to Vanzilla?" Rita offered warmly.
"Mmhmm!" Lincoln hummed in reply, his fingers graciously accepting the warmth from Rita's palm. Together, the two of them ventured along the rain-pattered sidewalks of Royal Woods Main Street, the nippy air of late fall ebbing against them in soft whispy breezes, but not bothering the mother and son as they made their way down to the ancient family jalopy that awaited them down the way.
"Are we going to the school right now?" Lincoln deigned to ask when Vanzilla appeared in sight.
"First we need to stop by your daddy's work to pick him up," Rita replied, stopping besides Vanzilla and releasing Lincoln's hand to grab the keys from her pocket. "That way we can make sure we both get there at the same time." The side door slid open and Rita bent down to hoist Lincoln off the ground. "Between you and me," She chuckled as she set him in his car seat, "He's kind of a slowpoke behind the wheel."
Lincoln quirked an eyebrow, "He is?" He handed Rita his umbrella, then bringing his hand beneath his chin to ponder her remark. All his previous rides from his father never seemed that long.
But maybe that could be attributed to the way he lost himself in the music his father played on the radio most days. Time sure seemed to fly when you were rocking out.
Rita laughed a little more at the thoughtful expression on Lincoln's face, placing his now closed umbrella on the seat beside him and then tending to the buckles of his car seat. "Maybe you can ask him yourself some time," She said, clicking the buckles into place. Once he was securely fastened, she stood back, "Ready to go?"
Lincoln dropped his hand and nodded at his mother, somewhat tremulously in regard to the errand they were going on, but with a nervous smile nonetheless, "Mmhmm."
Rita offered a soothing expression back at him, shutting the door and then getting into the driver's seat a moment later, "Then let's get moving, little man. We got a real fun place to show you."
And Lincoln felt a small fraction of his nerves dissipate.
After all, why wouldn't he trust his mother?
…
Okay, Leni… The pencil swayed back in forth in between her fingers as she pondered over the myriad numbers before her. You can do this. You spent all night and all morning studying this.
The black numbers danced before her in a sadistic cavalcade of division, multiplication, and square root symbols; a common issue when it came to the poor girl's academic experience.
Just focus, She told herself, taking a hard blink before leaning down closer to the paper. And remember, he believes in you!
The numbers paused, and in their stillness, Leni was able to focus on the problem before her. Not even the sound of a sneeze from the back of the class could shake her concentration.
What is the square root of 36?
The square root of 36…? Wait, I know, it's six! It's six! Jubilation danced through her heart as she scribbled down her answer. With it written down, she sat up and did a wriggle in her desk. Ohhhh, I'm doing it, I'm really doing it! She brought her hands to her cheeks and had to suppress a giggle. Thanks for the confidence boost, Linky!
Said confidence boost had occurred that morning, when Leni, in her fervor at just managing a passing grade had holed herself up in her room, doing little more than throwing on a passable outfit for the day and quickly combing her hair in front of the small mirror she kept besides her bed.
She had to pass this test, she just had to. It wasn't just a matter of maintaining her admittedly average grade in math, it was a matter of proving her ability to absorb the information and retain it…
To prove that she wasn't just some airhead. That was why she wouldn't allow her focus to falter, no matter wha—
"Leni?"
Leni let out a yelp, nearly falling over in her chair from the inquisitive little call made from behind her. Fortunately for her, she managed to grasp the edge of her desk by a few fingers, pulling her chair back from the teetering back legs just before she was sent reeling backwards. Once she was stable again, she let out a big sigh of relief and turned to face the one who had spoken her name.
Lincoln looked down at his fumbling hands. "Sorry…" He said, his cheeks tingeing pink at his imagined faux pas.
Leni's stress faded somewhat in lieu of the warmth that came over her heart at seeing her baby brother; the very same one who had told her he loved her just the day before.
That vulnerable little look in his eyes paired with his shifting form diverted all her attention away from her studies; instead pooling it directly on the boy who had so effortlessly won her heart a thousand times over in the short time she had known him.
What else could she do but go to him? She loved him!
"Hi, Linky!" She gushed, leaping from the chair and scooping him off the ground with a gleeful giggle. "You don't need to apologize!" She said, pulling him close and gently rocking him back and forth in her arms. "It's always so great to see you!"
And to prove her point, she leaned down and planted a sweet little smooch on his cheek, earning a giggle of his own for her.
"What brings you here?" She asked, setting him back on the ground, her hands deftly and gently brushing his little spiky bangs from in front of his eyes.
Lincoln beamed up at her, his hands folded behind his back. "Um…" He began, looking down at his wriggling feet. "I came here to see if you wanted to come downstairs and watch cartoons with me? Like we do every day before school?"
