User blog:Gumball2/"My Sister Leni"

Original Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12318310/1/My-Sister-Leni

Chapter 1: Smile Wide

Snap.

Rita tapped the camera's button. The screen on the back documented her two oldest daughters dressed up for the first day of the new school year. Lori was smiling with the fancy new blue dress her mom had bought her just last week; she looked forward to wearing the best clothes in her first grade class photo. Standing to her left was Leni, one of her four little sisters. Unlike Lori, she was wearing a turquoise hand-me-down dress. Although it had been cleaned and pressed, Lori was still disgusted by how gross that thing looked on herself, preferring to passed it on her little sister. But their differences didn't stop at clothing. Leni was looking away from the camera, her eyes wandered aimlessly, and her mouth lacked any form of tangible expression.

"No! No! No!" Lori exclaimed, grabbing Leni's head and jerking it towards the lens, "Leni! How many times do I have to tell you that you have to look into the c-can-camera! You make me look bad! You ruin the whole picture!"

"Lori, that's not nice!" Rita said, frowning at her oldest child, "Now tell Leni you're sorry."

"But she always does this!" Lori said, pointing to her sister "Every time we take-"

"Lori!"

Realizing it was a losing battle, Lori sighed.

"I'm sorry," she stated, clearly annoyed. Leni darted her eyes before resting on her big sister; her mouth hung slightly open. She raised her fingers to her chin and hunched herself forward, but nothing came out.

"Leni," Rita said gently, "what do you say?"

The younger sister stood there for a moment, her mouth frozen in place. Lori was tensing up with every second that the silence went on.

"It...I-it's okay Lori," she eventually said. She then awkwardly raised her arms and walked towards her big sister. Lori played along and hugged her sister, smiling in the process.

O"Smile," Rita said, raising the camera and snapping it, capturing the pleasant moment. Even Leni, enjoying the warmth of Lori's hug, found her lips slipping into a cheery grin. Rita loved it when that happened.

"Alright," Rita said, putting the camera away, "Now, let's get you two to school."

She went into the kitchen and gave each of them a lunch bag, which seemed more like a miniature backpack than those old-fashioned metal boxes. She then handed the girls their backpacks. Lori, who had a year of experience with the object, slipped on the pack with ease. She then turned to see Leni, who had been staring intently at her.

"If only you did that a minute ago."

Leni got the pack on fairly easily despite a little struggle at the start. The three then said goodbye to Daddy, who was tending to the three youngest girls. They then headed into Vanzilla and drove off.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori twiddled her thumbs, excited to impress her classmates. But in the corner of her eye, she saw Leni fixated on her. She hoped her little would stop, but those eyes never broke their gaze.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mom! Leni's staring at me!" Lori whined.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita looked into the central mirror and saw the familiar scene playing out.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lori," she said as she reached a red light, "why don't you tell Leni what kindergarten is gonna be like? I'm sure Leni would really like that."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori turned to her sister, brows furrowed. Leni wasn't smiling or copying her expression; she was just sitting there, looking right through her. Lori breathed in and opened her mouth.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"There will be a lot of new kids and games and stuff," she said, her voice gradually getting lighter and less rigid, "you will like it. You will get to talk more and play more. And you will be less weird."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lori!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She sighed, "You will make more friends. Other than me."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rather than easing off, Leni continued to stare at Lori. The latter wasn't sure if the former was even paying attention to what she was saying. Whenever that happened, it creeped Lori out.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Doesn't that sound fun, Leni?" Rita asked, noticing the elementary school inching closer. For a moment, the only sound she could hear was the car's tires pressing themselves against the road.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes..." Leni said, breaking away from Lori to look out the window on the other side of the car, "...fun..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The car then turned into the parking lot. Rita found a nice empty spot pretty close to the main entrance of Royal Woods Elementary.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okie dokie," Rita said, turning off the car and getting out, "Let's head on in."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori started walking towards the school, holding Leni's hand. Meanwhile, Rita was walking alongside them.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mom!" Lori said, stopping. Leni clumsily halted her own feet, coming just short of bumping into her sister, "I can walk in all by myself! Why are you walking with me?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's Leni's first day, honey," Rita said,smiling and placing a hand on Lori's shoulder, "I have to talk to Mrs. Egan. Don't you remember your first day of kindergarten when I talked to her?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">It was blurry. Lori fished around, hoping to find that memory lingering around. But she recalled no such happening. She had thought she had just gone in on the first day, only to have the wonderful games and new friends outshine any of the more trivial facts.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"If Mom said she did, I guess she did."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay," Lori said. She then marched on, pulling Leni's arm, "Let's go in!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita followed behind as they entered the school. The lobby was decorated with banners, crayon drawings, and construction paper stars decorating the walls. Lori smiled upon seeing how lively and clean the space was on that day.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita escorted both of them to Mrs. Turner's room, which was a considerable walk away from the kindergarten wing. The three of them entered the room, where some of Lori's classmates were already seated.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Bye Mom!" Lori said, hugging her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Bye honey," Rita replied, hugging her back, "And what do you say to Leni?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori broke from her Mom and turned to her sister.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Goodbye Leni," she said, wrapping her arms around her sister. Leni's eyes shot open, astonished at the sudden gesture. But then, she smiled and hugged Lori intensely. With every second of squeezing, Leni's smile grew.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Too...tight..." Lori said, fighting for air, "...Leni...stop"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni jerked her arms away, allowing Lori to cringe forward. Lori gasped, trying to regain her composure.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm sorry," Leni said, offering to hug again.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"N-No don't," she said, puffing. By then, Lori had her breath again. She stood straight up, embarrassed at what she just said, "I-it's okay. Just don't hug so tight. Okay?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni stood there, stone-faced. The coarsing rapids of joy that fueled her hug were completely dried out, leaving no traces behind.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">With that, Lori walked into the door. Leni stared into the room, watching the older kids playing and talking.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That's where Lori will be this year," Rita said, kneeling down to Leni's level, "Next year, that's where you will be."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She then stood up and grabbed Leni's hand.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Now let's go see Mrs. Egan."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The two of them started walking. Leni turned her head back, keeping her eyes on the door to Mrs. Turner's room.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay," Leni said. She gave one last look at the receding door and then turned back to the direction she and Rita were headed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The walls of the kindergarten wing were lined with even more decorations than the lobby. Streamers, posters, drawings, paintings, and other spectacles that were meant to excite its students. But Leni's blank face never was unaffected. Rita kept looking back at her second daughter, noticing that her eyes were fixated in one direction.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Eventually they reached Mrs. Egan's door at the end of the hall. Behind that door was everything that could have been expected from a kindergarten classroom: a cubby board for backpacks and lunch bags, circular tables, toys, books, sleeping mats, and a decent amount of open space.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good morning," a woman said cheerfully as the two entered. Her smile was white and glowing. Her short brown hair had narrow bangs on the end that gently touched the collar of her white sweater.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's a pleasure to see you again Mrs. Loud." She then kneeled down to the little girl's level.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hi," she said with an even bigger smile, "You must be Leni. My name is Mrs. Egan and I am going to be your teacher and friend."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni stood still, if awkwardly. Her head was up, but her eyes were not focused on the new face.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Not much of a talker, huh?" Mrs. Egan said, chuckling a little, "Well there's a lot of kids in here that want to be your friend. This year will be a lot of fun!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita smiled at the interaction.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mrs. Egan," the mother said, "Can I talk to you for a few minutes about Leni?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes," Mrs. Egan said. She then looked down, "Leni, why don't you go meet some of the other kids?" She said, turning to them; they were mostly on the ground playing with toys.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">At first, Leni was frozen. She was nervous and she tugged at her Mom's leg.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's okay Leni. Go play," Rita said, giving her daughter a reassuring smile.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">With that little push, Leni slowly walked over to the others; her arms and hands are bent inward to her chest. The first one she wandered to was a girl with auburn hair in a ponytail. She had a Barbie doll, brushing it's lush blonde hair. Noticing Leni approaching caused her to look up.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hi!" she said, "my name is Liliana. What's your name?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The two stared at each other. The silence was suffocating.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"...Uh...Leni," she finally said, "Leni...Loud."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well..." Liliana said, "do you wanna play with me?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni turned to the toy shelves and saw the different things that could be used. Without warning, she stumbled her way over to the shelf and pulled out a white plush dog. Hugging the dog, she made her way back to Liliana.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Liliana continued to brush the doll's hair, occasionally looking back up at her new acquaintance. Leni's eyes were closed, she was smiling, and her entire focus was on embracing the stuffed animal.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"So, do you have any Barbie dolls?" Liliana asked, grinning.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Nothing. Leni seemed to be in a bubble.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Um...Leni?" she said patiently. But it was like talking to the open air, "Well I have eight of them in my room. But this isn't one of them," she said, pointing to the doll she was currently using, "this one I got from the s-shelf."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni started rocking the plush dog, as if it were a newborn. Seeing this, Liliana changed course.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You like stuffed animals," Liliana said, "I do too. In my room I have all k-kinds of them," she then took out her clenched palm and flipped her fingers, "I have a pony, a cat, a monkey, a bunny, and I have a dog. It looks like the one you have, but it's black."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Liliana smiled, hoping to gain Leni's attention, but the two were worlds away at this point.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, dear!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As if by magic, Leni's eyes snapped open and she stood up, continuing to hug the dog. Rita walked over to the two girls.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"And who is this?" she asked, looking down at Liliana. The two then exchanged their introductions, "Look at that, Leni. You already have a new friend."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni stood there for a moment, staring at the dog.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes..." she said softly, never letting her gaze break from the animal.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That's good," Rita said, kneeling down to Leni, "Now listen, I have to go now. I want you to be a big girl and do what Mrs. Egan tells you. Okay?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni started petting the dog, stroking its yarn fur.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, did you hear what I said?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yeah," she replied, not looking up.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"At the end of the day, I will come back to take you and Lori home," Rita said. She then placed a hand on Leni's shoulder, prompting the girl to look up.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Today is a special day, Leni," she said, "you will have a lot of new things to do and kids to talk to. I want you to have a good time," her eyes brightened as pride flushed across the mother's face, "I love you so much."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita then tucked Leni into a deep hug, one much more overwhelming than she imagined. For the first time in a while, Leni chuckled as an empowering wave of happiness overtook her. The embrace lasted almost a minute.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">When they finally separated, both of them were smiling.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I will be here to pick you two up at 2 o'clock," Rita said, giving Leni a kiss on the cheek, "Have a wonderful day, sweetie! I love you so much."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She then turned to Liliana.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It was really nice meeting you, Liliana," she said to the little girl, who smiled back at her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And with that, Rita left, leaving the two girls to themselves. For the next ten minutes, they sat there as if nothing had happened. Liliana went back to brushing the Barbie doll. Leni, however, focused all her attention on the plushie dog, petting it and hugging it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You...will be," Leni said slowly, "...Blacky..."

Chapter 2: First Day

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Once all the kids arrived, Mrs. Egan made her way to the front of the room, which had a rug with many colorful circles on it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good morning everyone," she said with a peppy grin, "Can we sit down on the lovely dots?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">It took a minute, but each of the students made their way towards the teacher. They each sat down on a distinct dot, claiming it as their territory. Some of them brought the toys they were playing with. Leni and Liliana sat next to each other, each holding Blacky and Barbie respectively.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good morning," she said, repeating herself, "My name is Mrs. Egan and I will be your teacher and friend this year in kindergarten."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The other kids viewed their surroundings, their innocent eyes a little nervous at the new setting.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Let's go around and say each other's names. That way we can get to know each other," she said before turning to her right and lifting her hand in that direction, "Let's start over here."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni and Liliana were on the opposite end of the blob, so they waited as they learned all of the kids' names.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm Adam."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lizzie!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"My name is Elijah."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">At last, the two girls remained. They were uncertain and they looked at each other for a moment.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm Liliana," she said. She then held up the doll, "and I like Barbies."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She then looked at Leni, waiting for her to speak. The blonde then saw how everyone else in the room was staring at her, even then smiling, anticipated Mrs. Egan. She awkwardly held up the plushie.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Um...hi...I'm Leni," she said quietly, "and...and this is Blacky, my...um...new pet doggie."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">There was a brief moment of silence as she continued to hold the dog in the air, as if she had more to say. But alas, nothing came out.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well it's very nice to meet all of you," Mrs. Egan said, whose voice boomed compared to Leni's, "Now let's go around the room and say one thing about ourselves that make us special!" she then pointed at herself, "I'll start. I have a brother named Percy and he works at Chuck E Cheese."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Some of the kids gasped, some others smiled as they thought of the ball pits, lively mascots, and endless pizza. Mrs. Egan allowed these reactions to transpire before the first kids listed off what they had to say. A lot of the kids talked about stuff they liked-their favorite food, cartoon, toy, game, color, and whatever else a five year old cared about. Same as last time, the two girls waited patiently as everyone else went first; Liliana started to wish she had chosen a different circle to sit on.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"My favorite color is pink because it looks good on everything,". Liliana said when it was finally her turn.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Again, there were about five seconds of complete silence. Leni thought about what she would say, but she found it hard to find something.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I..." she said, thinking. She then looked down at the plushie, "I like my dog Blacky," she then held up the toy again for everyone to see.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm really glad we're learning about each other," Mrs. Egan said, "This year, I hope we all get to know each other even better. By knowing what others like, it can help us be friends with those people. And then you can play with those friends, watch movies, and talk to them."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The teacher then scanned at each of the smiling and anxious kids listening to her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"So what I want you to do is sit down at those tables over there with a group of others," she said, pointing to the cluster of them on the other side of the room, "and you'll see pieces of paper and crayons. I want you to draw pictures of your house and your family. And then when you're done, show your drawing to the other kids at your table."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">With a little encouragement, the kids found themselves able to make their way to the tables. Each table had five chairs, meaning that Leni and Liliana were surrounded by three girls. Although they introduced themselves along with everyone else, Leni had a hard time remembering their names.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Polly...Dory...Blacky?...Oh...Cindy..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As she pondered, Leni noticed the others grabbing paper to start their drawings. Seeing this, she copied this behavior. For the next few minutes, Leni unconsciously colored her house and other things she felt were needed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Are you done?" one of the girls asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">On command, Leni stopped. She looked up and saw everyone else had finished. The girl that had asked was sitting right next to her and held up her drawing. On the top of the sheet was her name-Dorothy-written in red crayon.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I live in a red house with my Mommy and Daddy," Dorothy said, pointing to each part of the picture, "My house has a slide in the back and inside there is a big TV. Like bigger than the whole school!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She then lowered her sheet and turned to Leni.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Do you wanna go next?" she asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni nodded. She scanned the drawing she made before presenting it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I...have four sisters..." she said slowly, her eyes wandering all over the room, "my Mommy said that I will have another one soon...but I don't know if it is a boy or a girl..." on the paper, she drew Rita with a bulge on her tummy. Leni then let go of the sheet, allowing it to slide back on the table. She then leaned forward with Blacky and began cuddling with him once more. The others presented their drawings, but Leni shut them out in favor of the plushie. She giggled and smiled as she embraced the puppy.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The bell rang at precisely 2 pm, signaling most of the kids to chatter.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Alright kids," Mrs. Egan announced, grasping the class's attention, "We are done for the day. So let's clean up and put all our things back where we found them."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni watched the others restock the shelves with the toys they were playing with. She stared down at Blacky and brushed its soft fur.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, it's time to put Blacky back on the shelf," Mrs. Egan, coming up to her. But Leni stood there, unsure of what to do. Sometimes, she got so confused by what was going on. In response, she tightened her embrace with the plushie.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's okay, Leni," she said, "You can see Blacky again tomorrow and play with him even more. But now, he needs a nap from all the fun he had today," she then cast Leni a warm smile.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni smiled back. Then, without saying a word, she walked over to the shelf and rested the dog on its wooden surface. She leaned in and kissed it on the forehead.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Goodbye Blacky," she said with a surprising amount of confidence. Her meek voice carried itself well as she spoke, "I will see you tomorrow. And then we can play and snuggle."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni gave Blacky one more hug.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I love you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She forced herself to break from the warm intimate hug. She turned away and walked to the others, who were grabbing their bags. They were all hanging around the corner of the room, talking incessantly. She tried recalling the names of the ones she saw.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Elliot...Alan...Dolly...Lily..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Alright kids," Mrs. Egan said, "your parents are waiting for you in the hallway. I hope you have a nice day and I will see you tomorrow!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni swiped her backpack and lunch bag and quietly walked out of the room. She saw all the parents lined up across the hallway, some of them accompanying older students that have already been dismissed. Leni wandered aimlessly in the open hallway, unsure of what to do next.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni! Leni! Over here honey!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Her right ear buzzed, alerting her to the sound waves producing those chants. She turned and saw Rita, waving her arms, and Lori standing impatiently. Seeing those two, Leni walked her way over there, her uneven steps occasionally throwing off her posture. Upon reaching Rita, she stopped.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hi sweetie," Rita said, hugging her, "How was your first day of school?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good," Leni replied. She then turned to Lori, "D-did...Lori have a g-good day?..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori frowned.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No," she said, "it's not fair! Carol wore an prettier dress and everyone was saying how good it was. No one said mine was pretty at all. It's not fair!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni stepped over to Lori and slid into her arms. Lori was thrown off by this sudden, unnatural gesture.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Don't be mad, Lori," she said monotonously, "I like...your dress..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita gleamed at the sight.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lori, it's okay," Rita added, "we both think you had a wonderful dress. Don't let anyone else bring you down."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori pouted a little, but then sighed. She peered down to her sister and realized that Leni, through all her creepiness, really cared about her. Lori took several breaths and then stroked her little sister's blonde hair.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thank you Leni," Lori said. She then looked up at Rita, "and Mom."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Now," Rita said, turning to the nearby exit, "Let's go home."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita, Lori, and Leni were greeted to the sounds of laughter, banging, and television back at the Loud House. Everyone was settled in the living room, enjoying their day.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey kids," Lynn Sr said, getting up from the couch, "How was your first day of school?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay," Lori said, twirling a strand of hair. She wasn't lying. Although Carol upstaged her at picture day, she admitted that she enjoyed seeing Bobby and some of her other gal pals again. Plus, Mrs. Turner was a pretty good teacher.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"And what about you Leni? How was your first day of school?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni's shoulders tensed up, making herself look smaller. Her eyes darted back and forth, never settling on one object.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good..." she eventually said. Her head then dropped to the floor.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Do you like Mrs. Egan? Do you have any new friends?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni shrugged and turned her head towards the kitchen. She then walked towards the stairs, intent on heading to her room.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," Lynn Sr said, kneeling down, coughing out a laugh, "Don't you want to say hi to your little sisters? They have been waiting to see you!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Instinctively, the young girl changed her direction. Her body's thrust in the other direction was jaw-dropping. Leni approached the toddlers, who were playing with plastic plates, cups, and dolls.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hi Luna! Hi Luan! Hi Lynn!" she yelled enthusiastically. Leni plopped herself on the floor and gazed at the dolls they were using.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What are you all playing?" she asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Tea party," Luna said, holding up a pink cup, "Want to play?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes!" Leni exclaimed. With that, Luna handed the cup to her. Leni propelled the cup into her mouth and drank the imaginary tea, even going as to include slurping sounds.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That is a good tea, Luna!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thank you," Luna replied, smiling. Seeing her face, Leni contorted her muscles to mirror it as precisely as possible. It was a habit of her's.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Try it Lynn! It's good!" Leni cheered as she handed the tea cup to the infant. Lynn ripped it from her hands and chucked it at the couch. Leni couldn't help but laugh at her sister's rambunctious tendencies.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No, no, Lynn," she said, struggling not to chuckle. She got up and retrieved the cup, which was resting on the couch's cushy surface, "You drink the tea. Like this," Leni then took a massive swig of the "beverage". Smiling again, she handed it to Lynn.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Now you try!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni watched as Lynn started to strike the cup on the floor like a hammer. She waited patiently, hoping the infant would eventually get it right.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lynn," Luna said, crouching herself closer to her little sister. She extended her hand towards the cup, "Here, let me help y-"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn started banging Luna's hand with the cup. Although the blows lacked precision, when they locked with the hand, Luna recoiled. She yelped at the sting the plastic edge wrought. Leni transformed almost instantly, her eyes and face burdened by discomfort. She knelt down and grasped the cup.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Don't hurt her," Leni said, pulling the cup. Her voice wavered, as if she herself had been hit. Lynn was strong for her age, but Leni managed to pry the cup away with a little extra effort. With the cup in one hand, she stretched her arm as far from Lynn as she could.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Please," Leni said, her eyes suddenly devoid of life, "please don't hurt her."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And just like that, the dam broke. Lynn burst into tears and crawled to Leni. In desperation, she gripped Leni's dress trying to get her beloved toy.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No," Leni said slowly, trying to stretch her arm even further, "I can't let you hurt Luna..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr. And Rita rushed over to them. He lifted Lynn Jr. and rocked her in his arms, trying to calm the infant. Leni tried to walk over to Luna, but was stopped by Rita.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Honey, what happened?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni lowered her arms and allowed the cup to fall.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"She hit Luna...I wanted her to stop," she said, looking towards Luna. She stared at her little sister, who was still rubbing her hand. Her need to kiss and hug burned at her very soul.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well honey that's a very good thing you did. You're teaching Lynn how to play nicely and I'm glad you like helping others."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">But Leni barely listened; she walked past her mother and enveloped Luna. Luna admitted that Lynn didn't hurt her that much, but she liked how her sister cared.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Are you...okay?" Leni asked, stroking Luna's brown hair.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm good."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Despite her reassurance, Leni refused to let go. To her, Luna's pain was unimaginable, worse than any fall or slap. For the next several minutes, all she did was hold onto her little sister.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," she whispered, "you can let go now..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni rashly pulled herself away, asking if she was okay. Luna nodded her head.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Are you okay?" she repeated.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes, Leni," she said, realizing that she couldn't understand the gesture.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita offered to make the girls a snack, but Leni declined. She turned to the stairs and headed towards them. Any mark of excitment from the tea party had long dissipated at this point, but Leni was someone that likes being in her room. She liked the isolation, the freedom from talking to others (even though Lori was in there as well). Knowing this, Lynn Sr. and Rita escorted the others into the kitchen, much to their joy.

