Hey, guys! I adopted this story from NiteOwl18. He lost interest in the project, so I thought I could give it a proper continuation and ending. I'll be posting the original chapters one by one (with a few minor edits to improve them), then continue from where the original left off. Enjoy!
Chapter 1: And He Cried "Dad!"
Saturday was one busy day at Lynn's Table. In the morning, the Loud family woke up and, by the patriarch's orders, went to the restaurant to help. The staff/family were busy taking food orders to the customers or in the kitchen helping their father, Lynn Loud Sr., prepare the food. The entire community of Royal Woods were there in the restaurant. After the disaster on the opening day, everyone loved the food the man made as they were named after the family.
In the kitchen, there was the twelve-year-old white-haired boy, Lincoln, Loud, stirring the barbeque sauce for the Beef Well-Lincoln. Like usual, he turned around to greet the audience.
"Welcome to your typical Saturday morning in my dad's restaurant! As you can see, everyone from town is here to eat," Lincoln show the small window of the customers enjoying the food and the place. "Even though the restaurant's first day of opening didn't go so well, the family stuck through. Me, my sisters, and my mom are the staff, as well as my dad's friend Kotaro. But the man behind the success was our dad. His food has brought in more customers than we can ever imagine! That's why we're here every weekend. And so far, we got no fights."
"Hey Stinkcoln!" Lynn shouted from outside of the kitchen. "Stop talking your imaginary friends and get back to work!" Lincoln rolled his eyes at his sister's rudeness before returning to stir the sauce.
His dad and the owner of the restaurant, Lynn Sr., came in with a smile.
"Hiya, sport! How's the sauce?" he asked.
"It's almost ready, dad!" Lincoln exclaimed back. Lynn Sr grabbed the wooden spoon that was next to the stove and scoop it before tasting it. Lynn Sr close his eyes and his smile widened.
"Oh yeah!" He then spoke in an Italian accent. "The sauce-a is a ready-a!" Lincoln laugh a little. He felt his shoulder being pat in pride. "What say we take the beef out and we put the sauce together?"
Lincoln nodded. After the food is in place, Lincoln and his father both put the sauce on the Beef Well-Lincoln. Lincoln held his smile. Since the restaurant's great success, his relationship with his dad improved. They helped in the kitchen and prepared the food together like father and son. There was no difference between them beside watching their favorite show. Once the food is set, Lincoln was told to deliver it to the customer. Once he set it on the table, he replied with manners like a waiter would say.
"Here's your food, ma'am," he said before his heart stopped hearing the person who ordered the food.
"Oh, thank you Lincoln." Lincoln leaned his head up to see his substitute teacher Miss DiMartino. Lincoln's face turned red upon seeing his teacher smile and eating her meal. The meal that was named after him.
"Bah...Bah…" Lincoln mutter in a lovesick tone. Luckily, his guardian came to the rescue.
"Don't mine him, Miss D," Luna Loud spoke behind the boy and teasingly said. "Little dude is shy to greet his teachers at this place." The teacher giggled.
"It's no problem, Luna. Ms. Johnson and Principal Huggins and the rest of the staff are here. Thank you for the food, Lincoln."
Lincoln's voice break before answering clearly, "Yo-Your welcome," Luna giggle in amusement and drag Lincoln away from the attractive Hispanic teacher. The boy then faced Luna, "Uh, thanks."
"If it hadn't been for me, you would've been getting a nosebleed after beeping like a robot," Luna ruffled the boy's hair, making him pout. "Get back to the kitchen with Popstar and try not to flirt with your teacher before the staff sees you."
Lincoln argued in a whisper, "I was not flirting!"
Luna replied in a sing-song tone, "Sure you weren't~!" She left to leave Lincoln a red face.
Lincoln frown before his smile came back. Things have never been greater in Lynn's Table. The family have been getting praises from everyone.
At work.
At school.
Even by their friends and co-workers.
Everyone has eaten here non-stop. Members from City Hall came and ate here. And thanks to some encouragement, the restaurant has earned its place on the map to attract tourists during the summer. As much as Lincoln liked to praise how well the place is doing, he couldn't agree with how the place also gained some backlash.