Leni's lifted mood fell somewhat. She did want to go downstairs with Lincoln, she really did. Their morning cartoon time was a sacred ritual to them, one that Leni ranked as easily one of her top five enjoyments. Whenever she heard Lincoln's little chime like laugh, she swore she would float off the couch in pure happiness.
But sadly, she just couldn't on that day. Not with an impending math test just a scant few hours away.
"Aw, I'm sorry, Linky…" She said, crouching down on one knee and cupping one of his cheeks in her palm. "I wish I could, but I need to finish studying for my math test today. Trust me, I'll need all the help I can get."
Lincoln tilted his head at her last remark, pressing his cheek ever so slightly further into her palm. "What do you mean by that?" He queried.
Leni frowned and pulled her hand back, "Well to tell you the truth, Linky, I'm not exactly the smartest person when it comes to math, so I'm a little nervous on whether I'll be able to do a good job or not."
"I'm sure you'll do great!"
The instantaneous reply from Lincoln caught Leni off guard, jolting her into sitting up straighter, "Huh?"
Lincoln smiled and twiddled his fingers. "I bet you'll do a great job on your test," He said. He looked up from his fingers and took a tiny step closer to Leni, "Because you know what, Leni? I think you're one of the smartest girls in the world!"
And just as quickly as Lincoln had responded to Leni's self-detrimental remark, Leni had him snatched up in another hug.
"Oh, Linky!" She exclaimed, swaying him back and forth and dotting his face with a plethora of quick kisses, earning her a happy laugh from Lincoln with each one. "You are (mwah) the sweetest (mwah) little thing (mwah) EVER (MWAH)!"
She carried his words with her for the rest of the day, through when he left her room after returning her kisses with one of his own on her cheek, through when she hopped off Vanzilla, and especially when she had been handed her test paper, she held them close at the forefront of her thoughts.
And because of that, she passed; totally and exceptionally.
Her brother was right. She was smart.
And she loved him for reminding her of that.
…
"Whoo! It sure is coming down out here, isn't it?"
"Mister Daddy!" Lincoln threw his hands up in celebration when Lynn Sr. came into Vanzilla's passenger side from the rain.
Lynn Sr. turned in his seat and reached into the back. "Hey there, squirt!" He greeted, ruffling Lincoln's hair. "Glad to see you could make it!"
Lincoln giggled beneath the gentle tousling, pressing his head affectionately against Lynn's Sr.'s hand.
Lynn Sr. pulled his arm back and sat back in his seat. "And hello to you, too, my forever sweetheart. How are you today?" He said, leaning forward to plant a quick peck on Rita's cheek.
Rita gladly accepted the kiss and went to lay a hand on her husband's. "Well, y'know, saving Royal Woods, one tooth at a time," She chuckled.
Lynn Sr. smirked and set to buckling his seatbelt, "Yeesh, sounds tough. How do you do it?"
"It's actually pretty easy," Rita replied playfully. She looked into the rearview mirror, catching Lincoln's eyes in her own. "Especially with such a sweet little man like Lincoln to keep me company."
Lincoln brought his hands over his cheeks and looked down bashfully, a tiny and timid smile crossing his expression.
"I know what you mean," Lynn Sr. piled on bemusedly. "I know my work days are a lot more enjoyable when I get to have Lincoln with me."
The praise proved too much for Lincoln, as the next second found the boy hiding his tomato-colored face within the hood of his sweater, leaving only a bit of white fluffy hair and his tiny button nose showing.
"Thank you…" He squeaked out in a barely discernable muffle. "I really like spending time with you too, Missus Mommy and Mister Daddy."
Lynn Sr. and Rita exchanged expressions of endearment at Lincoln's statement. It really was a wonder just how much the boy had unknowingly taken a place inside their hearts, how effortlessly he had become just as precious to them as any of their daughters, all simply just by being a part of their family.
They would both be lying if they said they wouldn't miss bringing him to their respective places of work every other day. They'd miss having him sit next to them at their desks, occasionally losing focus in their work in lieu of watching him adorably entertain himself with his toys or coloring books, they'd miss getting to have lunch with him (Lynn Sr. especially since he was the one who made their lunches), and perhaps most of all, they'd miss just spending time bonding with the little one.
It was a bittersweet fact that they were soon sending their boy off to school. Two months just didn't compare with the amount of time they had had with their girls from their respective babyhoods, and had they been able to, they would have rearranged fate so that they would have been the one's taking care of Lincoln all along, sparing him from the trauma of his first five years of existence.