Chapter 3: Hanging Out

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori and Leni were sprawled across their beds, waiting for Rita to tuck them in for the night. The afternoon had moved smoothly after the whole tea party; the oldest two hung out in their room and the youngest three played in the living room with their parents.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey Leni," Lori said, turning to the other bed, where the lying Leni was facing the wall, snuggling with her stuffed bunny Bun-Bun. She didn't respond, though. "Mom's belly is getting pretty big! Do you think the baby will be a boy or a girl?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">All she got for an answer was a familiar groan. It was the type that evoked indecision rather than discomfort or frustration. Lori took it as an audible shrug more than anything else.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I want another sister," Lori continued, staring at the ceiling, "to make things easy. And when we get older, she will be one more girl to teach about boys and makeup and all that fun stuff! Having a boy around will make things all gross and weird."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She then turned to her sister, who hadn't moved.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What do you want our new baby to be?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Nothing. Not even a groan. Lori sighed, thinking about all the other times she had failed to get even a word out of her sister.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni!" she said, raising her voice, "Do you want a brother or another sister?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I dunno..." she said, tightening her grip on Bun-Bun.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Don't tell me you want a brother getting his yucky hands all over everything!" Lori said, "Dirty underwear, comics, Ace Savvy toys everywhere! So don't tell me 'I dunno'!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita then walked in, going over to Leni's bed first.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You got Bun-Bun with you, honey?" she asked as she wrapped the pink blanket around her, "Good night," she added, giving her a kiss on the forehead, "I love you so much."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita then made her way to Lori, who had her arms crossed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mom, when are we gonna know if the baby's a boy or a girl?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita chuckled and started to tuck her in.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Me and Daddy are going to the doctor next week. There, we will find out once and for all. Won't that be exciting?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori smirked and nodded her head.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm glad that you're interested in the baby," Rita said, adding the finishing touches to the blanket, "no matter what, this baby will be a special addition to our family."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She then leaned in and kissed her eldest daughter.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I love you honey!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori couldn't help but smile.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I love you too Mom."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good night."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">With that, Rita exited, gently flipping the light switch on the way out. Lori didn't even bother trying to talk to her sister, who was probably already fast asleep. She lied there and closed her eyes. She thought a little more about the upcoming baby before falling asleep herself.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori and Emily loved hopscotch. It had been the game for recess since last year. Emily always brought her chalk box to school in case the design they had set aside was erased, which was usually every week.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The bell rung and the masses of first-graders and kindergarteners raced out to the playground like a herd of wild dogs. The group two arrived at the hopscotch court, their own special corner of the playground, and started playing.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I still think Marcy is the best character," Lori said, skipping on each of the blocks.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No way! Riley is way funnier. Plus she's pretty," Emily replied, watching on from the side.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Marcy is pretty. Have you seen what she does to her hair?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's okay, but Riley is so much better! It was even better in that episode from a couple weeks ago where they had the talent show."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I guess."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori completed the course and swapped places, spectating Emily. Lori was no worse at hopscotch than any normal girl, but she was glad to have Emily. Unlike herself, Emily was a dancer and when she graced the chalk boxes, it showed. Lori never let this showmanship bug her in the way Carol's did; iif anything, it was exciting seeing such fine footwork.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What did you think of Tyler in last night's episode?" Lori asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Is that even a question," Emily answered, not even losing a breath in her movements, "Funny!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I know! I laughed so hard when he shot milk out his nose."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The two girls chuckled as they recalled the scene. Their six year old minds exaggerated the details, making it seem even funnier in hindsight.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"And when he told Mrs. Snootie he wrote his paper about boogers," Emily said, completing her set, "You know, Mrs. Snootie is kinda like Mrs. Turner. Kinda mean and boring."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"She's not that bad."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"She put Sean in time out! Sean is, like, the cutest boy in class. And he's funny, like Tyler!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"He was rude to her," Lori said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But it was funny! Tyler does everything Sean does and he doesn't get put in time out."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"True," Lori said, looking down at her feet hopping along the court. She started feeling the urge to monitor her steps to keep from tripping. She took her time formulating her next thought, "Boys are weird."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Nuh uh."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"The ones on TV are good. Tyler's really funny and all," Lori said. Upon reaching the end of the set, though, she just stood there looking to the street beyond the hopscotch court, "but then there's ones like Sean. They are rude and gross. None of them are like Tyler at all!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">It didn't take long for Emily to put the pieces together.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Are you still mad that the baby's a boy?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"A little," Lori responded, walking over to her, "It's gonna be weird having a little brother running around. I don't want him to be like Sean."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Even if he does," Emily said, starting to chuckle, "it won't be that bad."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Emily!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The dancer continued laughing as she moved to begin her set.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Having a brother can't be that bad," she said, starting to skip along.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"How do you know? You don't even have one."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Come on Lori. They can't all be bad. Besides, you have four sisters. He will learn to be just like you. And then he won't be gross."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori hadn't thought about that. She was so mad and disgusted by having a brother that she forgot about the numbers game; her thoughts assumed she would have been caged with this "animal" without any help.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Maybe," was all Lori could say, though.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Emily completed the hopscotch again and turned towards the side of the school.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Speaking of sisters," she said, squinting her eyes, "isn't that Leni over there?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori looked in the indicated direction and saw a small girl sitting against the brick wall. She silently sitting there, alone. Seeing this, Lori and Emily walked towards her. She wasn't doing or saying anything; the girl was in a world of her own.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey Leni," Lori said as she arrived, "What are you doing?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni shrugged.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Why aren't you playing with anyone?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Once again, a simple shrug.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Even though Lori predicted this was how her sister spent her recess, it still stunned her to see it playing out. Lori had a hard time understanding how anyone could avoid conversation or playtime to the extent Leni could.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," she said, extending her hand towards her, "me and Emily are playing hopscotch. And I want you to play with us."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni broke away from the girls, allowing her eyes to turn to the street behind the playground. Lori frowned.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni. I don't like you sitting here all by yourself. Now I want you to play with us!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Distressed by the familiar sharpness of Lori's voice, Leni slowly pushed herself against the pavement and wall to prop herself up.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It will be fun," Emily said as she did this, "I've been dying to know how you've been liking Mrs. Egan's class."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Upon getting on her feet, Leni just stared at Emily creepily.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"If you were dead...how would you find out?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori mentally face palmed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No, Leni," she said, "Emily is not dying, she just really wants to know about your time with Mrs. Egan."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni stood there, her face clearly lacking any registration of the input.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Then...why didn't she just say that?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori sighed and placed her hand at the back of her sister's shoulder.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Never mind. Let's just play."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The three of them made their way over to the hopscotch court, stopping right at its entry point.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay Leni," Lori said, having calmed down, "now in hopscotch. What you want to hop from box to box until you get to the other side. You want to touch every box, okay?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni observed the arrangement of chalk boxes and then jumped, planting both her feet safely inside one of the boxes.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No, no, no! That's not how you do it," Lori said, "You only put one foot into each box."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She then nudged Leni outside the court.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Now watch me."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni stood there and looked at her sister, easily hoping her way through the court. To her, the maneuver was so fast and hard to do. Leni wasn't exactly the princess of balance or grace.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Now you try," she said upon completing the set.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni walked her way to the front of the court. She looked down and saw the two neighboring boxes before her. Suddenly, she jumped and opened her legs. Each of her feet landed in a different box.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good job," Lori said, relieved, "Now do the next one. Don't stop until you get to the end."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Inputting the data, she examined the next row, which had only one box. For a moment, she was paralyzed, uncertain of how to go about it. And then she jumped, her legs never changing position. With a slight shift in trajectory, she landed with one foot in the tile and the other planted outside the court. Mentally, Lori face palmed again, which manifested as a frown.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No Leni! That's not how you do it!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She stomped over to Leni, who was frozen in place and looking off in the distance.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You can't have any feet touching the ground outside the chalk. Your feet must always be in the air or in the boxes!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori gripped Leni's offending foot and pulled it off the ground. There was a little struggle, but the older sister prevailed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"When you get to the rows with only one box, you do that instead," Lori said. She gave Leni a quick look before walking back to Emily, "Now do it right!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni gazed down and saw the next row, two boxes. Just standing, her balance wavered. She stretched her arms and shook them around, trying to stay afloat. Veering down at her object once again, she bent the knee of the grounded leg and pushed up. But rather than jumping, the leg in the air jerked forward and pressed itself on the ground, just in time to prevent a major fall. Leni took several breaths before walking off the court.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I don't like this game..." she told Lori, looking at the brick wall she was previously sitting at.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori understood what Leni was inclined to do and was determined to stop it. Acting quickly, Lori extended her hand to her sister's shoulder and turned to Emily.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That's okay," Lori said, creating a smile in the process, "you don't have to play. You can just watch me and Emily play. From there, you can tell Emily all about Mrs. Egan and school. Do you want to do that?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She didn't answer, but she did turn her head away from the wall. Lori took that as a 'yes'. She and Emily raced to the entrance of the hopscotch court and began once more. Leni just stood there, looking at nothing in particular, even as the two friends engaged in serious foot tactics.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"So...," Emily said as she waited for Lori to finish her set, "do you like Mrs. Egan?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes," she replied after a momentary pause.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lori and I were in her class last year and we liked her too. She's nice and a lot of fun!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni simply groaned and continued to stare at some figment of her imagination, one that was blurry, but amusing nonetheless. Before Emily could add anything, she started her set as Lori finished her's.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Why don't you tell Emily about your classmates," Lori said as she walked past her, "I think she would like to know about them."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The incoherent blob had vanished, leaving Leni a little nervous. Her head lowered to the ground with her mouth open, unsure how to answer. She had tried to learn their names. She really did. Or at least, know some of their names. Lori looked on, waiting impatiently for her sister to answer.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well..." she started, concentrating on the subject, "there...Blacky and Ruth and Barbie and...Lilo..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Dreaded silence re-entered the hopscotch court, breaking any sense of flow the conversation had earlier. Lori tapped her foot, watching Emily approaching the end of the path.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Is that all?" Lori said sharply.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Another groan. It was clear that no amount of pressing would get even another name out of the girl, or what she thought was a real person.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Before either girl could ask Leni another question, the bell rang. Leni marched through the chalk court, her eyes focused solely on the door she had come out of at the start of recess. Lori and Emily just watched the girl walk so purposefully back to class, which differed so greatly from themselves and many other kids. After a little bit, they reluctantly joined the massive herd of children being sentence to several more hours of school.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori was sitting in her room playing with one of her Barbie dolls. For all that she scolded Leni for doing the same, the eldest sister admitted that a little alone time never hurt anyone. Once in a while. And only for a couple minutes. She felt that after a long day of Mrs. Turner's class and Carol's snobbishness, a little decompression was in order.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She was riding the doll around in the pink car accessory, imagining the aquamarine carpet as a beautiful road hugging the sparkling Pacific Ocean. Lori had seen California a lot on television, as it was the setting of most of the shows she watched. She fantasized herself being in that sunny paradise some day. To her, it seemed like a girl's dream.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Her play session was interrupted, however, by her tummy growling. It appeared that relaxing after a hard day had other parts to it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Getting up, Lori exited her room and turned to the hallway. She noticed, however, that in the middle of the corridor was a wooden staircase going up; someone was in the attic. Curious, Lori approached it and ascended its decrepit, creaky steps. She thought she heard sniffling as she went up the first step, followed by hasty attempts to silence it. Upon reaching the top, Lori saw her mother, holding a baby blue book in her hand.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey sweetie!" Rita said, suddenly perking up a smile, "What brings you up here?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I just wanted to see what was up here," she answered, moving closer to her mother, "What's that you got there?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita then held the book with pride.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"This is a special book I made before you were born, honey," she said before turning back to an open cardboard box, "I have one for your sisters too. And I'm making one right now for your future brother."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori looked inside the box to see four other books, each one a different color and with a healthy film of dust on their covers. She then turned to Rita and noticed that her cheeks carried a tint of red and that her eyes looked a little glassy. Something looked off.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Are you okay, Mom?" Lori asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Oh honey," she said, hugging her daughter, "reading these books just make me think of how much I love you and your sisters."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita then sniffled a bit as new thoughts emerged.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"And sometimes they make me cry a little. I just can't keep it in knowing how wonderful you all have been to my and Daddy's life," she then squeezed her a little tighter, "I love you so much, Lori."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori was touched by the hug, but was uncomfortable to hear her mother cry. Still, she found it in her to hug back.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mom...could you make me a snack?" she asked, breaking the awkward series of sniffles and stifled sobs.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Of course, honey..." she replied, her voice having gone hoarse.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita closed the blue book and rested it on top of the teal one. She then got up and helped Lori downstairs.

Chapter 4: Movie Time

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni was lying on her bed tossing Bun-Bun up and down like a ball. The sunset permeated an orange tint into the mostly empty room, which she appreciated. As she rhythmically played catch, her mind was swirling with thoughts about her future brother.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I don't know, Bun-Bun. When brother comes, what if he feels sad and that no one wants to be around him?" she spoke, "I can...be there for him. I want my brother to be one that knows that he has me always...but I don't know."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After throwing the stuffed bunny up once more, she allowed it to land on her chest. She flinched a little at the impact, but it didn't hurt. She lied there; her eyes first went to the wall, then the ceiling, and then out the window. Thankfully, the sun wasn't in direct alignment with her line of vision. She took a deep breath.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I hope Lori sees how much you mean to me, brother. When you come, Mommy and Daddy will be really happy...and I will be happy too. The world is a big, cute place with a lot of good stuff. You will like it a lot."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She stroked Bun-Bun like she had Blacky every day in Mrs. Egan's class—a careful, unusually precise hand brushing the fur. After doing this for a minute, Leni turned on her side and started snuggling with the stuffed animal. It was one of her prized possessions, one of the few things that never failed to make her outwardly express her happiness—up there with her little sisters, soft things, cartoons, and ice cream. Her parents had given it to her as a baby present shortly after she was born and she cuddled with it almost every night since.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As she laid there, she imagined what her brother might look like. The best she could come up with was practically a clone of herself. "Leni's Brother" had blonde hair, liked everything she liked, and did everything with her. He would be her special boy. She closed her eyes, unfazed by the light that remained in the sky. She laid there for what felt like an eternity. Had it been just an hour or two later in the day, she would have fallen asleep.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Thankfully, Lori opened the door, holding a black VHS tape, and saw her sister lying down. At this point, such behavior didn't surprise her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey Leni," she said, standing in the doorway, "do you want to come downstairs and watch a movie? I think you'll like this one."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What-What is it?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's called The Land Before Time. It's a cartoon, you'll like it!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni's eyes shot open. She lifted her head and stared at here sister. Lori knew she would fall for the bait. Leni got up from her bed, carrying Bun-Bun, and joined her older sister. The two of them went downstairs to the living room. The three youngest sisters were already sitting on the couch, waiting for the movie to start. Leni saw a nice spot for herself next to Luna.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hi Leni," Luna said, excited to see one of her big sisters.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hi Luna," she replied, now sporting a massive grin. She squeezed Bun-Bun, excited for what was to come.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori turned on the TV and nudged the tape into the VHS player. She then rushed to turn out the lights before taking the last seat next to Leni. As the opening credits rolled, she took a quick glance to the girl next to her, whose eyes were glued to the screen. The plan worked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni smiled at the different dinosaurs and prehistoric animals came to life, providing visuals for the baritone narrator. By the time Littlefoot hatched from his egg, any lingering thoughts of going upstairs had vanished. He was cute, which was all that mattered to her. Compared to his mother—a giant "longneck"—he was tiny enough to snuggle in her arms. She even went as far as to imagine Bun-Bun as that young cuddly dinosaur and hugged it tighter.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Despite what she had told Leni, Lori had never seen The Land Before Time. She urged Rita to take her to the video rental store, claiming that she wanted to pick out a movie for "all my sisters". She was telling the truth, but she had Leni on her mind as she walked up and down the aisles. Lori didn't like how her sister spent most of her time alone in their room; she wanted to find something that would get her to spend time with everyone, even if it was only for an hour or two. And just by looking at the cover, she assumed that the colorful cartoon dinosaurs would win her over.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">About ten minutes into the film, Lori was surprised by the vicious "sharptooth"—a nasty T-Rex—rampaging through the scene, trying to devour the young Littlefoot and Cera—an orange "threehorn". Her heart and mind raced, demanding to know where this monster came from. Seeing the case on the floor, Lori snatched it and scanned the cover. She mentally slapped herself as she noticed the "sharptooth" lurking in the background.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"How did I not see that at the store?!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She turned left and right. Luna, Luan, and Lynn were just as terrified as she was, but Leni was practically a stone. Lori was baffled. She wanted to believe that she just wasn't paying attention, but her eyes were clearly directed at the "sharptooth".

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After several tense minutes, the T-Rex appeared to be defeated. Lori took several deep breaths, hopeful that the "real movie" would start. But then it started raining on the prehistoric Earth and the clouds darkened to resemble night. A large brontosaurus had collapsed on a ridge and the young Littlefoot approached her. It was her mom, seriously wounded from the attacks. Littlefoot was distraught and urged her mother to get up.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Why is this so sad?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Suddenly, Lori felt light-headed. She felt uncomfortable being on the couch, forced to watch not only the movies but also her little sisters' confused, heartbroken reactions. She started regretting her decision to pick this movie.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni was sniffling erratically, barely able to keep herself together. Tears were trickling from her eyes like streams in the forest. Although the other sisters showed distress at what was transpiring, Leni was trembling. It felt like more was being released than melancholy; it was as if her fear from the "sharptooth" scene was being dispersed too.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori slid her arm onto Leni's shoulder. Noticing this, Leni clung to her sister, crying into her shirt. As Lori rubbed her back, she felt like she was dreaming. It was surreal for her to watch Leni cry. She only remembered it happening once before. It was about two years ago, when they were watching a concert on TV with their parents. At one point, there was a middle-aged woman that sang a slow, gripping solo with an orchestra providing instrumentation. She didn't remember the details, but she saw how the woman's voice and the orchestra's majestic chords penetrated Leni's heart in a way that was an enigma to her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"M-make her come back, Lori!" she wailed, gripping her sister's shirt,"Make his mommy come back!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I can't do that..." was all she could say, fighting back a dizzying headache.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">This made Leni cry even more, causing her to squeeze Lori. By then, the other little sisters had started sobbing as well. Some of the overlapping sounds were blubbering, other were pleas for the mother to live, and some more were worried about Leni. Lori herself didn't cry at the scene, but she was uneasy towards the animosity.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Sure enough, the mother had died. And in the minutes afterward, Littlefoot sauntered around the barren, jagged terrain. Leni wasn't paying attention, though. She was still hugging Lori, struggling to breathe without whimpering. The eldest sister soothed her while still watching the movie, hoping that things get resolved.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Eventually, Littlefoot encountered a new character. She was a tiny green dinosaur with cheery blue eyes and a innocent voice.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, look!" Lori said, nudging her sister's shoulder. After several seconds of urging, she reluctantly turned her head to the screen. She had stopped crying, but her breaths were shaky. As this new character spoke, Leni found herself lightly chuckling at her voice.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"S-she's...cute..." she said, leaning against Lori.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yeah! She's great!" Luna said, trying whatever she can to make her big sister feel better.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yeah..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The five continued to watch the movie. That dinosaur even got a cute little name—Ducky. Every so often, Lori looked down at her sister. Although she never got back up on her own, Leni started smiling throughout the rest of the film. It was clear she liked all the other characters that got introduced, but her facial muscles jittered every time Ducky came on to do or say something. Ducky carried the magnetism that Lori was looking for.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Although there were several dramatic scenes that wiped that smile away, nothing was able to drag Leni down to that low she felt when the mother died. Lori and the others just watched with their eyes peeled and faces tense.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As the credits began, a female voice started singing. Lori was instantly reminded of the concert from two years. She gently got up, making sure not to disturb Leni, before racing to the VHS player and turning it off. The TV screen went to the normal blue. Lori cautiously ejected the tape and turned off the TV.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"So everyone...what did you think?" she asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I liked it..." Leni replied in a deadpan tone.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I loved it!" Luna said more enthusiastically.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I. Like," Luan babbled.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn wasn't old enough to talk, but she was smiling. And with that, Lori exhaled in relief.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Not long after that, the parents entered and brought them all up to bed. Lori pampered herself with pride, knowing that she fulfilled her mission. Rita took the two oldest sisters to their room and tucked them in.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Did you two like the movie?" their mother asked, standing between the two beds.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes, Mom," Lori answered, carrying a sly smile.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You should have seen it Mommy!" Leni said, unusually excited, "There was this one girl named Ducky and she was so cute! I wish she were here so that I could hug her and play with her!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita chuckled.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You know, I was in middle school when Land Before Time came out," she said, "and everyone I knew saw it at the movies. And for weeks after that, dinosaurs were all anyone could talk about," she then sported a reverent smile, "I'm glad that you two liked this movie as much as I did when I first saw it."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She then went over to Lori and gave her a kiss.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good night, honey. I love you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Love you too, Mom."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita then went over to Leni and gave her a kiss.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good night Leni," she said warmly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good night Mommy," she said, unusually excited, "Maybe when Ducky comes, she'll get to play with you too!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita smiled at her daughter's enthusiasm.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm so proud of you for spending time with your sisters tonight. It's feels really good knowing that you enjoyed the movie."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I love Ducky!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita gave her one more kiss before getting up and closing the door. Needless to say, sleep came easily for both girls that night.