Since Lynn's Table was founded, the family have been getting hate mail and threats. They thought it was a few customers the girls must've angered. But the mail kept piling on. All were from disgruntled employees from several of the fusion restaurants around town. Lincoln and Lynn investigated, but there wasn't any proof it was them.
Next were some local street thugs who enter the restaurant unannounced and made a ruckus in front of the customers. When asked why they are here, they demanded the place need "protection" from "unwelcome strangers." They wanted two hundred fifty dollars an hour from each. Lynn Sr. threatened to call the cops while Luna, Lynn Jr, and Lana wanted to beat the bastards (they hired the three as the muscle to take care of any street thugs).
Last by not least was Lord Tobias Tetherby. The name brought venom in the boy's frown. He hated the old man because he was a bad influence. His sisters and parents couldn't agree more. He remembered when Lord Tetherby entered to eat, which was a surprise to the siblings. Why would a high socialite eat in a not-so-fancy place like theirs? Tetherby learned of the restaurant earning its place on the map and offer his help to change to place and add more...sophisticated food.
Lynn Sr and Rita did not like the idea.
Lynn Sr asked the old man to leave and never come back. Lincoln and his family never saw him again. Other than Lucy and Lola seeing his limo parking outside of the restaurant and spying on them. This causes them to chase the limousine. Lincoln hoped there was no unwelcome surprises from either of them.
However, what he didn't realize is one is about to happen when the night is near.
Mr. and Mr. McBride and their son all thanked the Loud family for the meal. Rita closed the door and flip the sign to indicate it was closed. Which gained a lot of relief from everyone. Cheers erupted.
"Great work everyone!" Lynn Sr said with joy to his family.
Lori leaned back against the chair with a large sigh, "Now I can finally text my Bobby-boo-boo bear!"
Lola exclaimed, "I can count how many tips I got!"
Luan remark "I should tip my hat if I had one of how much I got from bringing smiles. Hahaha! Get it?!"
Lisa cleared her throat to get everyone's attention, "Might if we reviewed our finances going over to where we took part is assisting as employees?"
"Spare us the details and get to the part how much this place made," Lynn Jr said with a greedy grin, not caring about their performances. Lisa took out her notepad and review her notes.
"It's been three weeks since the restaurant received no complaints or unwelcome visitors. Security is tight to make sure no one was harassing the customers or damaging properties," Luna, Lynn Jr, and Lana greet each other with a high five. "No arguments from staff, which is a good thing if we can keep this up at home. Other than that, we're in a grant total of three thousand, five hundred thirty-four dollars and four cents."
The family loudly cheered at the empty place.
Leni gushes "I can buy with so many clothes!"
"Forget clothes! I gonna buy my own motorcycle!" Lynn Jr grin widely.
Lynn Sr and Rita shook their heads in amusement of the kids exclaiming what they wanted to buy from the money they gained. From Rita's arms, Lily babbled in what she wants to buy.
Lynn Sr. raised his arms and said, "Ok, gang, I know everyone wants to go home. But we have another day for tomorrow morning," This got groans from the family. But Lynn Sr kept grinning. "I'm not done. What say, we close the restaurant at three and you guys can spend your earnings throughout the rest of the day? You guys earn it."
Lynn Sr is brought into a group hug from his children and loudly say "Thank you." Rita gave her husband a kiss on the cheek. Rita said "I'm ready to go home."
"But first, somebody has to take out the trash," Lynn Sr said.
All girls shouted "Not it!"
Lincoln is too late to say it and curse "Dang it! Why can't any of you guys do it?"
Lola scoffed, "Did you not see us working throughout the whole day? We need our breaks!"
"Hey, I shared the work! I deserve a break, too!"
"Maybe you were too busy trying to flirt with Miss DiMartino or Leni's friends or some of your friends from school?" Lori teases Lincoln, bringing some mocks of cooing.
"I was not flirting! I was keeping a cool head!" Lincoln yelled.
Leni point out innocently, "You're not worrying of a brain freeze, Linky?"
"Ha! He was!" Lynn Jr exclaimed before laughing. Luna giggle before seeing how upset Lincoln was.