But life just wasn't fair like that sometimes, so they took solace in the fact that they had those two months, as well as the ability to watch the boy grow some more at school in the future. Just like they got to do with their daughters.
"We sure are gonna miss you, squirt," Lynn Sr. said. "But we are so excited that you'll get to go to school soon! You are going to have so much fun!"
Lincoln loosened the draw strings of his hood, allowing one of his eyes to peek out. "I'll miss you, too," He mumbled. "But…We'll still be able to spend time together, right?"
"Of course!" Rita replied with gusto. "You won't be there 24-7, Lincoln. And trust me, when you do get off each day, your father and I will be ready to hear how your day went, we promise!"
Lincoln pulled the hood back further, allowing his hair to spring back out with a series of flops around his face. "That'll be fun," He said. He sat up a little higher. "Then I'll do my best. That way, I'll have a lot of fun stuff to tell you."
Lynn Sr. chuckled, "We'll be looking forward to it, squirt." He looked over to Rita, "But first, we actually need to get there, don't we, Rita?"
"We sure do!" Rita said, shifting Vanzilla into drive. "Ready, Lincoln?"
"R-Ready," Lincoln affirmed.
And with that, Vanzilla puttered away, one step closer to getting Lincoln towards his new school, and one step closer to his next big milestone of life.
…
SSR; or as many a student and teacher knew, Silent Sustained Reading, was a bit of a mixed bag for Luna. While she wasn't averse to taking time for reading, she tended to have trouble with the "silent" and "sustained" part of the program. And with nary a sound save for a single sneeze that happened a minute or so before, she was absolutely mired in silence.
She'd just reread the same line for what had to be the dozenth time when she sighed and let her head loll back in slight exasperation.
Hard time focusing there, ain't ya, brah? Her inner voice said smarmily.
Well whaddya expect? She thought back. I can't get a mental picture without music. I'm just staring at ink here!
I think you're distracted by something else, brah! Her inner voice teased. Mainly the little bit of quality time you got with baby bro this morning!
Luna couldn't keep the smile from coming across her face. That might play a small part, She admitted wistfully. She brought her hand from the book and lifted it to one of the many spiral ringlets that framed her face, winding one in particular around her finger.
I swear Lincoln is the sweetest little thing ever! Luna mentally proclaimed.
Like her sisters before her, Luna had come across Lincoln in the early morning hours before school, her in particular after just waking up.
Ugh…Mondays, She had thought, shutting her door behind her. She trudged along the hallway, bringing a hand to scratch the back of her head, wincing when one of her fingers got caught on a knot. And now I have that to comb out, wonderful…
She could already see it in her mind's eye, a messy thatch of stubborn curls upon her head that insisted on frizzing out in every which way imaginable.
Every now and again, she really wished she had her elder sister's fine golden locks instead of the hideous dark brown frizz she had been unfortunate in inheriting from her father's side of the family. It was just so unfairly easy for Lori and Leni to look good while she woke up every morning looking like she'd just transformed out of a werewolf state.
Well, no time like the present to commence the torture, She thought, making her way down to the bathroom.
"Oh…" However, just before she got there, a small groan nicked at her ears.
"Lincoln?" She asked, poking her head into the open frame.
Lincoln turned to Luna from his place atop his stepstool at the mirror.
And just like that, all of Luna's early morning crankiness disappeared in the effort it took in restraining the bale of laughter that threatened to escape her.
Lincoln had clearly been trying to brush his hair, an endeavor that Leni usually did for him, but was strangely absent for in that moment. Without her, he was left with his white hair haphazardly combed downward, with only his turkey tail still upright and his bangs completely covering his eyes.
"Hi, Luna," He greeted, holding the brush up and waving at her.
Luna brought a hand up to her nose to cover the last snort that wanted out and stepped into the bathroom. "H-Hey there, Little one," She lightly wheezed. "What are you up to there?"
Lincoln bit his cheek and presented the brush to her. "I'm trying to brush my hair," He replied.
"I can see that," Luna chuckled, stopping in front of the mirror alongside him. She caught a glimpse of her hair, just as messy and wild along her back as she envisioned. Ugh, She thought, biting her lip and instead focusing on Lincoln. "Doesn't Leni usually do this for you though?"
"She's busy studying for a math test," Lincoln said, turning back to the mirror. He brought the brush back to his hair and resumed his attempt at brushing it. "So I thought I'd try to do it by myself." He clumsily brought the bristles of the brush up through a set of strands on his right side, bringing them out at a straight angle before they fell back against his temple, no neater than before. "But I don't seem to be very good at it," He said morosely.
Luna frowned, and turned to face the mirror along with him.