Chapter 5: Having Fun

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I think Bun-Bun likes you, Luan!" Leni said. The five sisters were all sitting in a circle on the living room floor. Luan fiddled with the stuffed animal with her hands, grasping its soft white texture.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As this happened, Lori was playing with her Barbie doll. She had brought down a tupperware container with innumerable accessories: outfits, combs, brushes, the pink convertible, and other things. She was in the process of changing Barbie into her nurse outfit when the piece of plastic won Lynn's eyes. Since she was sitting next to Lori, she extended her arms out towards it. Lori noticed rather quickly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lynn, you can't have this," she said. Her mom had already explained to her the dangers of toys with small parts and had she been in the room at the moment, she would have told Lori to not play with it so close to the baby. But mostly, Lori just found Lynn's begging annoying. When Lynn didn't stop her grabbing, Lori just groaned.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Ban-Ban," Luan said enthusiastically, tossing the doll into the center of the social circle.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No, silly," Leni replied, chuckling. She then reached to grab her beloved bunny, "It is Bun...Bun."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She handed it back to Luan and watched her play with it some more, which mostly consisted of throwing it up and down. As the younger sister did this, she laughed in her cute voice.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Ban-Ban!" she exclaimed again as she threw it up. This time, it landed behind her and outside the circle. Leni giggled again.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Let me help you," Leni said. She then grabbed the doll and held it up in front of Luan.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Bun," she pointed. She then paused for a brief moment to poke the bunny's plush belly, "Bun!" Luan then opened her arms, her eyes clearly burning for the doll. Leni gently handed it to her sister once more.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Meanwhile, Luna was playing with an interactive push-button board; each of the buttons had characters from Sesame Street on it. Luna pushed the various buttons and grinned whenever she heard the respective character compliment her. No one else was a big fan of electronics, much to Luna's delight.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey there, kids!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr. emerged from the kitchen with a quip on his face and newspaper in hand. Seeing the girls sitting in their circle, he knelt next to Luna and Lynn Jr.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You girls getting along, having fun. That's what I like to see," he said before turning his head to the other side of the circle, "Leni, you're letting Luan play with Bun-Bun?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes, daddy," Leni said, perking a smile. Luan barely noticed, however, and continued to play around with the bunny.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm glad you're doing that. And what about you girls?," he asked, "Everything's going good?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori nodded her head with her eyes glued to her Barbie doll, prompting Luna to do the same.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well okay," he said. He then gazed at the various plastic accessories in the tupperware container, "Lori, just make sure Lynn doesn't get her hands on those."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes, dad," she said, not even looking up.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thank you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">With that, Lynn Sr took a seat at a nearby armchair and started reading his paper. None of the girls really minded their dad watching them play; in fact, they barely even noticed it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Luan tossed up Bun-Bun and reached her hands out. To her amazement, the doll slid comfortably into her hands, causing the toddler to grin.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yup yup yup!" she cheered as she hugged the doll she caught.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Something clicked in Leni. A burst of excitement suddenly rushed through her and she enjoyed every moment of it. Instinctively, she propped her arms up and bent her elbows. She bent her wrists downward, causing her hands to cup in a similar fashion.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yup yup yup!" she mimicked, her eyes closing in glee.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Luan giggled at her big sister's antics. Leni's gleaming eyes opened to see the toddler clapping her hands, asking for more. But instead, she stuck a finger to Bun-Bun and tapped its nose. She then lifted it up to Luan's and poked it as well. As she imagined, Luan chuckled and her lips curled upwards.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You're so cute, Luan!" she said. Her eyes were now transfixed on her sister, never breaking away, "Yes you are! Yup yup yup!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori glanced up to see her two siblings. She noticed that Leni was now kneeling as opposed to sitting and leaning in towards Luan. She then turned to Lynn, who was slumped down on her leg like a puppy. Feeling the undeniable obligation, she stroked Lynn's blooming brown hair. She didn't feel much from it, though—no smile, no sparkle in her eyes. As she did this, she heard Leni cheering and repeating "Yup yup yup" every couple of sentences.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"How can she be so happy right now? She's not trying!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori then turned back to Leni, who was now really close to Luan. A little too close, she felt, but Luan didn't seem to care. Both of them were laughing, beaming, and encouraging each other. If there was one thing Lori knew Leni was better at her at, it was making her sisters happy.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni was sitting in the corner on the floor with Blacky. She stroked it's black fur like it was Bun-Bun. Her face lacked any tension or energy.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You should have been there," she thought to herself, envisioning herself as much more excited than what her outward appearance conveyed. She imagined the plushie was a living, happy, furry friend she was talking to, "The best scene in the whole movie was when Ducky was helping them get those green thingys out of the tree! And they ate them and Ducky said 'Yup yup yup!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She then propped the plushie so that its face was directed at her's.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yup yup yup!" she imagined Blacky saying.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yup yup yup! That's what Ducky says! And it gets better too. Mommy told me that there are more of those movies. So I get to see Ducky even more. Yup yup yup!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That's good. Yup yup yup!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">At this point, Leni started humming and swaying Blacky back in forth in her extended arms. She didn't even notice another girl approach to her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey Leni," Liliana said. In her hands, she held some paper and a crayon box. She was met, however, with detached humming; it was like she was blended into the colorless air.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Uh...Leni?" she repeated. Still nothing. Liliana walked closer and held out the materials in front of Blacky, "Did you want to color with me?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The blonde continued playing with her plushie. Liliana thought she could hear her classmate mummering words under her juvenile noises. But at last, she concluded that Leni was having fun in her own bubble.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay then...," she said, pulling back the art supplies, "I will be coloring now. You can color too if you want."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Liliana then stepped back and retreated to one of the circular tables. Leni couldn't have been bothered to see.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"And that kids is the magic of subtraction!" Mrs. Turner exclaimed, sticking both her arms at her big, green numbers on the white board. Despite her enthusiasm, though, none of her students were excited. Some were bored, some were annoyed, and others were in the middle.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lame!" Sean exclaimed as he crumbled a piece of paper.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And just like that, the closing bell rang, "Very well, I hope you all have a good weekend!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The students sighed and started getting their backpacks.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey Lori, do you want to have a sleepover tonight at my house? My parents said I could have one," Emily said, walking with her friend.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes! I'll just ask my mom to see if she's good with it."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Upon grabbing their things, the two girls made their way through the crowd of children and into the hallway, where all their parents were waiting. Emily tagged along with Lori as she made her way to Rita, whose stomach had become noticeably bloated.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hi Lori how was your day?" she asked before noticing the additional member, "And if it isn't Emily. Hi there, how was your day?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It was great! Thanks Mrs. Loud," Emily interjected.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good, Mom," Lori said. She briefly looked at her friend before turning back to Rita, "Hey Mom, can I go over Emily's house tonight for a sleepover?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The two of them smiled, hoping the adult would grant their wish.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm sorry, girls, but tonight is not a good night for that. The doctors want me at the hospital to make sure the baby is doing well," she said regretfully, "How about next weekend? Does that sound fair?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The two girls sighed and groaned.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Sorry," Emily said to Lori, "I'll see if we can do it next week," she then turned to Rita and straightened her face, "Good luck Mrs. Loud."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita smiled.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thank you Emily! That's very nice of you," she said. She then took her hand and rubbed her inflated belly, "And I'm sure my special little guy will be happy to see the doctors again."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I hope you all have a nice weekend!" Emily said. And with that, she left to attend to her awaiting mother. Lori, however, still had the face of a stone.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Are you okay sweetie?" Rita asked, approaching her daughter.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I wanted a sleepover," she pouted.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I know you're upset, but soon you'll have a brother to play with. Doesn't that sound exciting?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"And why did it have to be a boy? Why couldn't it be a girl?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita was disappointed in herself for not resolving this. It wasn't the first time she had gotten that answer from Lori and no answer seemed to be good enough for her. That didn't stop the mother from trying, though.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Honey," she started. She then leaned her body towards the hallway, "Let's go pick up Leni and we can talk on the way."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She started walking down the corridor. The moody Lori trudged alongside her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"When gave me and Daddy you and your sisters, we didn't choose to have you all be girls. It was God that made that decision. This time, God chose to give us a boy."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But why?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"We don't know. God works in ways that we can't learn about. But what we do know about Him is that He loves all of us. You, me, Daddy, your sisters, Emily, everyone. He loves boys and girls the same because they are all special. Your brother is someone God loves in the same way you are someone God loves."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But now there's gonna be Ace Savvy toys and comic books everywhere!" Lori lamented, "It's gross! Boys are bad anyway. They are mean! Brother is gonna be really bad to me and my sisters."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Not all boys are bad. What makes you think they are?" Rita asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori sighed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"There's this one boy in my class named Sean. And he's really rude. He always talks back to the teacher, he never does his homework, and he's mean to us! And now I'm gonna have a boy like Sean living in my own house. It's not fair!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita has heard Lori talk about this boy several times before and she had tried to reassure her, but the girl still doesn't understand. She figured it was important for her to comprehend it, even if she had to tell it a hundred times.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lori, not all boys are like Sean. Some of them are mean, yes, but not all of them. Me and Dad will work hard to make sure your brother is not like that. We will love him, we will care for him, and we will try to show him how to be good. Just like you and your sisters."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori didn't respond. She just kept walking alongside her mother, noting how they were getting close to Mrs. Egan's room.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I want you to be able to get along with your brother when he comes," Rita continued at the urging of her daughter's silence, "he will be something special. He will grow up to like certain things, have friends, and maybe even find a special someone. Just like you and your sisters."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mom!" Lori exclaimed, blushing a little, "Boys are dirty and I don't want a special someone."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That's okay. You're young and you may not like that idea. But when you get older, you might change your mind and you might start falling in love."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Stop it. I don't want to talk about this," she replied, her face now even redder and more flustered.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita forced back some laughter.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm just having fun with you Lori," she said, looking down at her, "I guess what I want you to know is that you shouldn't be mad about having a brother. He will be a blessing to our family and I hope that with time, you can see that."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori stared at the crowd of parents outside Mrs. Egan's door.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay we're here," she uttered, trying to flush away the awkwardness and embarrassment.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The two settled in the special corner of the hallway. It wasn't long before each of the students flooded out the door, eager to escape for the weekend. Leni emerged with her arms up, eyes closed, and smile widened, trying once again to imitate Ducky. Lori groaned.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hi Leni," Rita said, giving her second daughter a hug, "How was your day?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good...," she said before flouting her arms up even higher, "yup yup yup!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita chuckled.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm happy to hear that."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You were doing that during school?! That's weird," Lori snickered.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lori!" Rita said, shooting her head to her. She then exhaled and turned back to Leni, who appeared unaffected by the comment, "It's good to be yourself, Leni. Never be ashamed to show to others who you are."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yup yup yup!" Leni chipped.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And the three of them left. Rita smiling, Leni pretending to be Ducky, and Lori somewhat annoyed.

Chapter 6: Far Away

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori was plopped down on the couch, tuning into her favorite show.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Will Marcy say yes? Find out now on Los Angels!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She groaned thinking about the commercials that have flooded the Bizney Channel this past week. She was prepared for the mushy, annoying scenes they promised, but banked on the hope that Marcy, her favorite character, would stay true to herself; a fashionista with a joke to quip and too good to fall in love.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As the Los Angels theme song played, Lori's dad came in, carrying the infant Lynn.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey Lori. I'm gonna start making supper. Could you keep an eye on Lynn while I do that?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But dad," she moaned, "I'm watching my show!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr. then placed the baby on the soft couch, besides Lori.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Please," he said, "she can just sit next to you and you could watch your show together. How does that sound?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori sighed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Dinner will be ready in about thirty minutes. That'll give you two plenty of time to see everything you want."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Before she could reply, her dad retreated into the kitchen. By then, the theme song was finished and the show began. Lori did her best to pay attention, but Lynn was trying to climb up her arm.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lynn! No!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She didn't stop. She started trying harder, pulling Lori's shoulder down. Unable to ignore the situation, she broke away from the screen to see Lynn's eyes burning with desire.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lynn!" she said, trying to pry the little hands off her body, "You can't do that! Keep your hands off!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori turned back to the screen and tried to concentrate. The current scene was one that was played in all the commercials: Josh flirting with Marcy. It annoyed Lori to no end, especially now having to see the same dialogue, same acting, and same framing playing for what felt like the hundredth time at this point. She then got an idea of how to get through it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"So, Lynn," she said, painting a grin on her face, "You haven't seen this show before."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn sat there with an open-mouthed smile and her head turned away.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well today's your lucky day. Now," she said, lifting Lynn and placing her on her lap, "This is called Los Angels and it's your big sister's favorite show. You see that girl with the really nice and shiny brown hair?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She grabbed Lynn's hand and used it to point at the character on the TV screen.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Her name is Marcy and she is the good girl. You like her. Now do you see that gross boy talking to her?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori pulled her baby sister's arm to the right. Lynn, hating the fast movement, tried jerking away from her mighty grasp, but it was of no use.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That joker is Josh. He's rude and he's mean and he smells. He's bad and you can't stand him," she said. Lori then peered down to see Lynn using her free hand to pick her nose, "Hey pay attention!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She paused to give her sister time to stop distracting herself. All the while, the scene continued. Josh pulled out a box of chocolates and offered it to Marcy. Marcy, being a helpless chocoholic, accepted the box and smiled.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Oh come on!" Lori exclaimed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Is everything okay in there?" Lynn Sr. asked from the kitchen.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes, Daddy."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Without even checking to see if Lynn was paying attention, Lori continued as she watched the episode unfold.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Now here's the crummy part. Marcy doesn't like Josh, which is the right thing. Marcy also doesn't like falling in love because that's gross. She doesn't like watching grown ups kissing and stuff. But Josh right there thinks that he can change her mind and make her fall in love with him. And she's fallen right into a trap. Chocolates!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori looked back down to see Lynn lying on her legs, her eyes missing the screen. Seeing this, she sighed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Why aren't you watching? Don't you feel mad at Josh? Don't you want Marcy to find her way out of this?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn just rested, her innocent mind in a world of its own. Once again, Lori sighed. Rather than trying again,she just resumed watching the episode by herself. To her, that's how it was originally going to be. But then, why didn't she feel anything? No anger at Josh, no hope for Marcy, no attachment to anything. The glass screen separating the two worlds was well-defined.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I wish Emily were here. This night was gonna be perfect. Sleepover and snacks and everything."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As those thoughts made their course, Lori did start to feel something. A headache.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Stupid Mom and stupid doctors and stupid brother. Isn't five kids enough?!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The throbbing pain persisted. She took several deep breaths in an attempt to alleviate it, but they did little to help.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The show cut to a commercial break, leaving Lori alone with herself and her two-year-old sister. Finding none of the ads interesting, she dropped her head to her sister, who looked unusually calm. Most of the time, Lynn was either whacking one of her toys or trying to climb something; she had even become proficient at walking. Sure, there were times during the day where the baby got tired, but she was almost never lying on her knees.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Despite the heartwarming sight, Lori barely cracked a smile. She made sure to remain still and occasionally stroked her sister's brown hair.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's fine. You can just rest right there. Don't worry about the show."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Before turning back to her show, Lori gave her sister another gentle rub and said,

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I love you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni and Mrs. Boxer, a short elderly woman, were seating at a small round table. Upon its surface were flashcards, books, paper, and pencils. The room they were in was compact and windowless; to make up for this, the white walls were laden with colorful posters with children and animals on them. Also adorning these decorations were reminders written in bubbly letters about personal space, eye contact, appropriate conversation, and figures of speech.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay, very good Leni," Mrs. Boxer said as she slid away some papers and summoned some flashcards, "Now, I will show you some faces and I want you to tell me how that person is feeling."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni merely shrugged as she eyed the teacher. Her eyes froze in place as she was revealed the first card. It was a color drawing of a face whose lips were curved downwards and had a tear streaming down his cheek.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"How do you think this person is feeling?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She sat there, not sure at first. To her, the answer was nothing because no face was there. Leni then thought it was how she herself was feeling, but she couldn't quite put that to words—she didn't sense any wave of emotion flooding her mind. What resulted from all this was a long silence.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Is this person smiling?" Mrs. Boxer asked, tracing the drawing with her finger, "Is he laughing?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Realizing her focus, she directed her attention to the drawing itself. It didn't take long for her to reach one conclusion.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"...No..." she said, twiddling her thumbs.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What is the person doing? Does he look mad? Or is he sad?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Once more, Leni sat there and thought it through. She wasn't sure if it were anger, but that was a feeling she couldn't wrap her head around. To her, she couldn't understand why anyone, let alone a simple drawing, would feel that way. This left sadness. She had to work it out, searching for what she knew about it. And then she remembered what happened to Littlefoot's mom. The memory was too detached to make her well up, but she did recall the feeling of tears breaking free from her eyes.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"He's...sad..." she finally said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That's right," Mrs. Boxer replied, casting a rewarding grin and using her finger once more to articulate the drawing's details,"This boy is crying and he is not smiling. That means he's sad. And if you see someone that is sad, what do you do?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">There was a pause. Leni then leaned towards the picture with her arms extended.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hugging is one thing you can do. What else could you do?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni froze. Her arms bent as they remained there with no certain target. She started staring at the white tiles on the floor with her mouth open. But words could not be found.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You could ask him why he is sad," Mrs. Boxer said. Leni, however, didn't change her position, "Uh...Leni. Could you please look up at me? It's good to look others in the eye when they are talking to you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Allowing the instructions to flow into her ears, Leni rolled her back up into a proper sitting position and stared at Mrs. Boxer.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Very good. If someone is sad, you could ask him why he is feeling that way. He could be sad because he dropped his ice cream, or maybe he fell down and got hurt."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni listened to her teacher; her eyes didn't even dare to move.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well..." she then said, "um...did he fall down?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes. Let's say that this boy was running on the playground and he fell down. His knee hurts and now he is sad and he starts crying," Mrs. Boxer said. She then handed the flash card to Leni, who then held it with an awkward grip, "What do you do?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni was now eyeing the card, absorbing its various features. Instinctively, she pulled it into her chest and started swaying in her chair.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay, now the next thing to do is find a teacher and tell her that the boy is hurt."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">It took her a moment to register that comment. She then stopped rocking and looked back up at Mrs. Boxer with an uncertain look.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay. I'm the teacher," Mrs. Boxer said, pointing her fingers at herself, "Leni, do you want to tell me something?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni's eyes fell to the floor.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Uh...Mrs...Boxer,"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Remember to look at the person you are talking to," she reminded.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She then lifted her head, however nothing was said for several seconds.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"He is sad...he uh...fell down and...he's crying."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thank you for telling me Leni. I will take him to the nurse's office," she replied. She then lowered her hands, "Very good, Leni. You are getting better every day."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Mrs. Boxer then cast a smile at her, but she wasn't compelled to mirror the expression.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That's all we have to do today. Let's walk back to Mrs. Egan's, shall we?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Mrs. Boxer then put her things away and got up. Leni silently followed her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It sounds like you are having a lot of fun with Mrs. Egan," she said, trying to get a conversation going, "What made you the most happy in class this week?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni walked by her side, trying to think of something spectacular. After briefly brimming through the things that happened, something came to mind.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"...I saw a kid...he was coloring a picture...of Ducky and I...said 'Yup yup yup'," she said, smirking a little. She even propped her arms in her 'Ducky pose' as she strolled along.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Mrs. Boxer chuckled at the sight.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm happy that you are being yourself, Leni. Kids like it when you show them who you are. Do you know anyone that likes Land Before Time?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No," she replied, "they don't talk about it or play about it...or color it. They like other things."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What do the other kids talk about?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni concentrated on what she remembered from class. Her strides noticeably became uneven at some points, but she was able to redirect herself when she was on the verge of stumbling.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Uh..." she said as she continued to think, "They like...um...toys."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You like toys. And there's lots of them in Mrs. Egan's room. Maybe you could ask someone to play with you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Maybe..." she said cheerfully, although she wasn't thinking about the prospect; it seemed too distant for her to grasp.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Eventually, the two wound up at the appropriate door.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well, here we are," Mrs. Boxer said, smiling, "Thank you so much for another great day. I will see you again next week."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Sure..." she said, still holding her pose.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And with that, Leni re-entered the room. The kids were all making their way to the cupboard full of blue mats.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," Mrs. Egan said with her trademark grin, "Did you have a good time with Mrs. Boxer?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes," she said, motivated largely from the energy she felt from talking about Ducky.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That's wonderful," the teacher said. She then leaned towards the cupboard, directing Leni's vision, "The others are getting ready for nap time. You should get your mat."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Without any verbal acknowledgment, she moved to the shelf, nudged herself past the other waiting kids, and dragged one for herself. While still gripping the mat, Leni made her way to the toy cabinet and pulled out Blacky; such was her ritual at nap time. She found an open space on the floor and let go of the mat, letting it slide across the tiles. She slowly got down and rested herself on the foam surface. She curled herself around the plushie, as if it were big enough to be a blanket. Her mind cleared and she slipped into sleep.

