Ghost of a Smile

Back From Boarding School

All the Loud children were gathered in Lori and Leni's room except Lucy and Lily, the latter taking a much needed nap after all the scariness of the day.

"Okay." Lori banged the heel of her old white shoe against the wood of her desk. "We all know why this sibling meeting was called. Lucy has a serious problem and this new boyfriend of hers is not helping." She stated logically.

"Not to mention he is a total creep!" Lola shouted out. "Like he is even creepier than Lucy!"

"And he is way too old for her!" Luna added. "He looks like he's Lincoln's age! Maybe older!"

"Also he seemed rather overjoyed at the idea of our sister's demise which I found to be uncouth and highly vexing ." Lisa lisped out.

"Yeah, if anything happened to Sam I wouldn't wake up until September ends." Luna chimed in.

"If Ronnie Anne died I wouldn't be happy about it." Lincoln said.

"I would be unconsolable without my Bobby Boo Boo Bear."

"The word is inconsolable, but his utter lack of caring if our sister would have killed herself did raise plenty of red flags and I say we get rid of him." Lisa stated holding up something that looked like a stun gun with a flamethrower attached to it. "I have just the tool to keep him away from Lucy."

"No, Lisa, we can't kill him or hurt him." Lori lectured as the eldest.

"I have an idea! We give Lucy a make over and get her a new guy! I'll go get my vision board!" Lola yelled out, but before she could leave the room Lana tackled her.

"That didn't work last time and it definitely won't work this time!"

"Last time.. That's it!" Lincoln announced snapping his fingers. "Rocky! He likes Lucy for her and she already likes him!"

"Uh, earth to Stinkoln!" Lynn knocked on his head with her knuckles making him flinch. "Rocky went to boarding school last year, remember? Lucy was like really upset when he left!"

Lincoln slapped her hand away and rubbed his head. "I know that, but he's home for spring break and according to my sources he wants to see Lucy."

"You know sorcerers? Do they cast magic spells and wear those pointy hats?" Leni asked making everyone around her facepalm.

"Sources." Lisa corrected. "As in a person or persons from which information can be obtained."

"Ohh.. Do they still wear the hats?"

"Anyway-" Lincoln cut across. "I have it under good authority from Rusty that Rocky would like to see Lucy when he comes home, but Rusty isn't sure Lucy wants to see Rocky and wanted me to ask her."

"Rusty knows magic? I thought that was just in the game you play with dice with a lot of numbers."

Lincoln rolled his eyes. "After everything that's happened I bet if we told Rocky he would rush over to make sure Lucy was okay."

"Lincoln, do you really think seeing Rocky again is enough for Lucy to dump this guy?" Lana asked. "I say we put my new snapping turtle in his pants and chase him away that's way less complicated than your plan."

"Hello, Lana, we can't hurt him or Lucy might hate us!" Luan yelled. "I don't wanna be hated! It's better if we get her to bury him." She chuckled. "Get it?" She started laughing, but then she sighed. "I don't feel like laughing anymore."

Luna gave her a pat on the arm. "I get it. I can hardly focus on my jams anymore. It's not the same."

"Yeah." Lynn sighed. "I got a practice match lined up tonight, but I'm thinking of cancelling."

"I already cancelled my date with Henry.. or was it Harry?.. Hank?"

Lori rolled her eyes. "You mean Danny?" She blew out of breath.

"Oh right! Danny! Why did I think his name started with 'H'?"

They all stared at Leni for a moment then shook their heads.

"Maybe you thought he was.. Handy." Luan made a bad joke.

"I don't get it." Leni tilted her head to the side looking confused.

"Because your dating Danny from woodshop class." Luan sighed. "I give up. I just don't feel funny."

"I'm gonna call Rusty and tell him about Lucy." Lincoln stated. "With any luck Rocky still cares about her and he'll contact her."

"Good plan." Luna blew out a breath. "I'm gonna go.. try to write a song, I guess. Maybe I'll write a song for Lucy!" She perked up a little getting struck with some inspiration. "Something to let her know her fam totally cares!" She said then ran out of their room to go across the hall to her own.

Lincoln excused himself too. He walked down the hall to his room and pulled out his phone to call up Rusty. He usually would just text, but this was more important.

"Hey Lincoln."

"Uh, Hey Rusty."

"Clyde mentioned your sister Lucy was in the hospital. Is everything okay?" He heard muttering in the background and stayed silent for a moment. "Rocky wants to know if Lucy is up to having visitors."

"Yes!" Lincoln whispered, not too softly, and pumped his fist a bit. "Uh, Well actually Lucy is home now so Rocky is welcome to visit anytime." Lincoln told him.

"Oh okay, I'll let him know. So what happened? Another fight with Lynn?" Rusty asked referring to the time Lucy almost fell out the window. Everyone knew about it and for a while they were scared to go anywhere near Lynn Jr.

"No, uh, Lucy-" Lincoln gulped. He didn't want to talk about it, but he wanted Rusty to tell Rocky so with any luck Rocky would care about Lucy more than her way too old boyfriend that no one liked. "Lucy actually tried to-" He had to force the words out or their plan to get rid of Edgar wouldn't work. "Lucy tried to kill herself." He sighed.

"What?!" He heard Rocky shout and realized Rusty must have put the phone on speaker, either that or Rocky yanked the phone off his brother at some point while he was trying to get the words out.

"Yeah, we were pretty shocked too, but she's home now."

"Can I come see her?!" Rocky yelled out in a panic. "Like now?!"

"Uhh sure. It's still a few hours til dinner and I'm sure Lucy would really like to see you." Lincoln said trying not to let Rocky hear how happy he was that their plan could actually work. "Come on over." Lincoln shrugged.

"Rocky already left." He heard Rusty say. "Rushed out the door right after you said Lucy really wants to see him." He chuckled.