Two children, beleaguered by unmanageable hair. It seemed like such a banal thing, but to the two of them, it represented something much greater; facets of who they were that they just couldn't seem to get under control.
"Luna?"
It was only by Lincoln saying her name that she managed to stop glowering at herself, instead turning to Lincoln with a softened expression.
Lincoln presented the brush to her, his bang covered eyes downcast and his shoulders bunching up around his little neck.
"I'm really sorry to bother you," He gulped, "but can you brush my hair for me? I wish I could do it myself, but I just can't get it."
Luna's well-trained ears would not have been able to hear a full blast rock concert given the way her senses abandoned her at that moment. In the interim of soundlessness, her eyes were set solely on Lincoln, timidly holding the brush out to her beseechingly.
It was only when she noticed the sound of her heart that she snapped out of her stupor.
"Little one…" She whispered, her hands reaching out for Lincoln's.
"You don't have to if you don't want to!" Lincoln's nerves brought a cringe out of him, and the brush edged away from Luna's grasp by an inch.
A sharp sting ran through Luna. "Lincoln, no," She said, closing the distance between their hands and settling his own in her palms. "It's no trouble at all."
Lincoln bit his lip and peered up at Luna, a single baby blue eye visible through his obscuring bangs. "Are you sure?" He asked nervously.
His answer was Luna tenderly taking the brush from his hands, placating his nervousness with a soft smile. "I'd be happy to, Little one…"
The next moment found Luna standing behind Lincoln, with the boy's attention centered mostly on his shyly clasped together hands.
Alright, Luna, She told herself. You've seen Leni comb Lincoln's hair a few times now. You've got this.
She set about her task nervously at first, awkwardly bringing the brush from the top of Lincoln's head downward with trembling hands, doing her best not to accidentally touch his ears with the bristles. It took some time for the anxiousness to fade, but upon successfully getting Lincoln's bangs out of his eyes, she managed to get into a rhythm, falling into a similar pattern as she had seen Leni do.
And with that lessened anxiety, Luna allowed her relaxed mind to wander.
Wow, I'd forgotten just how soft Lincoln's hair is! She marveled, her fingers going to swish an errant lock into place. It's like kitten fur! And so shiny too!
"Your hair is so pretty, Lincoln!" She found herself saying.
Lincoln tilted his head back slightly, "It is?"
Luna blushed after realizing she had said that out loud. "It is," She confirmed, bringing the brush back to set the final touches into place. "Nothing like my hair…"
"What's wrong with your hair?" Lincoln asked.
Luna licked the inside of her cheek. "Well…" She brought her free hand up to run it through her tangles. "My hair is really messy and curly," She explained, wincing when one of her fingers got caught in a loop. "Which makes it hard to make it look decent most days." She pulled the loop apart and ran her hand along a small curl spiral that rested beside her ear. "Nothing like yours…"
In her moment of self-degradation, she suddenly remembered who she was talking to. Looking down into Lincoln's sympathetic gaze, she felt a rush of shame prickle against her skin. Was she really complaining about her ugly hair to the very same little one who had endured five—no twenty times the hardship she had in her comparatively longer life? This tiny little thing that she knew had a myriad of scars upon him, doomed to last forevermore? Was she really airing her petty grievances about her appearance with him?
"But enough about me!" Luna blurted out. She ran the brush through his hair one last time, setting the last layer comfortingly at the top just below his turkey tail. "Why don't you run along? You've probably got quite a busy day ahead of you, so might as well get a move on, right?"
One of Lincoln's eyebrows rose quizzically. "Okay," He agreed in an unsure mumble. He hopped off the stepping stool. "Thank you, Luna," He said, stepping past her and towards the door.
Luna held the brush against herself. "You're welcome, Lincoln," She said in a gulp, her skin continuing to burn as shame and guilt continued to cycle through her.
Nice going there, stupid! She told herself harshly. She stepped up to the sink, finding her reflection glaring daggers at her in the mirror. What kind of nonsense was that? You're really going to go on and on about how rough it is having your hair with him? He's dealt with way worse stuff in his life! You've seen the way he pulls his own hair when he gets upset. Where do you think that came from!? Stupid, stupid, stu—
"Luna?"
Her mental tirade was cut off by Lincoln, who had reappeared by her side, causing her to jolt and nearly drop the brush to the ground with a frankly humorous fumble.
"Lincoln!" She said after managing to keep the brush from clattering to the floor. "I thought you left. Do you need something else?"
Lincoln shook his head, sending his turkey tail on a slight left and right sway that Luna couldn't help but find cute. "No, I'm okay," He replied. He took a step towards Luna, bringing his hand to rub at his arm, "I just wanted to ask…After you're done with your hair, do you wanna come downstairs and watch cartoons with me?"