Chapter 7: Making Choices

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The Halloween Emporium was packed on that Saturday afternoon before the big night. Practically every kid under the age of thirteen decided to get their costumes just three days before, five of which were the Loud sisters.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After spending a few minutes finding an open parking spot, the entire Loud family entered holding hands and were quickly stunned by the crowd. The line had six couples in it, each with children. As they made their way to the costume section, they encountered many familiar faces in the decoration and candy aisles. Rita and Lynn Sr. stopped a few times to greet their neighbors, although such meetings were hastened by the kids' begging and dragging.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The costume section was the most packed; almost every aisle had at least two people squished along the walkway's width. Unlike the other sections, where the aisles were defined by overbearing shelves, these paths were lined with crates filled with props and tall white walls dotted by pictures of all the available costumes. And tucked in a corner of the complex was a door that led to the mysterious storage room, where the real things were stashed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The next twenty minutes were defined by nudging, stretching, turning, and bending in an effort to see all the options on the wall. Lori's first pick—Marcy—had a red sticker beside its picture reading 'Sold Out'. After briefly pouting at the disappointment, she brought herself back together and continued her search. She eventually found one available for Barbie, surprisingly enough. Before she could question how such a popular brand wouldn't sell out so quickly, she ran to Rita, who was holding the baby Lynn.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mom! I want to be Barbie!" she said, grabbing one of Rita's hands and directing her to the picture of the outfit. The older woman examined the costume; it had a standard pink dress, pieces of foam wrapped around the outside of the shoes to mimic heels, and a cheap plastic mask resembling Barbie's iconic face.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Honey, are you sure you want that one? There's a lot of costumes to pick from," she said, carrying a little concern.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes Mom," Lori replied, pointing at it, "I've looked around and this is the only one I like!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita quickly realized that there were little options remaining. She then gave one more look at the picture.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well let's try it on and make sure there's a size that fits you," she finally said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Meanwhile, Lynn Sr. was monitoring the other three kids as they searched through all the available options. Although the three were not side by side, they were all within their father's view.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">It didn't take Luan very long to settle on one. Entitled 'Circus Clown', it consisted of a toddler-sized white suit with purple suspenders sewn and colorful polka dots splattered across. In addition, it came with a pair of Groucho glasses that made her laugh. When Luan told him her choice, he went over to Rita, who was waiting outside the door to the storage room with Lori and Lynn Jr., and informed his wife.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Luna walked along the entire wall at least three times, her mind fixated on three different options. She struggled between Oscar from Sesame Street, a Black Power Ranger, and a police officer. Her eyes examined each of her preferences, trying to nitpick and make the choice easier, but it was more difficult than she hoped.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni looked and down at a slower pace than either her sisters. She glanced at each picture one row at a time. While she appeared to be indecisive, she actually had a clear image of what she wanted to go as. With every column she completed without having found it, she felt a wave of anticipation that the next one would have her coveted prize. And so it went. Eventually, she had taken a gander at every picture, but none of them appeared interesting to her. With her body lacking conviction, she made her way to Lynn Sr.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Um...Daddy."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes, sweetie," he said, giving her a smile. Unfortunately, it failed to transfer to her daughter's face.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I don't see Ducky..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr. had a strong feeling that was what Leni was going to desire. In his six years of parenting and visiting the Halloween Emporium, he didn't recall seeing any Land Before Time costumes. Granted he never did a personal inventory check, but the film had been out of relevance for years. For a lot of kids, Land Before Time was little more than a collection of direct-to-video sequels acting as background noise during playtime. What store would still have Halloween costumes for it?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well honey," he said, carefully crafting this sentence, "maybe they don't have a Ducky costume. Why don't we take another look?" he then pointed to the top of the wall, "maybe there's one way up there."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The two then went to one of the wall and began their search.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Would you like me to hold you so you can see those pictures at the very top?" Lynn Sr. asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni moaned and and stood there, almost unattached from her father's conversation. Lynn Sr. was familiar with that response and he figured the answer was no.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The two spent a couple minutes looking at all the available costumes. The top ones were a little hard to see, but the father could make out their basic outlines and could tell none of them resembled a dinosaur. Sadly, his initial thought was confirmed and no Ducky was found.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm sorry, Leni. It looks like you have to pick something else," he said reluctantly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni didn't answer immediately. Her face didn't wince or tense up, but nothing seemed to indicate acceptance.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But...I wanna go as Ducky..." she said blandly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I know you do, but I'm afraid they don't have Ducky."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Had it been one of her other daughters, there would have been some degree of an argument. Lori would have gone on for a minute or so trying to fight him—as if he were dangling the desired costume just out of her reach—before sighing and moving on. Luna or Luan would have had a meltdown, as the latter had last year and the former the one before that; there would have been a twenty minute struggle in the store's bathroom, trying to wipe away the tears and calm them down, followed by an effort by him and Rita to save face to the employees and other parents. Leni didn't cry or get grumpy. She barely said even a word. But she seemed to have turned her body towards an unspecified point away from the costume section. Lynn Sr. gestured towards the wall, urging Leni to at least take a look at it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Here, I'll help you find a costume you'll love," he said. He then scanned the pictures closest to him, trying to find one that relates to his daughter's interest.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Look here," he said, throwing on a smile, "here's a fluffy bunny! It looks just like Bun-Bun."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">That got her to move a little bit closer, however she didn't even bother to look at the picture Lynn Sr. was referring to. With that, her father continued his examination, trying to find another.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"How about this one?" he said, pointing to a puppy with black fur. Although it resembled Blacky, Leni didn't take the time to consider it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">For the next few minutes, Lynn Sr. slowly went through all the pictures once more. He knew his second daughter was fond of cuddly animals, which the wall had no short supply of. But despite her eyes being in the direction of the collage, Leni was barely paying attention. By the end, it was concerning Lynn Sr.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Honey, are you okay?" he asked, looking down at her. All Leni could think about was her precious Ducky and how she wanted to dress up like her. If her father hadn't asked his question a second time, she would have never received it. However, despite knowing the question, she simply shrugged.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Do you want to pick from one of these animals?" he asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Before she could respond, though, Luna came running up to them.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Dad! I want that one! That one!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr. turned to her third daughter, who was starting to direct him to the specific point. Leni automatically followed along. They stopped about half way down the wall and Luna tapped the picture of Oscar. Leni stumbled her way into a spot where she could see the costume. From what she could see, there was a lot of fur covering the kid wearing it and it looked really soft. Sure it had a trashcan lid on the head, but she didn't seem to mind.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I...want that one," Leni said, lifting her arm and weakly pointing at the Oscar costume.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr. was surprised. He knew all his children saw Sesame Street, including Leni, but he never imagined her liking a character like that. Oscar was the opposite of courtesy, gentleness, and cleanliness. If there was any character he felt she would have picked, it would not have been Oscar.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Are you sure honey?" Lynn Sr. asked, turning to Leni.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's mine!" Luna exclaimed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"They have Elmo," he said, pointing to said costume. Conveniently, all the Sesame Street costumes were lumped together, "they also have Big Bird and Rosita."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I want that one," she repeated. She got closer to the Oscar costume picture and started tapping it like Luna was.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And like that, she was settled. Lynn Sr. knew it, and nothing would have changed Leni's mind now. Besides, he felt like it would have given this Halloween a couple extra photos for the family album.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">He went over to Rita and the other three daughters, with the older two carrying their costumes. Lynn Sr. told the employee to give them two Oscar costumes.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Aw! That's gonna be adorable!" Rita said upon hearing the news.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Sure enough, the two costumes arrived in the appropriate sizes. Lynn Sr. handed it to the two for them to try on. It took about two minutes and some help for the sisters to get on the outfit and secure the trashcan lids on their heads. As expected, they fitted pretty well.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Both the parents felt wonderful seeing their daughters standing side by side in the same costume. Rita wished she could have captured the moment with a picture. But then, for the first time that day, Leni smiled—always a good sign. And then, she embraced Luna. Any underlying annoyances Luna had towards her sister having the same costume evaporated. She grinned and then hugged her back.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Now, Rita regretted leaving the camera at home.

Chapter 8: Halloween Night

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The big night finally arrived. Skeletons, pumpkins, cobwebs, and coffins decorated the neighborhood as each house prepared for a large share of trick-or-treaters.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The Loud House had finished dinner and the kids went to put on their costumes. All the while, Rita was pouring bag after bag of candy into a wide punch bowl and Lynn Sr. was digging through the crevices of his bedroom trying to find the camera. By now, both the parents knew the drill: Lynn Sr. took out the kids while Rita tended to the neighbors. But even with this understanding, Halloween became more difficult every year as the family got larger. Every year, it took a little longer to put on costumes, to head out, to go from house to house, and to scan every last mini chocolate bar. Indeed, the tumbling, sifting, chatting, and chuckling upstairs lasted for fifteen minutes, plenty of time for Lynn Sr. to locate the camera and the tripod stand.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Dad! Let's go!" Lori cried out.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Grasping the cue, Lynn Sr. emerged from his first-story bedroom to be greeted by his five daughters all dressed up. Accompanying the scene were Rita's footsteps directed towards the foyer. He immediately noticed that Lori appeared even more impatient than last year—frowning and gripping baby Lynn in her arms. But the father wasn't about to barge out without completing some "rituals".

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">For one, it was tradition in the Loud House for the youngest to wear an infant-sized pumpkin costume. It started with Lori's first Halloween and every year since it had passed on to the next child, but lucky Lynn got it for a second.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Aw! You all look great," Rita exclaimed, beaming, as she entered the room.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You're just in time," he replied as she grabbed Lynn from Lori and handed her to his wife.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mom! Dad! Do we have to do this?" Lori moaned, tapping her foot.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's for the album!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita smiled and held up Lynn, who was distracted by the interior decorations lining the walls. Lynn Sr. didn't mind and he snapped the camera, producing a glaring flash. The final result materialized on the screen in the camera's back. It was beautiful.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes!" he cheered, "Now before we go, I want a picture of all of us."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori sighed and clumped with the rest of her sisters. Rita gathered behind them as Lynn Sr. attached the camera to the tripod. After aligning and setting the timer, he raced to the back and wrapped one of his arms across his wife's shoulders.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Smile!" he said through his teeth.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The girls obliged and, after what felt like an excruciatingly long time, there was a giant flash that threatened to blind them all. The vigilant father paced back to the camera to see the result. All of them were smiling, even if Lori's looked forced. He, his wife, and Lynn all looked excited for the night of laughter and memories that was to come. Luan appeared decked out in her clown costume, ready to take on any grumpy ghost or ogre. Then there were Leni and Luna, both dressed up as Oscar. They were both hugging each other and their faces emanated a sisterly love; even though they weren't technically twins, they sure acted like them. Lynn Sr. couldn't help but smile at those two.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thank you," he said calmly, "Now let's have the best night ever."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Finally!" Lori said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The eldest sister led the way towards the door, tempted to burst out.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Remember to stick together kids," Rita said as she saw them move, "And don't eat any candy until me and Daddy check it! Love you!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr. knew he had to act quickly. In a swift motion, he detached the camera from the tripod, snatched Lynn's candy bag, and took the infant out of Rita's hand. He then burst out the door and caught up to the girls.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay kids," he said from the back, "First stop is Mr. Grouse's."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori groaned.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But Dad! He's old and grumpy!" she complained.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Now girls, I think he would really like it. It's not every day that he gets visitors," he said as he tried to keep up with Lori's breakneck pace.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Mr. Grouse's house was lonely and barren. The lawn was nice—thanks to the help of a volunteering teenager—and the paint was far from dull or chipped, but the lack of decorations made the abode stick out. Not helping matters was the fact that aside from the front porch, the house was dark aside from a single lamp light glowing through the shut curtains covering the window. The only thing even remotely festive about the place was a bowl of licorice and mints that rested on the porch's top step.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Alright girls, make sure to take only one," Lynn Sr. said as he did so for his youngest girl. It wasn't hard for the others to obey, as they all appeared eager to get off the wooden steps as quickly as possible. The father found it sad that his daughters had no interest in befriending their elderly neighbor.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hold on," he said. Rather than freezing, the girls allowed themselves to slow down. Ever so gradually, "Before we leave, I think it would be really nice if we said 'hi' to Mr. Grouse."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori didn't even bother trying to protest this time; she had accepted the fact that she was going to have to follow her dad's weird ways.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">While holding Lynn, he turned to the door and gave it several hearty knocks. From inside, he heard mumbling and movement. And then, he was greeted to Grouse, appearing as his usual self—sagging shoulders, tight lips, loose cheeks, and bent back.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hello Mr. Grouse," Lynn Sr. said with a peppy grin, "We the Loud Family would like to wish you a Happy Halloween!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Grouse sighed and lowered his head, staring at his welcome mat. It took a mountain of effort to get it back up to face his neighbor.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yeah. Just take the candy and go."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Before Lynn Sr. could reply, Grouse slammed the door. He didn't falter, though, as he maintained his cheery attitude as he faced the girls.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Let's go!" he said, trying to come across as pumped.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The Louds began making their round around the neighborhood, going from door to door and accumulating chocolate, taffy, M&Ns, and other treats. Outside of Mr. Grouse, most of the neighbors were parents and gave the Louds a warm reception from their doorsteps. Lynn Sr. mainly relegated himself to a simple greeting and farewell to these grown-ups, all in an effort of maximizing the kids' candy load.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">At one house, the McAllisters, the bowl on the doorstop had a wide array of options, far more than what most people do. Lori decisively snagged a mini Mershey's bar and practically leaped off the porch. In the following ten seconds, most of the other sisters had made their choice. But Leni stared at the bowl and dabbled her hand along the surface of plastic and paper wrappers. Meanwhile, the others were focused purely on the straggler.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Just pick one already!" Lori exclaimed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lori. Be patient," Lynn Sr. replied.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Mr. and Mrs. McAllister, however, chuckled at the scene.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"So many things to pick from," Mr. McAllister said from his lawn chair, a tight fit for the narrow porch.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's okay, Leni. Choose whatever you want," his wife added, throwing on a smile. Although it took another twenty seconds, she eventually settled for a mini Mershey's bar—her twelfth of the night.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thank you, have a happy Halloween!" Lynn Sr. said as he waved to the neighbors.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You too Lynn," Mrs. McAllister said, "And tell Rita I said 'hi'!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As the Louds continued their trek, they came across other familiar faces. Many of the houses recycled the same decorations, making the neighborhood feel like a bubble frozen in time. Lynn Sr. admired how his community embedded tradition, treating some things as something to be remembered rather than erased by the rapid waves of change.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Although Lori was the one pushing the group along, the momentum halted as she suddenly veered from it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Emily! How you doing?" she said, taking off her mask, running up to hug her friend, who was dressed up as Riley from Los Angels.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Great! I have so much candy!" Emily answered as she presented her bag, which was nearly full.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lucky! I should have hit more houses by now, but these babies are slowing me down!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey!" Luna jeered.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">By this point, Lynn Sr. had realized that the boat had been anchored and decided to stir up a conversation with Emily's parents. Meanwhile, the younger sisters were left to wait.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Let's go!" Luna said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Can't you see I'm busy," Lori shot back. She then turned to Emily and rolled her eyes, "Sisters."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You should have come with me. The two of us could have made it to the other side of town."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Tell me about it," Lori said. It wasn't that she had forgotten about her friend; she did ask her parents if she could trick-or-treat with Emily instead. Unfortunately, family won out, "But enough about that! Where did you get that costume?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"The Haunted Mansion," Emily said, showing off the T-Shirt and wig with luscious brown curls that embodied Riley's appearance.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Did they have Marcy there?" she asked slowly, anxious to learn the answer.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori felt her uneasiness evolve into jealously, which then quickly morphed into bitterness. She was ashamed by her costume's tackiness. The notion that her desired outfit—Marcy—was out of reach made it easier to accept the tacky dress, the sad attempt to imitate designer heels, and the mask that acted as an airtight oven. Lori felt robbed of a better experience, all in the name of maintaining the status quo.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Does this...look good?" she asked, awkwardly putting the plastic mask back on.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Of course," Emily replied, "Who doesn't like Barbie?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">But Lori knew better. She could tell by her friend's soft and mellow tone that she was just trying to be nice. She couldn't blame her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Why thanks," she said, inflating her voice and projecting it through the material layer, "I love Barbie. And I'm gonna get so much more candy with it!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That's great. I'm happy for you," Emily said. She then waved to Lori's siblings who, for the most part, weren't paying attention to their conversation.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well...I'll let you get back to trick-or-treating. I have so much houses to go to!" Lori declared.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay then," she replied before giving her friend another hug, "Happy Halloween."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After they separated, the two first graders alerted their parents that the travel break was over. Luna rejoiced as she set herself back on the path, although it was Lori who was acting as if she was suffering from the lost trick-or-treating time.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey Luan," Luna said, walking alongside her little sister, "What do you have in there?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Uh..." Luan held out as her hand sifted through her bag, "Candy."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Luna peered into the bag and saw the mixture of lollipops, chocolate bars, and taffy. She then got an idea.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"If you give me one of yours, I will give you one of mine," she said grinning.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Luan didn't answer right away. She wasn't sure what would happen if Luna dared snatch one of her prizes. But before she could come to a conclusion, Luna reached into her own bag and pulled out a lollipop.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I want Mershey's," Luna said, holding the stick up like a dog treat. Luan, however, wasn't salivating at the mere sight of the candy. Not helping matters was the fact that the pop's wrapper said the flavor was random. Luan turned away from her big sister, trying to ignore the offer, "Come on Luan! You love lollipops! Give me a Mershey's!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No! I like Mer...sheees," the three-year-old Luan said, fighting the limits of her ability to pronounce words. But even with her outright refusal, Luna pressed on, trying to get the candy bar out of her. Luna started to lose her patience and yelled, threatening to use her hands to take it by force.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Girls! Stop!" Lynn Sr. interjected as he halted the group. The other sisters watched as Luna was leaning against a crouching Luan trying to steal her candy. He handed Lynn to Lori and went to the quarrel to separate the two. In the midst of this, Leni walked up with her typical expression-less face to the three with her candy bag. She looked in her bag, which was filled with nothing but Mershey bars and took one out. She then held it out in front of Luna.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Luna, look!" Lynn Sr. said, noticing the gesture, "Leni wants to give you one of her's."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The instigator immediately pried herself off Luan and accepted the wrapped piece of chocolate.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thank you," Luna said, her frown having quickly been replaced by a smile. She then dropped it in her bag and presented her loot to Leni, "Here, take one."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">But Leni merely went back to her original position; her face didn't move a muscle. Luna found it weird, but she went on.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"She can pick one when we get home."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And so the journey continued as normal—more houses hit, more candy (especially Mershey's bars), and more friendly neighbors greeting Lynn Sr. and the kids. The peace and rhythm of the routine persisted as the night wore on. Luan had even forgotten all about the incident and could enjoy everything Halloween had to offer.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Eventually, they came upon the Santiago house. For the past couple years, Lynn Sr. had always saved this one for last. It was a part of a cul-de-sac entrenched in the middle of the neighborhood. Although many of the houses on it had light decorations, the Santiagos loved to go full out. The entire front of the house was caked in a thick cobweb, a fleshed out vampire was standing on one side of the lawn, and on the other was a giant inflated spider.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As the house came into the Louds' sight, there was a sharp screech. Lynn Sr. jerked back to see Leni screaming. He knelt down beside his second daughter and hugged, all while softly shushing into her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's okay, honey. You don't need to be scared," he said. To add to it, he started rubbing her back. Such actions were natural and fluid for him at this point. But although the screaming halted, Leni's eyes remained like shaking saucers.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni...it's okay," he said, allowing her to see his reassuring face, "It's not a spider. It can't crawl on you. It can't hurt you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Her breathing, though, remained airy and unsteady. Seeing this, Lynn Sr. gave her a smile and his eyes lit up.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You know that I am also scared by spiders, but I don't feel scared because there's no spider here," he said, placing one of his hands on her shoulder, "If you want, I can hold your hand as we go here. Would you like that?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni stared at her dad, her face still wrecked by terror. But, she found herself able to open her trembling lips.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay..." she said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr. then stood up and offered his hand to Leni, who slowly accepted it. With that, the group walked up to the front steps of the Santiago house. Leni dragged her feet at several points, however she was able to move on with the help of her father's words.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">At the front porch were the two Santiago parents and their son Bobby, who was dressed as Batman. The most prominent feature was the bump on Mrs. Santiago's stomach. It wasn't as large as Rita's, but it was noticeable.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"At last, the Louds are here!" Mrs. Santiago said, going up to Lynn Sr.; if he was holding an infant and Leni's hand, she would have shook his.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You did it again! That spider float never fails to spook me," Lynn Sr. said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Um...Daddy...I thought...you were not scared..." Leni said, staring up at him to clear her fogged train of thought.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Mrs. Santiago chuckled.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Oh Lynn, your girl cracks me up."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr. followed to until he looked back down at Leni and tried explaining to her that he was giving a compliment. Unfortunately, Leni didn't smile; she merely stood there, emotionally neutral.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hi Lori," Bobby said walking up to her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Oh...hi Bobby," she said with uncertainty.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The two of them stood there in silence, trying to think of something to say to each other.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"How about that homework Mrs. Turner gave us?" Bobby said, throwing up a grin, "It was hard..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Uh yeah," Lori said, although without the smile. At that moment, she could understand how Leni could walk around with a blank face most of the time.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Before the scene could get more awkward, the others had picked out their candy. Lori darted away, remotely hearing Bobby tell her goodbye. Not much was said of it, though as the Louds made the walk back home.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">By the time they returned, trick-or-treating had ended and the streets had mostly cleared out. As they headed inside, the kids went into the kitchen and placed their bags on the kitchen table. Rita told them that they could get unchanged as she and Lynn Sr. examined the mountain of candy for anything suspicious. Because there was so much, the sorting lasted an excruciating twenty minutes—more than enough time to throw off the costumes and chuck them in the closet. The girls remained in their respective rooms aside from Lynn, who was downstairs with the parents. It was a boring twenty minutes, as the girls sat on their beds, silent. What was there to talk about after having one of the most exciting nights of the year and waiting for the real reward to be enjoyed? They all knew what was in store, and enough energy was spent on thinking about the tastes that were to come.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Eventually, the parents called down the girls; as they expected, no wrappers were ripped. The four older girls paced downstairs to the kitchen, where they were greeted by their respective bags.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As they all stood there in the kitchen, Luna went up to Leni.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Here," she said, holding up her bag, "take one."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni wasn't sure how to go about this. She raised her hand and left it in the air, unsure of where to direct it. Luna was patient, though, and gave her big sister all the time she needed to make a choice. After looking for a while, Leni settled for one of the few Mershey bars Luna had acquired. But Luna merely smiled and hugged her sibling.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thank you, Leni. You're the best!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And for the second time that day, Leni smiled back and embraced her sister.