She said as her hand tugged his cheek, "Aww, cheer up, luv, we're just teasing ya. I heard from Leni's friends you look cute as a waiter," Lincoln remembered Leni's friends were cooing at him bringing his food to them and greeted with a smile.
Luan grin with a laugh, "All you were missing was a tuxedo suit and you fit for the role as one of the penguins from Mary Poppins."
"It's alright, Lincoln. I can help you with the trash," Lynn Sr offer his help. Lincoln nodded before he and dad made their way to the kitchen.
Outside of the restaurant, the father and son both were carrying a trash bag. Lynn Sr. carries it with one hand as Lincoln was dragging it. They loaded the trash in the trash can with Lynn Sr. helping his son.
"You should exercise more, son," Lynn Sr. remarked.
"Why you think I have Lynn?" Lincoln replied, and the two chuckled.
Lynn Sr. spoke more, "Don't listen to what your sisters say. So you had a run in with your teacher; no big deal! At least she and the other girls think you're handsome," Lynn Sr. smirked mischievously. Lincoln laughed more. "I'm serious. You should take pride as a Loud."
"If I did, my sisters might hound me into a love life."
"Oh, so you do have a love life, mister?"
"I would if my sisters would stop meddling in my life," Lincoln's smile flatter down a little. His father understood what he meant.
"You know they love you, son. They agreed to tone down the meddling if you meet a girl."
"If a girl who loves me doesn't get driven away by my sisters."
"You'll find the right girl, son. She just has to be your soulmate. That's how I met your mother."
Both of them say to each other, "No pun intended."
"And you raise a huge family in the end, and promise to be a great protector and role model," Lynn Sr. finished. He eyed on his son, who looked at him with soft eyes. "One day you'll know what it's like. Imagine you're a wolf; the family is like your pack. To protect your pack from danger, you've got to be a man. You can't show any weakness from anyone. Just like how I handle those people who don't like my restaurant." A sigh escape from his lips. "This place is like my second home. I don't know what would happen to it if I let strangers ruin it."
Lincoln nods his head with determination, "We'll make sure that won't happen, Dad."
Lynn Sr. pat his son on the head, "I know you will. Now c'mon; we don't wanna keep the family waiting." The two turn their heads to head inside before a voice stopped them.
"Stop right there!" The two turn to see a mugger with a gun pointing at them. Both of them stand still. "Wallets! Now!"
Lynn Sr said with a calm voice, "Alright, take it easy." His hands were going to his pockets. Lincoln is frozen like a deer caught in the headlights. The mugger pointed the gun at him, resulting in a low gasp. "Don't point at my son. Here, take it," The wallet is right at the man's hand. The mugger moved his other hand to take it. The two took a step back while Lynn Sr spoke more "You have your money; just leave and we won't call the cops."
The mugger took an inside look at the wallet. He frowned menacingly at what he saw.
"This is all you got? I want more!"
Lynn Sr. said while Lincoln looked ready to run and get help, "L-Look, I'll get more inside."
"What you got, kid? Tell me!" The gun was pointed at Lincoln again, this time the mugger was ready to kill him.
"Don't. Shoot. My. SON!" Lynn Sr. yelled in anger after losing how negotiation tactics. Lynn Sr. grab the gun, and the two begin to wrestle. Lincoln made a silent scream. His eyes never turned away at it. His hands shook. His breathing was raspy. The white-haired boy didn't know what to do. His body made him move to pry the gun from the mugger.
Lynn Sr. shouted in fear, "No, Lincoln!"
The mugger then slammed Lincoln against the trash can. The gun is set to launch a bullet. But once the gunshot is fired, Lincoln's eyes saw his father take a leap. The bullet had entered the man's heart.
Lincoln's shaking eyes never saw the mugger's face or him taking out something from his back pocket and say, "You've seen too much." His eyes started to burn from a spray of cold, green liquid that splashed on him. Lincoln covered his eyes and screamed; the mugger run away as Lynn's Sr.'s lifeless body fell to the ground.
All he did was cry in the night of Royal Woods.
"DAD!"