And just like that, the resentment Luna felt towards herself fell significantly, diluted by the earnest request from her baby brother. "Lincoln…"
"You're not too busy, right?" Lincoln asked, unknowingly making his eyes extra big and glimmery for her.
Even if she didn't want to join him, the way he looked at her had her heart in an instant vicegrip. "I—I'd love to, Lincoln," She agreed, a warm smile playing across her lips. "I'll meet you downstairs as soon as I'm done, okay?"
Lincoln's timid expression lit up. "Okay!" He chirped. "Thanks, Luna!"
Luna nodded, "You're very welcome, Lincoln."
"Oh, and Luna?" Lincoln stepped up to Luna, his face flushing pink, but a shy little grin remaining on his face.
This time, it was Luna's turn to quirk an eyebrow, and she crouched down to Lincoln's height, "Yes, Lincoln?"
Lincoln stood on his tiptoes and reached upward. "I like your hair," He declared, prodding the curl spiral by her ear. He giggled gleefully when he saw it bounce. "I think it's really pretty too! Just like you!"
Any leftover resentment in Luna was snuffed out completely thanks to what Lincoln had just said. "I…" Her throat suddenly seemed unable to form words. She gulped and stood back up, her hand going for the curl Lincoln had just bounced. "Thank you, Lincoln."
Lincoln responded by going to give Luna a quick arm hug. "You're welcome," He said, nuzzling his cheek into her arm. He parted from the embrace and beamed up at her, "I'll see you downstairs, okay?"
Luna nodded mutely.
Lincoln snickered at her stunned expression and ran off, "Bye-Bye, Luna!"
Luna could only wave slowly at him as he dashed out of the bathroom and out into the hallway.
Did he mean—Does he really think— She brought her other hand to run it through her curls. He thinks my hair is pretty?
Effervescent joy filled every bit of her being, and she carried it through all the time she brushed her hair, all the time she sat and watched cartoons with Lincoln afterward, and all the time she sat in school that day.
You really do have the best baby bro you could ask for, don't you, brah? Her inner voice said.
Luna grinned giddily into the pages of her book, I do! I really do!
…
"Did you hear that crazy sound last night?"
Lincoln's gaze switched between his parents as he noshed on his goldfish in the back seat, a snack given to him along with a juicebox pretty much the second Lynn Sr. and Rita heard his stomach growl while they were waiting for traffic to pick up.
His parents really were the best, bar none.
"You mean that sound like tires screeching, how could I not?" Rita replied. "Was someone speeding down our street?"
"Maybe," Lynn Sr. said, "But did you notice Mr. Grouse's driveway was empty this morning?"
Lincoln's mind conjured up the mentioned next-door neighbor in question; a balding man similar in age to Dr. Finestein who made his displeasure with the Loud's various noisy antics abundantly apparent.
That being said, he was far from a bad person, as Lincoln had surmised. Sure, he tended to shake his arm at him and Lynn from the other side of the fence whenever they (or more accurately, Lynn) grew a little too boisterous for his preferred peace and quiet, but he was never outright mean about it. He'd even given them their ball back on the numerous occasions it had soared into his yard whenever Lynn put too much force into a kick or a throw.
"Hey, that's right!" Rita said. "I hadn't noticed because I was with the kids, but his car was missing!"
"So whaddya suppose had him speeding off so quick last night?" Lynn Sr. queried, his hand going under his chin thoughtfully.
"Maybe he joined an underground speed racing circuit?" Rita joked.
Lynn Sr. laughed, "Now that'd be a sight I'd be willing to see."
Lincoln meanwhile continued to mull over the question, doing as he had seen Lynn Sr. do and placing his hand under his chin.
Where could Mr. Grouse have gone?
…
Bales of laughter echoed outward from the group of girls sitting upon the grassy field out on the recess playground, with Lori Loud sitting in the center of the group as she told her story of the previous Halloween night.
"No way!" One girl roared uproariously. "That did not happen!"
Lori snickered into her hand, "It literally did. One second I'm staring up at Bobby from the ground, totally speechless, then the next second, our little sisters are swinging and throwing their fake little weapons at each other fighting for our honor or some junk like that. It literally took me and two of my sisters just to get Lynn to stand still!"
Again, the ring of girls around her burst into laughter.
"What about Bobby?" Another girl asked. "Did he have any trouble getting his little sister under control?"
Lori swooned and rested her chin on her upturned palms, "At first, yeah. But he managed to calm her down, and when he saw she felt bad about it, he gave her the sweetest little hug!"
"Awwww!" The other girls gushed.