Chapter 9: New Arrival

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Snow blanketed the grass surrounding Royal Woods Elementary. Many of the kids loved sledding and playing in it, however the school imposed indoor recess due to the 'unsuitable' weather. Not that Leni minded either way.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Recess had ended, the toys were put away, and the students were sitting on the rug. Mrs. Egan was standing in the front holding up a large cardboard calendar—dotted with hearts and pink and purple letters and numbers.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay kids, now tomorrow is a very special day," the teacher said, using her hand to point to a specific box on the calendar, "tomorrow is February 14, which is Valentine's Day. Have you heard about it?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Most of the kids were silently staring at Mrs. Egan and her calendar, however a few of them raised their hands.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes Dorothy."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I watched Spongebob and they were having Vale-Valen-Valen-tine's Day and Spongebob and Patrick were giving stuff like candy and hearts."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Mrs. Egan beamed at her pupil's response.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes. On that day, people do give each other candy, but they also give each other cards and and necklaces and toys and other things that mean a lot to them. Valentine's Day is about showing others that they are special and that you care about them."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">One of the boys raised his hand and waved it around in the air. Upon finishing her sentence, the teacher called on him to speak his mind.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"My big sister has a boyfriend a-and she said she is going to be with him on Valen-Val...Valentine's Day."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">In the six months they've worked together, Mrs. Egan was well aware about these big brothers and sisters; some of them were former students of her's. And adding onto this was the prominence the subject received family movies and Bizney shows. So naturally, teenage romance wasn't foreign to these five and six years old.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well Tyler, Alice's boyfriend is someone that means a lot to her," she said while trying to use the hearts on the calendar as visuals, "and there are a lot of different people that you can show that love to. For you, it could be Alice. It could be your Mom and Dad. It could be me or one of your friends. Heck, it can be all of us at the same time! That's what makes Valentine's Day a wonderful holiday and it would be great if we could all celebrate."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Mrs. Egan rested the calendar on her desk and pointed to the counter lined up against the windows.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"In the back are mini cardboard boxes, construction paper, stickers, markers, crayons, scissors, and glue," she announced. The children turned their heads to try and see the display, "For Valentine's Day, we are all going to make special mailboxes. You can use whatever you like to make your mailboxes show off what makes you you. And then for tomorrow, you can bring in something special to give to each of your classmates."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni sat there and was petting Blacky. She had heard of Valentine's Day before, but it seemed like nothing more than grown ups kissing and doing other things she was too young to do. As Mrs. Egan explained it, however, the idea suddenly felt doable and nice. And that made her excited, even if it wasn't enough to make her smile.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"If no one has questions, we can get started."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">All the students rose and made their way to the back of the room, grabbing supplies. Leni wasn't one to barge into the crowd, preferring to stand and wait for the others to get what they needed before taking whatever was left. Although this meant she couldn't use scissors or glue for a while, she was left with a surplus of construction paper and markers—particularly pink, white, and turquoise. She took a healthy amount of these colors and a cardboard box before making her way to her seat.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni looked at the other kids sitting around her, who were already cutting and making their first artistic decisions. She then looked down to see Blacky on her lap and the supplies she had picked out. For about two minutes she sat there, struggling to think of how to design her mailbox. She tried conjuring images of her sisters, Blacky, Mommy and Daddy, Bun-Bun, Ducky, and other things that made her happy—something that would inspire her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As her students worked, Mrs. Egan's phone rang. Since she was close to it, she was able to respond quickly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mrs. Egan. How may I help you?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">It was Mrs. Hutchins, the secretary in the main office. The call lasted no more than twenty seconds, but it was long enough for Mrs. Egan to develop sprinkles of excitement and fear.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After putting down the phone, she walked over to one of the tables, where a very particular student was sitting.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey Leni," she said as her lips curled upwards, "Daddy's here to pick you up."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni's mouth lowered as she looked up at her teacher's lively eyes.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But...uh...what about this? I want to make this for...Valen day..." she said meekly. Her head veered away from Mrs. Egan and her eyes found their way to the supplies sprawled across her space.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's okay. We won't have Valentine's Day without you. Daddy knows that you want to be there and we'll make sure you won't be left out."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As Mrs. Egan touched the back of her chair, Leni turned back to face her teacher.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"And," she added, stretching her lips further, "Daddy wants you to meet someone very special. He wouldn't pull you out of school unless he knew it would make you happy."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni's eyes widened. She then pulled out her chair and got up. Mrs. Egan watched as she marched to do her end-of-the-day routine with swiftness and precision. Within a minute, Leni had her puffy coat and backpack on.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Goodbye Mrs. Egan!" Leni exclaimed, which startled her classmates but endeared her teacher.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Have a nice day Leni," she said back.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Right in the hallway was Lynn Sr. and all of her sisters, even the ones who were too young to be in school. Leni's face exploded with joy as she ran up to hug her dad.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey kiddo, how was school?" he asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good," was all she could say.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">He was lost in the moment. It wasn't every day that he saw his second daughter so outwardly excited. Adding onto that was all his children being there, even if they weren't in the embrace. It was a family moment. But it was that revelation that made him snap out of it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"We gotta go!" he asserted, although the command was betrayed by his loose diction and heavy breathing, "Mommy's waiting for us!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And with that, the family raced out to the giant blue SUV, which was sloppily parked in the stripped yellow fire lane. Lynn Sr. was relieved that the car wasn't towed in the short time he was in the school, but this was quickly sidelined to his rapid departure. With quick hands, he strapped the younger girls into their baby seats and ordered Lori to handle the rest as he got Vanzilla started. The experienced father—still in his early thirties—jammed the key in the ignition and fired up the engine. There was a blast of digitized sound as the radio came alive, but Lynn Sr. was quick to shut it off. On a tense day like this, music only made things worse.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Vanzilla roared down the road. Lynn Sr. took advantage of Royal Woods's chronic shortage of police officers to push the tanker at least ten miles over the speed limit. His hands were glued to the firm steering wheel. His eyes shot lasers at the horizon.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The uneasiness was too much to bear; the baby Lynn burst into tears.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lori. Make her feel better."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The oldest was conveniently sitting next to the youngest. Without a moment to protest, Lori turned to her sister and manifested concern in both her eyes and voice.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Shh..Shh..." she said with pressed lips and a stern finger attached. Lynn's wailing persisted, though. For a two-year-old, her voice was rather bombastic and shrill. She fit the Loud name rather well—too well.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lynn. Lynn," Lori said. She started using her hands to keep her sister's arms in place. She continued trying to say whatever she thought was comforting. Unfortunately, Lynn never calmed down. Lori was frustrated that she—the oldest—was unable to be useful under such urgent circumstances. But she herself didn't lose her cool. The air's bitterness and flush of anxiety created an effect that was quite contrary to what one would expect—an inability to scream, cry, laugh, or let out any lingering thoughts. She may not have been old enough to understand why, but it burnt at her mind like a match.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">During all this, Leni sat at her big sister's other side. She tuned out the commotion and gazed out the window, a past time she had grown fond of. She memorized the stains that had accumulated on the glass from years of weathering. She also liked watching the trees, buildings, pedestrians, and signs whizzing past her as Vanzilla sped off. Not even the turbulence could have distracted her from her sight-seeing.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After what felt like an eternity, Vanzilla parked at the hospital and its doors flung open. Lori and Lyhn Sr. swiftly got everyone out and they hustled into the main lobby. The nurse and other clients were drawn from their own worlds to see the gasping spectacle before them, although the former had anticipated their arrival as she pulled out the proper paperwork. Lynn Sr. fumbled with the black pen as he scribbled down all the appropriate information; it was barely legible, but the nurse accepted it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After five pregnancies, Lynn Sr. knew the procedure like the back of his hand—elevator to third floor, turn right, go down the hall, and sit in the waiting room for the news. Of course, that never made it any easier. And topping it off was the black and white analog clock that towered over the entire room. He had mixed feelings about it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The room came with a toy box and book shelf, which most of the girls took advantage of. Most of them were quick to pick something to use, to kill time before meeting their new arrival. Leni, however, wandered about the room, pulling books out and looking at them. For each one she grabbed, she stared at the cover for about ten seconds and arbitrarily leafed through some of the pages. Some of the books had illustrations, which consumed her attention for some time. Then she closed it and returned it, sometimes in the middle of the story.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori gripped a stuff doll. Now that the atmosphere has relaxed, she found her entire body feeling heavy. She knew it wasn't the flu or a cold, but she lacked any sort of energy.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's not fair. I don't want to be here. I don't want to meet him."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She sighed and tried to work up the strength to enjoy the doll's company, even if it wasn't her own. It wasn't easy, but the longer she used her imagination, the easier it became. She envisioned the Bahamas in July with her and her 'gal pal' lying on the warm sand, hearing the gentle waves and birds chirping (she wasn't sure what type though). She fantasized a conversation, even if it was just a series of tangents that were quickly forgotten. It may not have always worked and she may have been plunged back to that dreaded waiting room and the unresolved bitterness resulting from the possibility of missing Valentine's Day. She hated those moments. All she wanted to do was lose herself in her age-appropriate despair.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The door opened to reveal a man wearing blue and white. There were a few red splotches on his outfit, but he was relatively clean. But what Lynn Sr. noticed the most was the smile on his face.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mr. Loud," he said, "You and the kids can come in now. Congratulations!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The father had to use every muscle in his body to stay in control. Even with number seven, the emotional overload hadn't receded. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths—clear his mind. Once he thought he had hold of his reigns, he rose from his chair and turned to his daughters. His beautiful girls that each signified a distinct, heartfelt nine-month wait followed by a unique payoff.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Girls, let's go," he said simply. The sisters dropped whatever they were doing and rushed to their father. Most of them were smiling as the doctor escorted them down a wide white hallway. The younger sisters were in awe at the unfamiliar sight. Lynn Sr. couldn't help but indulge in the excitement that was awaiting him and his girls.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Eventually, the doctor turned to a door and opened it. He smiled and allowed the family to enter.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Inside was Rita. Her face was drenched in sweat. Her hair was noticeably disheveled. Every part of her skin was redder than a fire hydrant. But upon closer inspection, it became evident that none of that mattered to the mother. Her eyes—even with bags underneath them—revealed a warmth that no Christmas morning could exceed. They looked down on a beat pink baby with gooey brown hair. She held the infant with her arms, which remained strong even after the endless hours of labor.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr. smiled as she approached his bedside. All the while, the younger girls were awwing at the precious sight. Lori, even with her preoccupations, found herself grinning a little at the new addition.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The father turned to Rita and nodded his head. The mother, eager to smile despite her extreme exhaustion, opened her mouth.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Girls," she said soothingly. Immediately, all the sisters—even Lori—gathered around the bed with open ears.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Say hi to your brother Lincoln."

Chapter 10: Special Delivery

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The family was there for the rest of the day. Lynn Sr. remained by his wife's side, marveling at his first son. After five girls, he had convinced himself that he would never have a kid to play catch with or build something in the garage. Of course, it was perfectly fine if those activities weren't up his son's alley, but it was still exciting to have another man around.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">About once an hour, the doctor's had to take the baby away to administer immunizations and check his vitals. It was painful for the couple to be separated from their son; even though the procedures only last two minutes, each time they returned him felt like a gift from God.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita was exhilarated. Her mind was overflowing with thoughts, sentiments, and visions of what lies ahead. Lincoln was bound to be another interesting addition to the Loud family. He would grow, cultivate his own interests, embrace his own quirks, and paint his own special way of seeing this beautiful world. She wanted to jump out of this prison cell called a bed and proclaim this right out to him and everyone she knew, but her body cried the opposite. About twenty minutes after the others arrived, she handed the newborn to her husband and took a nap.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr. smiled as he cradled Lincoln. He was a quiet baby, sleeping under his father's watchful eye and unaware of the size and brightness of the room around him. Most of the time, one of his sisters was leaning against the chair's arm, trying to get a good look at him. Thankfully, they were quiet enough to keep little Lincoln in his blissful slumber.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">At one point, Leni stumbled up to her mom, who was in the middle of her own nap.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mommy," she said, staring right into her drained, unresponsive face.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mommy is tired right now, honey," Lynn Sr. said with a gentle smile. He then took one of his free fingers and pointed down at the baby, "Why don't you take a look at your brother?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni turned and approached the two. Her eyes fell onto the newborn and at first, it wasn't clear what expression she was trying to make. Lynn Sr. recalled from past experiences that it took Leni a little longer to learn her siblings' names than Lori or Luna. When the fifth daughter was born, it took Leni a week to learn her name, let alone realize her joy. And even now, Lynn that whatever Leni was trying to do, it most certainly wasn't talking. An opportunity had found itself.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Say 'hi' to Lincoln," he said, reflecting his encouragement from his eyes.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As she stood there, she suddenly remembered something Mrs. Boxer had taught her—a thing people do when they greet each other. First she imagined it happening, and then she raised her wrist and waved her hand towards the infant.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hi Linc...oln," she said. The continuous movement made her feel good. And it was through that another lesson from Mrs. Boxer popped in her head, "My name...is Leni and I am your big sister."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And then after that, she gave a nice smile, showing off her teeth. They were far from what one would see in the movies—some of them were yellow and coated with plaque—but it almost never seemed to matter. Lynn Sr. was enamored by his children's smiles, no matter how much—or little—they brushed their teeth.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni then reached her hand towards Lincoln and rested it on the blanket wrapping him.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Be gentle. You wouldn't want to hurt him," Lynn Sr. requested through his hushed voice.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She was never regarded as the gold standard of coordination. Lori was used to seeing her little sister and roommate dropping things, holding objects in a way no one else does, having a posture that was either strange or unsettling. Even when she was walking, it wasn't uncommon for Leni to bounce or stumble from her uneven strides. But then when it came to limited and particular situations, she acquired an uncanny level of precision and purpose. Her hand caressed Lincoln's tummy just enough for it to make his body relax but light enough to keep him asleep. It didn't stop there, though. Her fingers were fused together to form a smooth, slightly curved shape. It was as if she knew that would guarantee the greatest amount of comfort to Lincoln.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Minutes went by of Leni rubbing her brother continuous, never daring to break his sleep. It was a scene like that that reaffirmed Lynn Sr.'s confidence in Lincoln being included among his siblings, even if none of them will be able to relate to the boy-specific matters that lied ahead.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Eventually, Luan made her way over to the chair to get another look at her little brother. Her big sister, however, was completely entrenched in the massage she was giving.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," Lynn Sr. said tenderly, "Why don't you give Luan a turn with Lincoln?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She continued. Her small smile was frozen in place, the rhythm her hand made never faltered, her eyes didn't even flinch.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr. was disturbed by this. He turned to Luan, whose eyes clearly desired one-on-one time with Lincoln. He then turned back to his second-oldest daughter with her feet planted on the floor and lost in her own world.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni. Your little sister really wants to see Lincoln right now. Why don't you let her...you know scoot in?" he asked tentatively. It wasn't that he lacked a backbone, but the air around him was stifling. Nearby were two people resting and he wouldn't dare wake them up. To yell would most surely disturb the peace.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">But then Luan started tapping her foot and wrapping her fists around the chair's arm. Lynn Sr. felt the tension accumulate. Sweat threatened to break from his pores as he continued to get through to his second-oldest daughter, even if his pleas fell on deaf ears and blind eyes. At one point, he considered using one of his hands to pry her's away. That would surely get the message through, but then he hesitated. Leni may have been immersed in her own bubble, but doing something so drastic posed the risk of making her...react.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr. merely sat there, trying to think of a better way to give her other child a chance to spend time with her brother. So many dead-end thoughts flashed through his that nothing of substance could emerge.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's my turn, Leni!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Luan's fist were shaking within their grips, adrenaline raced through her blood, and her limbs felt ready to lunge at her big sister. But even with that, such force wouldn't be necessary. Rita and Lincoln shot awake. Everyone stared at her. The bubble was burst.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lincoln was the first to reply as he burst into tears. Lynn Sr. started cradling the baby and tried hushing him down. Leni and Luan both recoiled from the chair, the former propped up her Ducky arms. Any emotion either of the two girls experienced was blown away by Lincoln's wailing. The other kids, who were sitting on the other side of the room, had a mixture of reactions to the pandemonium.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Nice going, you two," Lori sneered.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Moments afterward, the baby calmed down. Lynn Sr. cast him a smile, using one of his fingers to wipe away the tears. He then turned to Luan, whose face was mangled by shame.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Luan, it's okay. You can be with Lincoln now," he said, having conquered the uncertainty that plagued him earlier. But instead, she stepped back and turned away from them. She lowered herself and huddled on the tile floor.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What's wrong, honey?" he asked, getting up with Lincoln and kneeling down beside his fourth daughter.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm sorry for wa...waking Linc..Lin...coln," Luan made out, fighting her loose lips and shortness of breath. Her father then noticed that her eyes were squeezed shut and her cheeks were reddening. He knew he needed to act quickly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well look who's here to see you," he said, holding up his son. Luan opened her eyes and wiped them. She then turned to see the newborn just inches from her. Lincoln may not have been able to keep his eyes open, but she didn't care.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"He's so c-cute," she said, giggling. Rather than rubbing him, she peered over him, watching him drift back into sleep. That was enough to make her happy, which is more than Lynn Sr. could have hoped.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni stood by the window, keeping up her Ducky arms. She watched the scene unfold, her face lacking color or expression.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Nice going, you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">At seven o'clock, Lynn Sr. and the five girls went home for the night. It was hard having to say goodbye to Mom and Lincoln, but Lynn Sr. promised all of them that they would be heading back the next afternoon, Valentine's Day.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">On that morning, he bundled up all the girls and took them out to Vanzilla. The three younger ones were confused and tired, forcing him to carry them out and buckle them in. Once in control, he pulled out of the driveway and turned on a kids CD to entertain Luna, Luan, and Lynn.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Do we have to go to school?" Lori protested, crossing her arms.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes, honey," he warmly replied, "Mrs. Turner told me you and your class are having a special party for Valentine's Day. That sounds like it'll be a lot of fun."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The eldest daughter huffed. She knew she wasn't crazy about having a brother and it wasn't like she wanted to sit around, being bored for hours on end. But then her younger siblings—the ones too young for school—started smiling and laughing. They felt like daggers sinking into her skin. She envied the fact that they had nothing to worry about—no school to bog them down. She then turned to Leni, who was staring out the window and twiddling her thumbs.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"At least I'm not alone." she thought to herself.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Vanzilla pulled up at Royal Woods Elementary. The tires came to a stunning halt, forcing everyone forward. Lynn Sr. was used to such quirks; they were just one part of what made the car special. Planting his foot on the brake and allowing the engine to continue its roar, he twisted himself back.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay, you two. Have a nice day," Lynn Sr. said above the noise, "I love you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Neither of them responded, though. Lori helped Leni unbuckle and get out of the car. Once outside Vanzilla, the daily routine had been restored—Leni's big sister held her hand, walked her in, and dropped her off at Mrs. Egan's. On most days it was a silent affair, nothing more than an obligation.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good bye," Lori said as they stood in front of the closed classroom door, the last step of the procedure. She usually waited about ten seconds in the hope of getting a response out of Leni. It was always uncomfortable—especially when she never got a reply or even a hand wave—, but she perpetually imagined mom urging her to do it every day. It was a nagging voice that held onto her mind even when none of her parents were around.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Today, Leni didn't do anything. She looked at Lori as if she were an artifact at the museum, ambivalent to its various features. She remained there as Lori turned and walked away without any further acknowledgement. She stared at her older sibling as she slowly petered out of sight. Once she was gone, she turned the knob and entered the room.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The room looked different. Along the back wall was a line of decorated boxes. Leni made her way to it to see some of the finer details. Each of them was coated in glitter and stickers, had sloppily cut pieces of construction paper, and had a name on them. They each had a personality that could be detected from the choice of supplies; some of them were flooded with stickers while others had simple pencil and crayon drawings.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As she remembered the events at school from yesterday, she felt a minor sting. Her curiosity propelled her from one box to the next, only for the sensation to deepen. It started to hurt, even if her face barely moved. A noise echoed off her eardrum, but the burgeoning burn blocked it out. Her eyes darted at the remarkable touches her classmates put into their Valentine's mailboxes.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">But then it halted. She froze as she stopped at one particular entry. Around its edges was a white border, which was unusually well-cut—the wave-like humps were smooth enough to act as a road. Covering the background was the turquoise. Along the top, a white banner ran on top of the turquoise with Leni's name written in an aquamarine marker. At the bottom was a pink cut-out of a familiar face. Unlike the other boxes, it's clear that a careful hand was responsible for the figure; a black marker went the extra mile of including eyes and an open-mouth grin. Beside it was a small white box with the words "Yup yup yup" written in a pink marker. Leni stared at it. Her anxiety fizzled away.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good morning, Leni," Mrs. Egan said, smiling, as she walked up to her student. She quickly observed her behavior, "Do you like it?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">On cue, the girl's lips curled up, cheerfully closed her eyes, and she raised her Ducky arms.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yup yup yup!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Mrs. Egan chuckled. Ever since Leni started imitating the character, she found it charming. Indeed, her gift had been a success. As she pondered how the rest of the day would play out, she decided to continue the conversation.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"How was your day yesterday? Did you meet someone special?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yup yup yup!" she exclaimed before re-opening her lids, "I have a little brother now! His name is Lin...Lin..." her smile then dropped as she dug through her mind in search of that beloved name.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Is his name Lincoln?" she asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yup yup yup!" she said as her memory re-activated.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Mrs. Egan smiled once again.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm happy that you are happy. And I know that Mommy, Daddy, and your sisters are happy to meet your brother too. Maybe you should make a Valentine for Lincoln," she suggested.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni stood there. Her mind wasn't thinking too much about something that appeared so hypothetical. The idea of a Valentine still seemed beyond her reach. Regardless, she smiled at Mrs. Egan's warm radiance.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The other kids entered and put away their coats and backpacks. Some of the students were discussing their Valentine's on top of their usual banter. Leni, however, simply took her seat and waited for Mrs. Egan to start teaching.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Happy Valentine's Day everyone," Mrs. Egan said. Just like that, the chatter settled down, "I hope you are all looking forward to give out your cards and goodies today. But before we do that, Leni,"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The teacher then turned to the student in question.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Do you want to tell your friends the exciting news you have?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">All of those juvenile eyes immediately turned to Leni. Her throat tightened, a feeling that was unfamiliar to the young girl. She knew that talking was far from her strong suit and conflicted with her nature. She was tempted to keep up what she found comfortable, to sit there and let the matter either be forgotten or for someone else to act on her behalf. But then she made contact with Mrs. Egan. Something about her teacher's gaze—the serenity that her gave off, the encouragement that emanated from her eyes—made her vocal chords relax.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I...have a baby brother now."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The kids nearby started congratulating her, telling her stories about their own brothers. Leni suddenly felt a burdensome weight in her chest. This didn't feel right. To her, it was scary and unsettling. Mrs. Egan, however, smiled at the scene.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It sounds like you all are pretty happy," she said to the class.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I have a little brother too! And...he likes Hot Wheels!" one boy exclaimed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mine likes Pokemon!" another replied.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well I got mine into Princess Pony," one girl said slyly, "Leni should do the same with her's."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Most of the kids shivered and groaned upon hearing that dreaded title; even some of the girls found that schmaltz to be overkill. But even as this was going on, Leni merely sat there stone-faced, not really listening to what any of her classmates were saying. Her mind instead fixated on Lincoln. After one afternoon in that hospital room, she became excited at the prospect of seeing again to rub his adorable tummy.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After some more group conversation, Mrs. Egan extended her arms in some grand gesture to silence the masses.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"We will have time later to talk about our families. Now, let's put all of the Valentines we made into the mailboxes," she said, pointing to the long line of them hung from the wall.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">A flood of kids rose from their seats and made their way to their backpacks. Leni stumbled her way to the crowd and, once again, waited for the clump to disperse. Once it did, she sorted through her bag until she pulled out a pink piece of construction paper. Looking down at her work was enough to make the young girl smile.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Holding it, she made her way to the mailboxes, where the rest of the class was. From the back, she read the names on all of them in the hopes of finding a particular one. With so many boxes lined up, one of them had to be correct. Sadly, though, none of them were.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I see you've made a Valentine," Mrs. Egan said as she walked up to her, "Who is it for?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After mustering the will to speak before the whole class, Leni felt drained. It was as if she had run several laps around the playground. Instead, she merely shrugged and handed the card over to the teacher.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">It was a pink heart with the words "Happy Valitimes Day Linkun" written in purple marker. While there were no extra ingredients on it—no glitter, no extra pieces of construction paper, no drawings—the handwriting was extraordinarily neat, as Leni's work usually was. Mrs. Egan felt it had to be as good as a fourth grader. Not only that, but the edges were smooth; the heart shape was simply immaculate.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, this is wonderful," she said, smiling, "You should take this to the hospital and give it to Lincoln yourself. He will love it!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Mrs. Egan then gently handed back the card.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Why don't you look in your mailbox? Maybe someone gave you a Valentine."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni turned to the line of boxes, where the crowd was starting to disperse one kid at a time. Seeing this as an opportunity, she walked over to her box. Upon reaching it, though, she was unsure how to look inside. If it was stuck to the wall, the only way to see was to stick her hand in. Doing so, she fiddled it around the cardboard interior until her fingers felt a piece of paper. She pulled it out to reveal a white heart with beautiful calligraphy and drawings on it. One of which was of Ducky.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You are amazing. You are special. Never let anyone bring you down. Always be yourself and there will be people that will love you.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Happy Valentine's Day!

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">- Mrs. Egan"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni didn't know what to say. She wasn't expecting anyone to give her anything, given the fact that she never talked to anyone. But the drawing of ducky, the beautiful blend of colors, and those words were more than enough.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And it made her smile.

Chapter 11: Coming Out

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As February melted in March, life in the Loud house began to accustom to the new normal. Rita was bound to the house, focusing most of her energy on the latest arrival. Each day would start at sevenwake up, feed Lincoln, help her husband get the girls ready, give them each a kiss as they left, cradle, take phone calls from the office, feed Lincoln, work with Lynn Sr. to care for the girls, feed Lincoln, spend time with the whole family, tuck him into his criband end at nine. Of course, there were also the errands. During all the kids' early months, there were more than a few times when she asked to help Lynn Sr. out, given how he was forced to act as both parents to the older ones. Her husband, however, gave a confident grin and insisted that she was the one with the weight of the world of her shoulders. Sure she found it charmingand it wasn't like taking care of an infant was any easy featbut even the house and daily routine can get dull.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After being out of the hospital for two weeks, Rita was confronted by Lori. Her eldest daughter begged her to have a sleepover with Emily, something she had yearned for the past four months. It had been a while since someone else had visited the home, someone that was outside the gelling status quo. And besides, it was unfair to stretch Lori's patience for so long. Rita granted it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The big night arrived soon enough, on the first Friday of March.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"This is gonna be great!" Lori exclaimed as she sorted through various boxes in her room. Leni lied on her bed, holding Bun Bun, "You have no idea how fun tonight is gonna be. Do you know why?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Her little sister was barely paying attention, though. Leni mostly stared at her doll, focusing on the individual fibers that make up its fur. She was drawn to how its material felt warm and soft in her hands and made the design look adorable.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, look up!" Lori said. Just like that, her sister plopped Bun Bun on her tummy and sat up, "Is this how you're gonna be tonight when Emily comes over?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She stared at Lori for a solid few seconds before shrugging.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well you can't! You are going to hang out with the two of us and I don't want you doing or saying anything weird. Got it?!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">No answer. To Lori, her sister's gaze irritated her incessently. After impatiently waiting several seconds on the false hope of getting some kind of response, she sighed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Now when Emily gets here, the first thing we're gonna do is watch the new episode of Los Angels and I want you to be able to talk about it with her. So, here's what you have to know," Lori said. Disregarding her sister's blank expression, she continued, "So over this past season, Josh and Marcy are dating, which is a very bad thing. Josh is rude and bad. But last week, Josh messed up big time when he took another girl to the Spring Social and kissed her right in front of Marcy. Now, we'll see if Marcy will make the right decision and break up with him."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Before she could outline the rest of the itinerary, though, the doorbell rang.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"She's here!" Lori proclaimed, her smile widening, "Let's go."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She grabbed Leni's hand and ripped her from her bed; the motion was so fast, that she accidently dropped Bun-Bun. Lori rushed down the stairs, dragging Leni like a blanket. Upon reaching the bottom step, she lunged for the door knob and twisted it. Sure enough, waiting out there was Emily and her mom.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hi Emily! Hi Mrs. Burke," Lori said, locking her hands behind her back with a grin.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hi Lori and Leni," Emily replied as she cheerfully held her blanket and pillow. It was evident by her smile and upright posture that she had been just as patient for this evening as Lori has.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's nice to see you two," Mrs. Burke said, "I was wondering if I could speak to one of your parents."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori nodded.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Of course," she said. She then turned away, directed towards to the living room, "Mom! Dad! Come over here!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr. was the first to emerge. He confidently approached Mrs. Burke and shook her hand. Not long after, Rita came in carrying Lincoln.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Aw! He's so cute! Congratulations, you two," Mrs. Burke said as she saw the mother come in.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Can I see? Can I see?" Emily demanded as her eyes and smile widened. Seeing the girl's reaction was enough for the Loud parents to mirror her joy.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thank you," Rita said as she presented Lincoln for the two Burkes to see. Both of them took that opportunity; they aw'ed and cooed to new baby, who giggled at all the affection he was receiving. Lori, meanwhile, rolled her eyes.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"How does it feel having six kids running around?" Mrs. Burke asked playfully.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well it's a full-time job, but they're all our special bundles of joy."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Things are never boring around here," Lynn Sr. added, as all the nuances of his daily routine came to mind.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As the four parents continued talking, the children got bored; even Emily lost interest as the subject shifted from baby Lincoln. The two friends agreed to go into the other room and settle down. Upon seeing the girls starting to walk away, Leni instinctively followed them.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm so excited for the new episode!" Emily said, her face puckered with anticipation.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Me too! Marcy is literally gonna dump him," Lori said. Her eyes then darted to her sister, who was standing nearby, "Am I right, Leni?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The two friends turned to the younger girl as she opened her mouth.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I thought...you wanted them to break up. Why would Marcy...like...dump trash all over him?" she said slowly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori sighed as she regretted her word choice. Emily, however, chuckled and gave her a nice grin.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Oh Leni, dump is just another way of saying break up. Come to think of it, I didn't know that you liked Los Angels. I'm glad that Lori has been getting you to watch it with her," she said. To boot, she even cast Lori a glance of acknowledgement. Leni didn't smile back, though. She looked confused.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I have...haven't seen it...Lori only told me about it today because...she wants me to watch it with you..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well you're gonna love it," Emily replied, "Los Angels is my favorite show and you picked just the right moment to start. After tonight, it's gonna be your favorite show too."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Emily faced Lori, who looked well-assured. Even with the addition of a third member, nothing felt abnormal to either of them. Or at least at the moment. It was then, however, that Emily's parents made their way over to them.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"We're heading out honey. Now listen to what Mr. and Mrs. Loud say. And don't be up too late," her dad said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"And remember to have fun. It's a special night for you, kids," her mom added.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And with that, they both surrounded Emily and gave her hugs, kisses, and "I love you's". Emily's cheeks blushed a little, embarrassed that her parents were doing this in front of Lori. But soon enough, they broke away and gave their last goodbyes before exiting. At last, the true fun could begin.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori and Emily sat down at the couch together. As the former grabbed the remote and flipped on the TV, the latter saw Leni, who was standing and looking out the window.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey Leni," Emily said. Surprisingly, it didn't take long for the girl to turn to her. With her audience's attention, she patted an open cushion on the couch with a smile, "why don't you sit down with us? We would really like it."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She froze for a moment. As much as she liked the offer, she felt a force that planted her feet to the carpet. There were several questions floating in her mind. Was the offer real? Was it really being directed at her? Why would Lori's friend want her company? But after seeing Emily's lips curled upward in such a natural way, she found it a little easier to make her way to the open cushion.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The show was set to start in ten minutes. At the moment, it was playing a rerun of the previous Los Angels episode, which Lori had described to her. On the screen, Leni saw two girls putting on expensive dresses, doing each other's hair, and talking about flip phones and email. Although much of the dialogue seemed like pointless banter to her, her eyes quickly became glued to the clothing. Both of them had flashy sequins that made the whole frame sparkle. One of the girls adorned a bold violet while the other was wearing a more subtle shade of blue. Leni became so wrapped up in the clothing design that she missed Lori's commentary.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The rest of the episode went by in a similar fashion. Sure there was talking and events happening, but all Leni was focused on was the colors of everyone's attire. She couldn't explain why this was the point of interest, but it was and nothing else mattered.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">When the big cliffhanger happened, Lori and Emily gasped, as if they had seen that climatic moment for the first time once again. Unfortunately for them, they were punished with a five minute commercial break before the new episode began.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Oh my gosh! I'm gonna die!" Lori cried as she stared at the screen.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I can't believe that Josh would do such a thing," Emily said bashfully. Lori jerked her head to her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I told you he was bad news!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"He was so mean..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You didn't want to believe me!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"To think...that he was cute...I don't know what to think anymore..." Emily said. Her mouth was agape and her eyes were wide enough to drive a convertible through. She then turned to Leni, who was a statue, "What do you think Leni? I know you've only seen a couple minutes of this, but what are your first thoughts?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni shrugged.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"The dresses are pretty..." she said with her eyes still on the screen. She watched as the big logos and fast editing of the commercials zoomed by. All the while, she started thinking more and more about the colors she saw at the dance. She thought about how they came together, how they contrasted, how they made herself feel.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Isn't Josh literally the worst?" Lori asked, looking over to her sister. Sadly, though, she didn't really get a response; Leni just kept staring at the screen, as if the episode were already on. She wanted to ask again, but then she realized what was happening. Leni was in her bubble again—her thick, plastic sanctuary.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Before the two fans knew it, the theme song began playing. Virtually all the sound in the room came from the TV, or at least from what Emily and Lori heard. Leni, meanwhile, slouched forward and used her arms to hold up her head.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The episode began with the same people wearing the same clothes as the last episode. They stood around and it looked like the girl in the light blue dress got a face that Mrs. Boxer said is anger. Leni gave herself a point for figuring that one out. But then that girl walked off and it was the next day. Now the same girl was wearing everyday clothes and there were a lot more colors on it. To Leni, the outfit may not have been as nice as the dress, but the colors wrapped her in anyway. It looked like she was sad, but Leni knew that she couldn't hug her; she tried that before with other people on the TV screen. As this scene went on, she heard the two friends sitting next to her chatting it up, but she didn't want to pay attention to it. It was colors first and faces second.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The episode was mostly routine. In every scene, everyone was wearing a different set of clothes and faces. There were times where she couldn't make out what a person was feeling because they weren't smiling or crying or shouting or imitating any face on Mrs. Boxer's cards. In those moments, she entirely fixated herself on the colors. One of the girls owned stuffed animals, however, and even with Lori's jeering, Leni found herself paying attention to those furry plushies when they appeared on screen.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The last ten minutes of the episode had the girl and the boy in a room for some reason. The girl had a light blue sweater on, the same shade as her dress from the dance. The guy was wearing a crimson T-shirt. There were only a few instances where Leni could detect the emotion one of them was feeling, but such an observation was made almost entirely on the facial features as opposed to other factors. Admittedly, she started getting bored after a while and leaned back as the rest of the scene played out. Eventually, the two of them hugged each other and kissed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni twisted her head to see Lori, whose face is most certainly angry. Emily's, though, was pretty hard to make out.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Maybe they'll be a twist in the last minute," Emily said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It can't! It's over! All that waiting and they stay together!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni turned back to the screen, where the two characters were still hugging as the end credits began rolling. Seeing this, she got up and waddled her way to her big sister with her arms extended.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Now's not the time, Leni," Lori said bitterly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You need...a hug."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No I don't."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">But even with Lori's protests, Leni leaned into her and wrapped her arms around her torso. Lori, though, still frowned and her eyes shot daggers at that still frame of Marcy and Josh's embrace.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Maybe next season, right?" Emily said, forcing up a smile.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Whatever," Lori said, sighing. She then grabbed the remote and punched the off button.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"So what do you wanna do now?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Wanna head upstairs?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Without verbal acknowledgement, the two friends rose and began walking towards the staircase. Leni, however, remained on the couch, looking around. As the two neared the stairs, Emily looked back and noticed this.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey Leni. Do you wanna join us?" she asked warmly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Sure enough, the little sister got up, albeit slowly. She walked, occasionally tumbling, as she approached the waiting Lori and Emily. Once they were all together, the trio headed up the wooden steps. As they got closer to the second floor, however, they could hear noises and giggles. Although each of the other sisters were alone in their rooms, they made quite the noise with all of their toys.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Upon reaching their room and closing the door, some of the excess sound had been cut off. Emily had only been in Lori and Leni's room one other time, which was over a year ago. Still, she was impressed by how comfy and feminine everything looked. The room had a noticeable amount of blue and pink on the walls and furniture, plastic dolls mixed in with stuffed animals, a representation of Bizney's assortment of 'teenage girl' things and cuddly things.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Did you want to play Barbies?" Emily asked, observing Lori's on her bed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Sure," she replied.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The two plopped themselves on the ground. Lori crawled her way to the nearby closet and began pulling out various accessories. Before either of them knew it, their space was littered with pink plastic constructs and other things—the Barbie convertible, brushes, benches, dresses, costumes, purses, shoes.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Meanwhile, Leni picked up Bun-Bun and lied down on her bed. She closed her eyes and started snuggling with it. Feeling its squishy body made her feel fuzzy on the inside, even if it wasn't enough to make her smile on the outside. She took slow and deep breaths as she tried to immerse herself into her own special meditation with her doll.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey Leni," Lori said, her voice having lifted itself from her earlier frustration. She leaned up and saw her sister looking at her, "Why don't you join us? Give Barbies a try."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni squeezed Bun-Bun as she got up and found a seat in between the two friends. Lori was holding her Barbie and Emily was using two of the extras.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"So Leni. Which one do you want?" Emily asked as she held out the two plastic dolls. They each looked identical—blue eyes, white smile, and bendable joints. After staring at them for a moment, she lowered her head and hugged Bun-Bun.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You can't use that," Lori said, annoyed, "You have to use one of the Barbies."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">But she didn't listen. She tightened her grip on her precious stuffed animal. For the second time that night, Lori realized that she was in the midst of a losing battle. Emily, though, maintained a smile.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's okay, Leni. You can use your bunny if you want," Emily said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "we can make a special game out of it. That way, we can all have fun together."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni lifted her head and nodded.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay," Emily said, "how about the bunny is a cutie and the Barbies are trying to win his heart."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She looked back down at her stuffed doll and squeezed it. All she could feel was cotton throughout every portion of it. She looked back up, clearly confused.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What's a...heart?" she asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"The Barbies are just trying to get the bunny to fall in love with one of the Barbies."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Once again, there was a long period of awkward silence. Lori was used to it and normally she would be more accepting of it, but it was a little more irritating knowing that her friend had to sit through it as well. Sometimes, she wondered why her sister couldn't just pick up on stuff.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Barbies don't feel love," Leni said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But for now, we're just pretending. Of course, Barbie can't feel love because it's just a doll. But if we act like they do. It makes playing with them a lot of fun."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni stared at Emily with her lips clumsily loose and her eyes unfocused. Although it took her several more seconds to process, she eventually reached a conclusion and nodded her head.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I think I get it now..." she said. She then held up her doll as if she were presenting it to a large audience, "I talk to Bun-Bun a lot and we have...fun and friends from...doing that..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori felt the need to restrain herself from rolling her eyes, but couldn't help but be relieved by Emily's grin.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well I think that's great. Bun-Bun is about to meet some new friends."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The three of them got a good grip on their toys and started playing.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hi there," Lori said, setting up her Barbie next to Bun-Bun, "What's your name, mister?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Bun-Bun. And what's your name Lori?" Leni asked with conviction.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No, Leni. Don't call me Lori during this. I'm supposed to be someone else right now," she said. She saw how her sister's eyes were starting to show signs of light, which made her grin a little.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay. And, like, what's your name?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Barbie. Thanks for asking," Lori replied. Similar to Leni, she too started to get more into the act, "Wanna take a ride in my car?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You bet!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori slid her doll into the tiny pink convertible. Since Bun-Bun was too big to fit, Leni plopped her behind the toy. As she dragged the car, the hand holding Bun-Bun moved along with it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You are adorable you know. Has anyone ever told you that?" Lori asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes. I've been told by...um...like," Leni paused to think of a good pseudonym, "...Ducky that I'm super cute and fluffy and huggy!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Eventually, Lori stopped the car next to Emily's Barbie and pulled her's out.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"This is my friend Barbie," Lori said, "Barbie, this is Bun-Bun."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's nice to meet you," Emily said. She then looked up and saw Leni truly smile for the first time in a while. There was something heartwarming when she did it that made Emily's lips curl up as well. Emily wished that Leni was more expressive; to her, it was really sweet.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thanks," Leni cheered, "You know, Barbie, your friend said that I was really cute. Is that true?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes. I could hug you so much right now!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"And I could hug you too, but I am too big and I might squish you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Don't worry about that," Emily said, looking up at Leni, "I can take hugs from anyone."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori looked onto this, though, and came up with a new idea. She moved her doll closer to the two.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What about me, huh," Lori said, putting on a faux jealously, "I thought you wanted to hug me!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Uh...yes..." Leni said, hesitating. Her voice tightened and her smile faltered a little, "Of course...I...like...love you both. And I'm gonna hug you both!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni then lifted Bun-Bun and planted it over both of the Barbie dolls, whom Lori and Emily pressed side by side, and shook it around for a few seconds. To add to it, Leni included a little buzzing sound. After that, she pulled it away.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thanks Bun-Bun," Lori said, "I really liked that! You are a great hugger!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I agree," Emily said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">By now, Leni's grin was as wide as it was when she first saw baby Lincoln several weeks earlier. Lori felt it was quite a sight to behold, even if she herself sometimes found happiness to be sappy.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Kids, it's dinner time!" Lynn Sr. announced from downstairs.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Even with this declaration, none of the girls moved at first; it was if they were all waiting for one of them to act and take the lead.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni. You can go down first. Emily and I will be down in a minute," Lori said gently, carrying a reassuring grin.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yup yup yup!" Leni chirped, lifting up her Ducky arms. As she carried that smile, the youngest of the trio got up and left the room. Lori waited a few seconds for her sister to leave earshot.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey Emily. I'll probably be saying this a few times during the night, but," Lori said, "thanks for letting Leni hang out with us. I think it's really helping her come out of her shell."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Emily smiled upon hearing this.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You're welcome," she said, standing up, "I think it's cute that you're looking out for her like that. You're a great big sister."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori blushed. It was a little embarrassing; she wasn't one to cave in to schmaltz, but she couldn't help it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You know," she said, giggling, "it always helps to be more accepting of others. Especially to Josh."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Even with her cheeks red from happiness and her voice on the verge of laughter, Lori found it in her to shout out in the most comical way