A sigh escaped Lori and she sat up a little straighter, "And that wasn't even the cutest part. Right when we were patching things up and making everything all hunky-dory, Lincoln suddenly appeared right next to me."
"What did he want?" The first girl asked.
Lori brought her palms to her cheeks, shaking her head giddily, "He wanted to introduce himself to Bobby's little sister! Girls, I think my baby brother has his first crush!"
"AWWWWWW!" The next cry of elation completely dwarfed the previous one.
"Are you serious?"
"That is the absolute cutest thing I've ever heard!"
"A-A-Achoo!"
"I think I see a double wedding in the future!"
Lori chuckled and leaned back on her palms, "Bless you, Candace. And let's not get ahead of ourselves now." I don't think I'm ready to imagine my little Lincoln getting hitched yet.
She smiled when she imagined herself in a wedding dress, Me however…
"Didn't you say your little brother is coming to school today?" Lori was broken out of her dream wedding fantasy by another query from one of her friends.
Lori leaned forward again, "Yeah, he's coming today, but only to meet his teacher. He's starting for real next week."
"Who's his teacher gonna be?"
Lori crossed her arms, "That's where we got really lucky. He's gonna be in Ms. Toffee's class."
Several hums of approval came from the former students of the aforementioned teacher.
"Ms. Toffee?"
"She's the best!"
Lori smiled and nodded, "Yup! I know myself from experience. She's the perfect teacher for Lincoln."
"So he's not nervous about meeting her then?"
Lori's smile shifted into a proud little smirk, "I don't think so, not after the little talk I had with him this morning."
Like a few of her sisters before her, Lori had had an encounter with Lincoln prior to leaving for school.
"Bye-bye, Luna!"
She had first heard Lincoln cheerily bidding goodbye to Luna from inside her room, just as she was clipping on her earrings.
Ooh, is that you, Lincoln? She thought slyly. She fastened her second earring and dashed to her door, standing hidden beside her frame with a mischievous grin coming across her face. You haven't said good morning to me yet you naughty little thing.
She stayed by her door, crouched into a stealthy position, her legs ready to spring the second she saw that first glint of shiny white hair that was Lincoln's trademark.
Just a few seconds… She thought, her fingers tapping against the wall. Just a little bit more. Come on…
The moment finally came, and with a stomp of her foot and a whoosh of movement, she swooped her baby brother off the ground and into her arms.
"Lincoln Loud!" She laughed in a false chide, pure elation taking charge of her senses when his delighted squeals bounced through the air. "Were you seriously going to walk past my room without saying so much as a hello to me? What happened to my little brother who had manners, huh?"
Lincoln wasted no time in snuggling up to Lori, giggling up a storm as Lori playfully rocked him back and forth.
"No answer, huh?" The hand Lori had to Lincoln's back flexed its fingers. "Well I guess I need to teach you a lesson then. Sorry, Linc!"
"AH! LORI, NO!"
Lincoln's giggles escalated into full blown peals of booming laughter. Said means of Lori correcting his imaginary faux pas was to tap and dance her fingers across Lincoln's back, causing the boy to squirm in her grasp and kick his legs as she devilishly tickled him.
"L-L-Lori, s-stop!" Lincoln laughed. "It's t-too m-much!"
"Not until you promise not to forget to say good morning to me in the future, Lincoln," Lori continued to tease.
"O-O-Okay!" Lincoln managed to force out. "I-I-I p-p-promise!"
His promise given, and Lori deciding that she'd had enough fun with her brother prompted her to flatten her palm against his back again. "Alright then," She said, rubbing his back to smooth out any residual tickles. She went over to take a seat on her bed, "Lincoln, you are forgiven."
The two took a moment to just sit at the edge of Lori's bed, Lincoln taking several wheezy, yet happy breaths to alleviate his laughed-out lungs, Lori beaming at him whilst she cradled him close, sweetly nuzzling him while he caught his breath.
Lori had been overjoyed in her success in getting a hug from Leni for Lincoln the previous day. That small bit of success in proving to Lincoln that he could be loved by others besides herself was a monumental success in her book.
That being said, she still absolutely adored these small moments in which she could just hold her baby brother in her arms like the way she was doing then and there. She wanted him to build his support structure further, but she would always be proud that she had been the first to break past his barriers and develop the cornerstone of trust they had.
What could she say? She really, absolutely, loved him.
"Alright then," She said after Lincoln's breathing had evened out. She set him on her lap. "Now that we got that little manners lesson out of the way, how's my favorite boy doing?"
A small surge of joy went through Lincoln. He had never been anyone's favorite anything. "I'm good," He chirped, leaning against Lori. "I talked with Luan and Leni this morning, and Luna brushed my hair for me!"
"She did?!" Lori exclaimed with a cheerful lilt added for good measure. "That was nice of her! And she did a pretty good job by the looks of it!"
"Mmhmm!" Lincoln agreed, bringing a hand to gently grab at one of his locks.
Lori softly bounced Lincoln on her knee. "So…" She began, "I wanted to ask, how are you feeling about seeing our school today?"
The elated atmosphere was immediately dampened by the question; not completely snuffed out, but Lori definitely saw Lincoln's pupils quiver and felt his hands clench a handful of her shirt after she asked it.
"I'm—I'm okay," He said tremulously. He noticed the way his fingers were crinkling Lori's shirt and released it, instead grabbing the front of his sweater. "I was a little nervous when I woke up, and still am, but Luan told me you girls would be there with me and I'd have nothing to worry about."
Aww, atta girl, Luan, Lori thought, making a mental note to thank Luan for the assist later. "Well she's very right," She agreed. "Lincoln, you are gonna do great. And you know what? I know for a fact you are gonna LOVE your teacher! I had Ms. Toffee myself when I was your age!"
Lincoln's eyes widened, "You did?"
Lori nodded emphatically, "Sure did! Same with Leni and Lynnie back when they were in kindergarten! And we all loved Ms. Toffee!" She smirked and reached out to give Lincoln a boop on the nose, "That's why I know you will, too!"
Her words did have an effect, evident in the way Lincoln's fingers relaxed, but Lori still felt a tenseness in his back beneath her palms.
"And remember this too, Lincoln," She lovingly directed, her hand rubbing circles in his back. "No matter what, we'll be there for you when you need us."
She couldn't say she completely wiped out his worries, but given the way Lincoln wrapped his arms around her after that, she at least felt that she bolstered his courage a little bit more.
"AWWW!" And given the way her friends responded when she recounted the story, they agreed with her.
…
Lincoln had spent the whole day up to that point doing everything he could to keep his anxiety at bay. For the most part, he had been successful, taking comfort instead in the presence of his mother, his father, the recollected words of his sisters, and of course Bun-Bun.
But when Vanzilla puttered down after Rita found a parking space for it and Lincoln saw the enormous (at least to him) school building, he couldn't help but gulp.
There was nothing particularly intimidating about Royal Woods Elementary. It was composed of mahogany bricks with the middle most section of the building standing taller than the rest of it. Windows lined the perimeter of the school, each accented with little cheery accoutrements that showed the academic aesthetic that the setting was going for, and due to the dim atmosphere of the cloudy day, the lights within the classrooms showed sparse bits of movement, perhaps teachers or their students.
Nothing about this place would bring about feelings of fear to most, but to a child getting ready to begin their academic career, such a quaint little building may as well have been a dragon's den.
CH-KIK!
Lincoln was so engrossed in staring at the building, that he visibly jolted when the passenger door opened, revealing Lynn Sr. standing outside with his dark green umbrella held aloft.
"Whoops, sorry, squirt!" He said, beaming amicably at Lincoln. "Didn't mean to catch you in the middle of a day dream there." He leaned into the interior, keeping his umbrella tucked between his arm and his side as he set about unbuckling Lincoln from his car seat.
"The moment's finally here, squirt!" He declared, plucking him from the car seat, being sure to situate the both of them under the safety of the umbrella. "You ready to meet your teacher?"
Lincoln's gaze fell, his hand going to clench a fistful of his father's sweater. "Mmhmm…" He mumbled rather unsurely.
Rita joined by their side; her own umbrella providing a little bit of extra shelter. "Well, no sense in keeping her waiting then. She's probably looking forward to meeting her newest student, right, Lynn?"
"Oh, without a doubt!" Lynn Sr. agreed whilst bouncing Lincoln cheerily. "She's been so impressed with all the homeschool work you've done, squirt!"
Lincoln gulped again, "That's good…" His voice was tight, shrinking away in his apprehension, something that both parents noticed right away.
Lynn Sr. and Rita exchanged concerned looks. They were no strangers to the jitters that came with little ones starting school, they had seen it firsthand five times before. However, none of their girls had Lincoln's background, his inherent bedrock anxieties. So what could be done considering the sheer unfamiliarity of these variables?
They came to an understanding without exchanging words, just a nod.
They would just have to be there for him, like they always were.
"Alright then," Lynn Sr. said, maintaining his cheery vibrato and giving Lincoln a circular rub across the back for good measure. "Let's get going then. Okay, squirt?"
"Okay…" Lincoln said in slightly choked agreement.
The three of them made their way for the front doors of the school, the hushed murmurs of the surrounding rain being the only sounds between them.