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey!"

Chapter 12: Joke Book

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The months went by, the air continued to warm up, and Lincoln grew as almost any other boy did. He gained weight and his motor skills were improving, but his dirt brown hair began changing when he was about a month old. Piece by piece, Lincoln's scalp began paling in color to a rather unusual degree. By August of his birth year, much of his hair was close to gray with only tints of brown remaining; there were some patches, though, that had already become as white as the snow that lied on the ground when he was born. The parents took their precious Lincoln to a doctor to see if it indicated an ailment. Extensive examinations failed to produce an explanation for the hair color, but they found that the baby was healthy. Relieved, normal life in the Loud house continued.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As his arms and legs became strong enough to crawl, Rita slowly integrated him into his sisters' play time, much to their delight. Each day, she would allow Lincoln's siblings to interact with him under her watchful eye.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">All of them sat in the living room. Rita held Lincoln as she and most of the others surrounded them, giggling. Lori had her Barbie, Leni had Bun-Bun, Luna had a farm animal wheel, Lynn had a rattle, and Luan was reading from a joke book she had recently got at her fourth birthday party. Lynn Sr. had bought it, unsure how his fourth daughter would react to it. Luckily, it seemed the gamble was paying off.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay, okay," Luan said between gasps for air, "How about this one? What do you call somebody with no body and just a nose?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Her effort to leave room for silence was squandered by her inability to contain her laughter. Regardless, her mother, three older sisters, and two younger siblings were eager to hear the precious punchline.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Nobody knows!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Immediately, Rita, Lori, Luna, Luan, and Lynn burst out chuckling. The fellow comedian felt herself smiling at the warm reception she had received ever since she started reading from that precious tome.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Seeing another opportunity, she knelt up to Lincoln, sitting upright on his mother's lap. Using her nimble fingers, she picked at his face before swiping her hand back. With a grin, she presented two of her digits pinched before her brother. That unified form proved simple enough to attract his young, awe-struck eyes.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I got your nose, Lincoln!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Luan then contorted her hands and pointed straight at her brother's attentive face. She inched her extended finger towards the tip of nose until it was squished up against it. Upon making contact, she opened her excited mouth.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Boop!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And just like that, the five off them roared out in guffaws once more. This time, though, little Lincoln smiled and began laughing himself. The sound of his cheery, high-pitched guffaws made Luan feel jittery—a special type of warmth she had never felt before. Was this what it meant to be a big sister? Does it always feel this good to make a baby happy? The four-year-old didn't give any thought to these questions; she was far too fuzzy to be critical of this moment.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Tell another one, Luan," Luna said, her voice filled with anticipation.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Funny!...funny!" Lynn cheered with her eyes clenched and smile too wide to control.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Turning towards the rest of her siblings, Luan rushed to her book and her eyes scanned for another great punchline. Internally, she cursed the fact that each page had an abundance of knockouts; they were all so good that she found immense difficulty picking one to do first. To help this problem, she resorted to spitting out the first one she saw.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What do you call a fake noodle?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Silence.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"An impasta!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Once again, the majority began giggling at the pun's utter silliness. Even Lincoln, who couldn't understand the jokes, succumbed to his mother and older sisters' laughter. Seeing those people happy made Luan fuzzy on the inside.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Meanwhile, Leni sat there with Bun-Bun resting on her lap. Although the others around her were chuckling, her face failed to break from its default blankness. She stared wide-eyed at each of her siblings' reactions, struggling to understand its meaning.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What did Mrs. Boxer say this was?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She knew that some expressions, feelings, and vibes were powerful enough to affect her own face. But something about these contortions, throat hacking, and choppy breathing made it too complicated for her to replicate, especially in the absence of the subliminal urge.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What did the policeman say to his belly button?...You're under a vest!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What would bears be without bees?...Ears!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What did the wall say to the ceiling?...I'll meet you at the corner!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Why can't a nose be twelve inches long?...Because then it would be a foot!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Every punchline got at least one person to laugh. Rita and Lori guffawed at all of them. Lynn and Luna didn't quite understand all the words or concepts, but they chuckled anyway. Leni, though, was stoic. Never once did she even smile. And with each successive joke, Luan found herself staring more and more at her second big sister. By the nose-foot joke, the little comedian looked up from the book following its delivery.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, don't you get it?" she asked, somewhat nervously.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Get...what?" she replied. At this point, Leni's eyes were focused on her sister's like laser beams.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"My jokes. Do you find them funny?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Luan felt her joy slipping into uncertainty, as if Leni's opinion was powerful enough to trump the consensus of her other family members. To her, the approval of all three of her big sisters meant an awful lot.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">That one word stung at her. All she wanted to do was make others happy. And right there, it appeared as if her older and wiser sister had rejected her efforts, as if it wasn't enough.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I think it's really funny, Luan," Rita said, casting her soft gaze onto her daughter.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You're great! You should do it more!" Luna added.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Hearing Luna's compliment helped a little, just enough for her to open the book to a new page. The printed words, though, were a little harder to look at, now having the assumption that they weren't good enough for a particular someone.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Uh...maybe this one will make you laugh, Leni," she said as her eyes darted to different lines on the page. Upon finding one, though, she found herself able to laugh off some of her anxiety, "Okay...What do you call a cow with no arms or legs?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Luan looked up and stared at her big sister. Her face was unchanged—her eyes remained focused, her lips were unfazed, her body was unnervingly still. Regardless, Luan pressed on.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Ground beef," she forcefully exclaimed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She checked on her sister once more. Despite hearing laughter from the others, Leni was frozen. And that alone was enough to deflate the short-lived flair of hope of impressing the six-year-old.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," Luan said softly. The others were stunned by the sudden contrast from their sister's voice, "What about that? Did you like that?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Um...uh..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Ground beef," Leni thought, "Why does the cow have no legs? There are cows like that? But how do they make milk or eat grass if they have no legs? And what's ground beef? Is that beef that's in the ground? Is that in the backyard? But if that's a cow with no legs, then why doesn't it make the sound? The 'moo' sound."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">In the suffocating silence, Luan felt her form shrinking and Lori started tapping her foot.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," Lori finally said, "Did you like Luan's joke?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">For several more aggravating seconds, there was nothing. To Lori, it felt like her sister hadn't even heard her—too lost in her thousand yard stare. She was about to ask again when she saw Leni take in a large breath of it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The other three sisters began protesting at this disagreement, chipping away at Leni's look of indifference bit by bit. Luan, though, had no interest in what the defense was. Her head sunk and she sighed. Her eyes stung and she feared that she would start crying in front of Leni, adding onto what she believed was humiliation.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Are you okay, honey?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Luan looked up and saw her mom with a warm smile on her face. Holding the baby with one hand, she used the other to pat an open cushion on the couch, "Wanna sit with me and Lincoln?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As Luan nodded and joined her mother, the criticisms continued.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"How could you say that to Luan? It made her sad," Lori said, her brows furrowed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Funny!" Lynn cried.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni wasn't listening though. Her big sister's words had drawn her to Luan and Mrs. Boxer's voice began playing in her head. Not long after came the flash cards and the activities.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Without changing her facial expression, she got up and walked over to the couch, stopping right in front of Luan.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni. Is there something you wanted to say to your little sister?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After a moment of awkward stillness, she leaned into her sister and hugged Luan, although her sitting posture made the embrace somewhat crooked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm sorry Luan," she said solemnly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Luan squeezed her eyes shut and took some deep breaths. The hug's warmth soothed some of the tightening pangs in her chest and head and stopped the tears that threatened to break free from her eyes.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That's okay," was all she said before planting her face into her mother's leg. As Leni moved away from her, she felt a much smaller set of arms touch her back. Feeling those fresh palms made her smile and chuckle a little.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," Rita said, her face having relaxed, "did you not find it funny because you didn't understand the jokes?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I don't know..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Let's take the fake noodle joke. Did you know that noodle is a kind of pasta?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni's mind slowly went through the words she knew. It took a solid fifteen seconds for her to shake her head.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well that's what it is. And do you know what an imposter is?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Another fifteen seconds elapsed as the young girl scanned her vocabulary in search of the word. Sadly, the investigation ended with nothing.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"An imposter is a fake person. And the 'poster' part of the word sounds a lot like 'pasta'," Rita said calmly, "And since a noodle is a type of pasta, a fake noodle is an impasta."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni's mouth dropped open and her eyes fell to the carpet. Lori groaned as she saw her sister assume this position. Her annoyance grew when Leni's posture began to slouch a little. And the silence wasn't helping matters either.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Wouldn't...a fake noodle be...pasta? Why are you making up words?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Because that's the joke. Of course impasta is not a word, but because it sounds like imposter, that's what makes it funny. And when something is funny, we laugh."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita then gave a hearty chuckle to demonstrate. And then, Leni replicated it. The hacked huffs sliced the air and Lori's ears. But Rita smiled.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"There you go. And that's how jokes work," the mother said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Grateful for the advice, Leni hugged her mom, squishing baby Lincoln in the embrace. She then turned to her little sister and hugged her again.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Those jokes are...funny," Leni said. She then forced out some more chuckles. Lori, though, groaned.

Chapter 13: Golden Rule

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Snap.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita gleefully pressed down on the camera's button, instantly capturing her three girls. Lori propped up a decent, if insincere, smile that she knew would please her mother. Leni contorted her lips into a shape that placed her teeth on display; it was far from natural, but Rita took it as a step in the right direction. And Luna eagerly grinned and her eyes gave off a flash of their one, far brighter than what the camera could produce.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Can we go now?" Lori asked, the smile immediately dropping.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Let's make sure we're all ready to go," Rita replied as she finished packing the bags and lunch boxes. Upon doing this, she distributed them to their proper owner. Shortly after, the four heard footsteps from the stairs. As they continued to secure their belongings, the sounds grew louder.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good morning everyone," a male voice said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Luan and Lynn Sr. rushed into the kitchen and began raiding the fridge. Lynn Sr. emerged from behind him, carrying Lincoln in his arms and a grin on his face, "How's my big girls doing?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm going to school with Lori and Leni! I'm a big girl now!" Luna cried as she darted up to her father. To him, her daughter's smile was priceless. He handed Lincoln to his wife, who warmly embraced the infant. He then grabbed his third daughter by her armpits and gave her a kiss.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes you are, but you'll always be my baby," Lynn Sr. said warmly, holding Luna high enough for their eyes to meet.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Dad!" Luna exclaimed. She attempted to pout, but her lips slipped open and let out some loose chuckles.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni then started laughing, trying her best to mimic her sister's timbre and rhythm. Over the past few weeks, she had been trying out this mannerism and she felt she was starting to get better at it, much to her delight. Leni was ready to go to Mrs. Boxer and show off her chuckles and see how happy it would make her. Lori, however, sighed upon hearing her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr. lowered Luna and allowed her to grab her things.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Alright you three, I hope you all have an awesome first day of school!" he said, gazing at his two older daughters, who were further away, "I love you!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As they finished grabbing their things, each of the three girls went up to their father as he gave them a kiss. Soon enough, they exited the house and boarded Vanzilla. Luna got in first, sat by the window, and strapped herself in. Then, Leni climbed over the cushions and crawled her way to the middle. Finally, Lori took the remaining seat and buckled up. The oldest girl then turned to Leni, sighed, and helped her sister secure her seat belt. Once Rita got herself ready, they were off.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">During the ride, Leni found her eyes wondering around Vanzilla's interior. She thought about all the fun she had with Mrs. Egan, about how beautiful she was, and about how nice she was to her. It was sad when she had to say goodbye to her teacher on the last day of school, though; in fact, it seemed to her that many of the other kids had the face on the 'sad' card right before summer vacation began. But over that two month break, her mom had told her about how she would be having Mrs. Rowzanski for first grade.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You'll get to do so many cool things with her. I know it will make you happy," she recalled.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita even got Lori to talk about the things she heard about Mrs. Rowzanski from the kids she knew that had her, to assure her that she was as nice and helpful as Mrs. Egan. By this point, Leni was ready to meet this 'mysterious' figure and begin the first grade.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," Rita said as she drove, "do you want to tell Luna about all the fun you had in kindergarten? Luna is gonna be with Mrs. Egan and I think she would love to hear what you have to say."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni gazed at her little sister, who in turn was looking at her. Memories of Mrs. Egan's class flooded her mind, yet she wasn't quick to run her mouth. For ten seconds, the two girls stared at each other, hearing nothing but Vanzilla grazing the pavement.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mrs. Egan is good...and pretty," Leni said. A pause, "She has a cute doggy named Blacky...I miss him...tell him about me and be nice to him...he likes to be hugged."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">With the onset of another silent period, Luna internalized her sister's comments. Her smile, while present, had tight and tucked corners, as if she was trying to stop it from growing.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That's really cool, Leni. I will say hi to him. And how do I make friends? I'm scared I won't fit in," Luna said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You will fit in...the room is big enough to have tables...and toys...and books...and kids inside," she answered.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Luna was confused. It wasn't the first time Leni gave responses like that to questions she (or any of her sisters) had asked. But that didn't drain the well of curiosity that flourished in the young girl.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Who should I play with?" Luna asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni stared at her sister for an even longer period. It was long enough for Lori to step in and urge her to answer., yet it did no good. Eventually, Luna's anticipation started to mutate into impatience. And that's when Leni finally spoke.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Blacky, Mrs. Egan...and Mrs. Boxer, but she only comes twice a week."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Luna kept her grin, although she was surprised by these revelations. She imagined that she would have gotten advice on types of kids her age, future friends that she would get to know as they climbed the educational ladder.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Is there anything else I should know?" she asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">It was quiet for the rest of the car ride, which luckily was a short period. The three girls got out and Rita, following her usual first day routine, joined them. The mother had informed Lori the night before, so the gesture wasn't met with protest. Rita grabbed Leni's hand and the bunch entered those familiar doors for yet another year. Luna was the first to be dropped off; she beamed with joy as Rita gave her a kiss and allowed to enter Mrs. Egan's room. Next was Lori, who was embarrassed to be seen walking with her mom and little sister in the 'big kid' part of the school. Upon reaching Mr. Brown's room, she reluctantly accepted a hug before resigning herself to the classroom. After that, Rita led Leni all the way to Mrs. Rowzanski's room which, despite Lori's insistence on the contrary, was fairly close to the 'big kid' hallway.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The room was similar to Mrs. Egan's in some aspects. Like kindergarten, the room had a colorful rug, a bookshelf, and general art supplies (a feature that Leni noticed pretty quickly). But the big round tables were replaced with rectangular desks, no sleeping mats were in sight, and there wasn't a single stuffed animal to be found (which Leni was disappointed to observe).