Rita opened the door for Lynn Sr. and Lincoln, and together they entered Royal Woods Elementary.
"Wow, would you look at this place, Lincoln!" Rita said once they were fully out of the rain. "Look at all the pretty pictures!"
Lincoln forced himself to look up from his hiding spot in his father's sweater, following instead his mother's pointed finger towards the wall.
A myriad of colorful pictures, all varied in skill due to the various grade levels of the students that had created them were plastered across the wall, depicting just about everything and anything that a child could be interested in, from flowers among fields to giant robots duking it out amongst the cosmos.
PRESENTING THE ARTISTS OF ROYAL WOODS ELEMENTARY! The glittery golden letters arched above the collection said.
"Pretty cool, huh, squirt?" Lynn Sr. said. "Who knows, maybe you'll find a picture of your own up here sometime soon!"
Lincoln found the prospect of a picture of his up on that wall appealing, and he would've put more thought into it had his dread not been steadily growing stronger and stronger with each passing second, like a monster tightening its grip inside his chest.
"Mmhmm," Was all he managed in a whimper.
Rita and Lynn Sr. exchanged another look, their expressions shifting into concerned frowns at the inherent ineffectiveness of their attempts at assuaging Lincoln's fears.
"Why don't you go tell the front office we're here?" Lynn Sr. suggested to his wife. He looked down at Lincoln, once again taking refuge against him. "Lincoln and I will wait here and look at the pictures some more."
"Good idea," Rita agreed. She reached out and gave Lincoln a little pat on the back, "I'll be right back, okay, little man?"
Lincoln shuddered, but nodded, "Okay, Missus Mommy…"
Rita was then on her way, leaving the father and son alone by the decorated wall.
"Hey now…" Lynn Sr.'s voice was feather soft. His hand alternated between patting Lincoln on the back and rubbing his palm in gentle circles, all in an attempt to bring some comfort to the trembling boy. "It's okay, squirt. Everything's alright."
Lincoln tried to recall the words of his sisters, the warm experiences he had enjoyed with them the morning before, but being there in his perceived belly of the beast drowned them all out. Then and there, his heartbeat rang in his ears like a bell tolling his imminent doom.
"I—I'm sorry, Mister Daddy," He quailed pitifully. Tears cropped in the corners of his eyes, "I—I don't think I can do this…"
Lynn Sr. shook his head, offering several comforting shushes to the boy, "That's just your nerves talking, squirt. I know you can do this. You just have to believe in yourself. Like your mother and I believe in you."
Lincoln wished he could believe in himself, but thanks to his hammering heart, he just couldn't focus on anything else other than the terror that clung to his every thought and feeling.
"Oh, Lincoln…" Lynn Sr. whispered sympathetically.
Both father and son found themselves at a loss of what to do next. Lynn Sr. had done everything alongside his wife to boost Lincoln's confidence in starting school, and Lincoln had done his absolute best to stay resolute in his new frontier.
But when all was said and done, he was still a child, a child who could only do so much in putting up a brave front.
So in that regard, what else could be done? Nothing came to mind. Perhaps this was just going to be an unpleasant experience for Lincoln no matter what was done.
"Lincoln?"
Then, a familiar voice came from down the hallway, a voice that roused Lincoln and Lynn Sr.'s attention.
Lincoln blinked, dispelling the tears that threatened to fall, and looked up.
"Linky!"
And saw his sister, running up to him and their father, her light up shoes flashing red, her lunchbox emblazoned with footballs and baseballs swinging in her hand…
And a smile, so jubilant in seeing her baby brother at her school, that Lincoln's fear shrank significantly, and his eyes gleamed with relief.
"Lynn!"
AN: Hello again at last, dear readers! What else can I say other than that I deeply apologize for my oh so lengthy absence. It was far from any disinterest in this story, it was more just the strains of life, work, and general busyness that made finding inspiration difficult. Nonetheless, I've returned with the start of this new arc and I sincerely hoped you enjoyed it. We've finally moved forward and we've seen just how the Loud family is getting ready for this next step of Lincoln's life. Which scene was your favorite? I'd love to know.
Next time, we'll see just how Lincoln is encouraged to cross his personal finish line in meeting his teacher. Will Lynn's sudden appearance be the catalyst for him being able to move forward? Stay tuned, dear readers, because I don't intend to be gone nearly as long this time! After all, even though I have a day job, I'm a writer first and foremost! XD.
Look forward to the next chapter of Family is Where Love Rings the Loudest, coming to a screen near you!
And as always, reviews and feedback always help me stay inspired, so anything at all is always greatly appreciated!
Until then,
Manegie, out!