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good morning," a low, raspy voice said. A portly, middle-aged woman walked over and shook Rita's hand, "Nice to see you, Mrs. Loud," she said. Her dark eyes then veered down at the young girl and she smiled, "Hello. My name is Mrs. Rowzanski and welcome to the first grade. What's your name?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">A pause.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The girl's shoulders stiffened and her head fell slightly. To her, this new face was nothing like Mrs. Egan's. Its eyelids were stained by powdery black mascara, its tan cheeks were blemished with a feverishly scarlet blush, and its chapped smile was marred by uneasy, mahogany lipstick.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I was wondering if I could discuss some important matters before I take off," Rita said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Of course," she replied before looking back down, "Leni, why don't you find a seat a meet some of your new classmates."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The girl obliged and darted away from the adults, her posture still stifled. Indeed, a good chunk of the students had already arrived and taken their seats. It was a little difficult to find a desk that was at least two away from any one kid—not helping matters was the fact that the configuration was that of a U-shape where all the desks were bunched together—, so she settled for one in the back that was a whole unit away from a boy quietly sorting through his backpack. Leni dropped her own bag and slid into the cold, hard seat.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">From there, she was able to hear her mom and Mrs. Rowzanski using words that were too big for her to know. She figured they were talking about her, though, since her name was uttered multiple times. She also picked out Mrs. Boxer's name, which was mentioned on several occasions. Aside from that, though, the minutes rolled by uneventfully. Some of the kids made small talk while others greeted for the first time.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I thought Lori said that first grade was gonna be fun and stuff."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After her mom left and several kids filed into the remaining empty seats, Mrs. Rowzanski began the first day of school rituals. One by one, her classmates stood up and introduced themselves, yet their words went in one ear and and quickly out the other. It wasn't that she didn't like them—she often found other kids her age nice and respectable—, she just found it hard to follow what they were saying. She tried, but they spoke much faster than she could follow; even though she didn't show it, she was quite frustrated at herself for not understanding.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm Leni and I...like Ducky."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She sat back down and replayed her words even as others got up and their words glanced past her limited attention. Before she knew it, Mrs. Rowzanski started talking again in her distinct accent. Unlike Mrs. Egan (who liked to remain in the center when addressing the class), this teacher preferred walking around the room. Leni used the moments when Mrs. Rowzanski was on one end of the chalkboard to lean towards it while casting her face to the opposite end; the neighboring students were quick to notice the abrupt shifting.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, is everything alright?" the teacher asked and it was at that moment that Leni discovered the extent of her new status quo. Mrs. Rowzanksi began walking toward her, taking advantage of the large space the U-shape of the desks created. As the middle-aged woman got closer, Leni shrunk in her seat, her eyes darted downward, and her mouth felt like it was about to eject bile and spit, "It's okay, you don't have to be scared of me. I'm a friend."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The nastiness clogging up her body persisted, even after hearing the teacher's soft voice. She refused to look up to see those nauseating colors and gag-inducing textures.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Don't worry, Leni. I know the first day of school can be scary and there's a lot of new faces that you don't know, but that's all gonna change over time. These strangers will become friends and you'll feel better."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She then heard footsteps that faded slightly, encouraging her to look up to see the teacher's back turned. To her, things seemed to be better, for now.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Most of the morning was slow and unsettling for Leni. She was preoccupied with avoiding eye contact, something she usually did by force of habit. Today, however, required other means. Unlike when she was talking to other kids, she went out of her way to readjust her posture whenever Mrs. Rowzanski walked across the front and to stare at her desk whenever the teacher felt the urge to give the back some special attention. And while she didn't try to block out Mrs. Rowzanski's voice, the words failed to stick to her anyway. In a failed effort to make the time fly, she tried imagining scenes from The Land Before Time, as if she were at home watching the movie on TV. It was a long start to the first day.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Alright kids, it's snack time!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni was stuck in her seat, but seeing the others get up to head for their lunch bags was enough to peel her off. She trudged both when getting it and returning to her desk. She took out her favorites—animal crackers and sliced banana pieces—and placed them on the desk's surfaced. She hunched her form and started eating the animal crackers, her eyes fixated on the thin sliver of the tiled floor her desk allowed. In this position, the crackers' decent taste and delightfully crunchy texture were somewhat salvaged.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hi Leni."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And just like that, she felt queasy again. She stopped chewing and allowed the mixture of cracker and saliva to sit on her tongue. She refused to even move a muscle as the teacher kept speaking.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I just wanted to see how you were doing. Are you starting to feel better about first grade?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Nothing. By now, Mrs. Rowzanski started to notice how frozen the student had become from the moment she opened her mouth.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, would you mind looking me in the eye? I think doing that will make it easier for you to talk to me."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">It was like talking to a wall. She refused to move and the uncomfortable pangs were only accumulating. Her mouth was now completely filled with the cracker-spit solution, forcing her to swallow it all. Now she felt worse.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, can you please look up. I want to-"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Go away."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Mrs. Rowzanski was astonished. She wasn't expecting a young girl like Leni to speak with such force. Those two words were like hammer strikes.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What did you say?," she replied, now with more assertiveness.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I want you...to g-go a-away from me," Leni replied. This time, though, she turned herself around, away from her teacher.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That is very rude. Other kids don't want to play with you if you are rude. Now look at me and say you are sorry."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She remained there, though. She groaned and refused to look at that face.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I don't wanna. I can't eat when looking at you. Your lips are gross."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Mrs. Rowzanski was at a loss for words. All this time, Leni had been avoiding her because she thought she was ugly. She had dealt with unruly students before—kids that yelled during class, ones that bullied others—and it was one of the costs of doing her job, especially after so many years. She understood that they didn't know any better, that it was her job to show them the way, and that someday they would move on from their childish tendencies. But none of those things ever stopped the sting of hurtful words no matter how much she heard them. After all, they really did cause pain.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Very well," Mrs. Rowzanski said with wide eyes and tight lips. She then went to her desk and picked up the black landline phone. She knew the numbers of every room of the school and it didn't take long for her to press the proper combination.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Meanwhile, Leni wasn't sure how to feel. She was relieved to have that sight out of her eyes, thus allowing her go back to eating her crackers. But her revived tranquility was troubled by a inner weight she couldn't explain. It just felt bad. Without changing her face, she continued consuming her snack.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">A knock was heard at the door and Mrs. Rowzanski marched towards it. For some reason, Leni suddenly found her teacher's face less ugly (the colors and textures didn't disgust her or ruin her appetite). Sadly, that didn't make it any easier for the girl to watch her teacher move with such gloom. It didn't help that she couldn't see who was on the other side of the door; Mrs. Rowzanski only opened it a crack and slipped through. Even with that display out of the room, Leni still slouched in her seat.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After a minute, the door re-opened but it wasn't Mrs. Rowzanski entering. Leni immediately recognized her as Mrs. Boxer and she was walking right towards her desk. She knew today was a Wednesday, but she wasn't expecting to see this person again so soon in the year. Even if she couldn't tag the expression to a card, she got shivering vibes from Mrs. Boxer as she approached her; the teacher's comforting aura that usually accompanied her presence was missing.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, come with me."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Even her voice lacked that easygoing tone and gentle air stream. Leni got up and bashfully followed Mrs. Boxer out of the room. It was only in that exit that she finally noticed how quiet the class had become. There were several mutters and whispers, but it paled to the chatter that had erupted when snack time began.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Once they were out in the hallway, Mrs. Boxer shut the door, but that wasn't the first sound Leni heard. Behind Mrs. Boxer was Mrs. Rowzanski with both her hands over mouth, muffling her shaky breathing and emphatic sobs. Black streams flowed from her watery eyes, an image that penetrated Leni's mind.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," Mrs. Boxer said, "Mrs. Rowzanski told me that you said something very hurtful to her. Is that true?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The young girl stared at her crying teacher. Her heart suddenly felt very heavy and each audible whimper was like a dagger, yet she didn't know how to answer Mrs. Boxer's question. She felt like her body was full of sand, but her brain was empty.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mrs. Rowzanski said that you told her that 'her lips are gross' and that you wanted her to 'go away'. Did you say those words to her?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The fresh memory miraculously materialized in her mind. From her position, which her feet had already clamped her down to, she slowly nodded her head. It was just what Mrs. Boxer had thought.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," she said, looking down at the first grader, "that is a bad thing to say to someone. You can't say to other people that they are ugly or gross. Now, you have made Mrs. Rowzanski very sad and that is not okay."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The 'sad face' card flashed in front of her eyes and it matched the look that Mrs. Rowzanski had. Leni felt her own face deflate, her own eyes widen, and her own mouth to drop. The floor didn't feel so sticky anymore. She didn't even need to think. She walked over to Mrs. Rowzanski ang wrapped her arms around the woman. The teacher immediately felt the embrace and looked down through her teary eyes to see a girl outwardly emanating remorse.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Now what do you say?" Mrs. Boxer said, somewhat softer.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm sorry," Leni said. Unlike a lot of things that came out of her mouth, this sounded genuine. It was one of the uncommon times where her voice was an accurate representation of how she felt.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thank you, Leni. I forgive you," Mrs. Rowzanski said with through her tight throat. The teacher smiled and began wiping her eyes of the running mascara. After clearing away the residue, she nudged at Leni, signaling the student to give her some space, "I'll let you and Mrs. Boxer talk out here. Once you're done, you can come back in."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni glanced up at Mrs. Rowzanski and allowed her to go back in the room. Then, she turned to Mrs. Boxer, who appeared to be back to her normal self.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What you said right there was nice. And how do you think saying sorry made Mrs. Rowzanski feel?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">It didn't take very long to figure that one out.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Happy."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That's right," Mrs. Boxer said, giving her student a smile, "Now I don't want you to be rude to anyone. How would you feel if someone told you that your dress looked bad or your hair was ugly?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni stared down at the ground. This required some more thought. It was quite hard to imagine someone being that mean to her in real life.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Sad," she eventually said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I could imagine. Leni, you have to think about how others feel when you say things to them," she said, kneeling down to the girl's level, "Here's one way to think about it. Whenever you feel like saying something to someone, think about how you would feel if someone else said that to you. We can call it the golden rule."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As Leni processed those words, she was surprised to note how they were sticking. It was as if they were pushing their way through all the noise, the daydreams, the wind that funneled through her ears. She then thought about Luan and her joke book.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"She must be sad."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She darted her eyes to the tiles before looking back up at Mrs. Boxer. By now, Leni's mouth was somewhat agape.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You are a nice kid, Leni. And I want to let you know that it's okay. You said Mrs. Rowzanski and she forgave you. But now that you know our golden rule, I want you to use it so that other kids will see you as the nice kid you are."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Mrs. Boxer then got up and opened the door.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I hope you have a nice day and I will see you next week. Welcome back."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Seeing the open door, Leni re-entered the room and took her seat. Even with Mrs. Rowzanski nearby, she was able to eat her animal crackers. They tasted great.

Chapter 14: Open Up

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori took up the couch's middle cushion and rested her eyes on the latest episode of Los Angels. She sighed as she watched Marcy and Josh walk on screen, hand-in-hand, with the goofiest smiles she had ever seen.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"And I thought Leni's were forced."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Resigned, she turned her head to the left and saw said sister and Lincoln on the carpet, hugging each other. The parents felt comfortable leaving him with his sisters while they prepared dinner, given how he was almost a year old by now. And as Lori thought, Leni was the one giving her brother most of her attention. She watched as Leni brushed his hair, which was now as white as the snowflakes falling outside. Lori found it weird how a baby's hair can be that color, but both Lincoln and the second sister chuckled with every stroke she gave him.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori just exhaled and went back to her show, only to be met with more cheesy love. It had been well over a season since Marcy and Josh got together, but Lori felt as if Los Angel had been going downhill since that moment. Sure there were some episodes she enjoyed as much as the early ones, however the mere presence of Josh now became enough to ruin otherwise decent stories for her. Not helping matters was the giggling happening outside of the show.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Kids! It's dinner time!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Using this cue as an opportunity, she grabbed the remote and flicked off the TV. She got up and saw her two younger siblings still playing with each other on the floor, as if they didn't even hear their mother.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, Lincoln. It's time to eat," Lori said. But Leni kept hugging her brother, treating him like he was the entire world. She was in a bubble again, annoying Lori, "Leni. You have to stop playing with Lincoln. Mom said it's dinner time."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Still, nothing. Lori felt like she was nothing more than the surrounding air. Ever since that boy came along, Leni had become absorbed with him, spending at least seventy-five percent of her free time with him. Lori recalled at least several instances where her other sisters tried to get Leni to share their brother, only to come up short. It wasn't that Leni told them 'no' or even gave them a scowl; she simply failed to notice they were even in the same room. And Lori had already concluded that more direct means were needed to get her younger siblings to dinner.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori strutted to the duo and she wrapped her hands around Lincoln's waist. She then pulled him in an effort to lift him, however she was soon met by a jerk in the opposite direction.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No...I want Linky," Leni moaned. She then groaned as she attempted to envelop her own body around the infant.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni. You have to give him to me," Lori said firmly, "Mom said it's time for all of us to eat."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But Linky."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Their tug of war was defined by increasingly violent movements that proved to be too much for the baby involved. Lincoln started wailing from the pain and point-blank noise. Leni froze upon hearing this, allowing Lori to grab the crying infant.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Leni said, as though she were reciting those words.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr. entered the living room, his face washed by concern.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Shh. Shh. It's okay," he said as he took his son from Lori, "Shh. It's okay, Lincoln," he then proceeded to cradle him in his protective arms, which successfully calmed the child within a short amount of time. Lori and Leni looked on at the scene, while the latter repeated 'I'm sorry' every few seconds. After consoling Lincoln, Lynn Sr. turned to his two oldest daughters.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Do you two know what happened?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I was trying to get Leni and Lincoln to come to dinner," Lori said, allowing her irritation to slip into her voice, "but Leni wouldn't stop playing with Lincoln. And when I tried to grab him, he started crying."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr. had a feeling something like this would happen again. He understood how much his second daughter loved to express her love directly to Lincoln, but even he was getting concerned with the stubbornness that often accompanied it. And he regretted having to repeat his talk with her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," he said walking over to her. His voice, though, was drowned out by the girl's mantra. She recited it over and over again. He appreciated that she recognized that she made some mistake, but she wasn't letting up. It wasn't until he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and called her name again that she finally stopped and stared him in the eyes.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni. Do you remember what I told you about playing with Lincoln?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Her gaze kept on his face.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I don't...know."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Even though he hoped she had, he understood from looking at her that he couldn't blame her too much. Glancing down at Lincoln, Lynn Sr. affirmed that he was a pretty cute baby and he knew that Leni in particular liked cute things. He knew that she loved Lincoln, but he also knew that all her sisters did too.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That's okay," he said softly while holding the baby, "I told you that you can play with Lincoln when you finish all your homework and you did that. But now, you need to eat and so does Lincoln. Once you two are done, though, you can play again."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She stood there for a minute, stiff as a pencil. Her face, however, displayed more subtle tinges (occasional twitches, wavers, and pulls) that wouldn't have been present a year earlier.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm sorry," she said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's okay, Leni. It's great that you love your little brother and I like that you want to play with him. But now you know that sometimes, we need to take a break," Lynn Sr. said with a smile. He then knelt and gave Leni a kiss on the forehead. As he did this, he felt a tiny jolt shake Leni's face. He backed up and saw her lips race upwards. And that in turn made him feel good.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The four of them headed to the dining room and took their seats. The parents and five daughters occupied all the spots and Rita set up a high chair next to her's. Each of the children had a completely different dish to accommodate their ages and preferences. Rita spoon fed baby food to little Lincoln, doing the whole airplane shtick. While she was starting to grow out of it, Lynn loved the tan mush and gobbled it down every time she had it; she wasn't gonna let the presence of a younger sibling change her tastebuds. Luan and Luna, prided themselves in their "big kid" food and all of it's fun adventures; tonight, their new thing to try was spaghetti. Leni took a fork and poked at her hot dogs, the same item she had for dinner for as long as she could remember. Finally, Lori remained indifferent at her boring mac and cheese, wishing that her parents got her pizza instead.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Given the number of children, the process of all of them finishing their food was slow and occasionally punctuated by chatter and horseplay (which was tampered by the parents). Lori spent much of the time staring at Lincoln, watching as her mom slowly fed him and spoke to him in her 'baby' voice. Lori supposed that she was getting used to having a little brother after all these months, but she still got irritated thinking about the type of boy he would grow up to be.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Sure he's cute now, but soon he'll be all gross and stuff," she thought. Yet, she couldn't understand why she kept turning back to him. Feelings were weird.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After dinner, Lori and Leni headed back into the living room to settle down. Rita came in carrying Lincoln and took a seat on the couch beside Lori. The eldest daughter turned to Lincoln and gazed on him, much how she was during dinner. But whereas the dinner table had multiple side events occurring, the couch had but one.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Is there something you want, Lori?" Rita asked after noticing her daughter's focus.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Dang it," Lori exclaimed internally. She was in a trap now and no aversion was gonna get her out of it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I uh..." she said as she struggled to find a good lie. Unfortunately, she was too slow to get her own words out, so her mom helped her out.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Did you want to play with Lincoln?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Out of all the children, Lori had spent the least amount of time with the baby. Sure she sat with her other sisters as they played with him and she made small gestures with him here or there, but Lori didn't recall sitting down to truly interact with him.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I don't know. I'm too big to be playing with babies," Lori pouted, crossing her arms.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lori, you're never too big to spend time with your little brother. I'm sure Lincoln would really like to spend more time with you," Rita said. As she spoke, though, she came up with another one of her special ideas. She turned to the other side of the couch, "In fact, Leni could play along with you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori sighed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Do I have to play with her?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes," Rita replied, somewhat offended, "why wouldn't you want to play with Leni?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">For a six year old (soon to be seven), Lori had developed a basic understanding of her mother. It was only after asking that fateful question that the realization resurfaced to her that it had been a bad one. Thankfully, it was just in time to stop herself from saying something else that would have upset her mother. So instead, she sighed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Fine."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">It was that simple word that made Rita smile.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm glad to hear that," she said before facing Leni, "Hey Leni. You can play with Lincoln now and Lori wants to join you two."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The girl replied with a tiny smirk, as if to create a tiny grin. That escalated, however, once her mother handed her the baby boy. Lincoln's cheerful giggles were enough to excite the second oldest sister. Leni got up, holding her brother, and settled down on the carpeted floor.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Unwilling to hear her mother remind her again, Lori got up and slid down to a spot near the two. She say there and watched Leni cradle Lincoln, channeling all of her mental energy towards the bundle of joy in her arms. Lori, though, only looked on from outside the bubble for several moments.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," Lori eventually said, although clearly unamused. Her patience found no support from the lack of an answer. She sighed, "Leni."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Surprisingly to Lori, her sister actually stopped what she was doing and turned to her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes, Lori," she said slowly. Lincoln, meanwhile, was hugging his sister.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">What was even slower, though, was the response. Lori spent several painful seconds mustering the words she felt were appropriate for conveying her thoughts.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Can I play with you two?" she asked begrudgingly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita grinned at her eldest daughter's ability to at least ask. And now, with a brief pause preceding it, it became Leni's duty to react.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">With that cue, Lori inched her way towards her siblings. She raised one of her hands used it to rub Lincoln's back, the only part of his body that was faced away from Leni's. His head perked up to see the source of the tender, if somewhat rigid, stroking. Upon seeing his oldest sister, his mouth clamped open with glee, exposing the teeth that were slowly emerging from his gums. He nudged and pushed against Leni's body as it contorted its posture towards Lori, however the former's hands were still positioned on him.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, honey. Let Lincoln move around. I think he wants to see Lori," Rita said, observing the scene.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori was surprised again when Leni's grip immediately loosened. Lincoln climbed down from his sister's body with a widening smile. His eyes were clearly set on his oldest sibling, the one he had seen around the house almost every day yet spent little time with.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"And to think he didn't like me," Lori thought as the baby crawled his way towards her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lincoln surmounted his sisters legs and rested himself on her lap. She looked down to see this, yet was slow to react. It was weird feeling his large, warm, squishy body. Things didn't feel right in that moment. Having this was exactly what she wanted and exactly what she was uncomfortable with in the same package.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You are scared...Lori."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Her head jerked to Leni. She didn't recall addressing her younger sister beforehand.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I know you are scared...And when you are scared, I want to make you feel better," she said. Lori hadn't realized her face and body werr drawing out her emotions for even Leni to see. She was astonished.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Linky isn't scary...he's cute and he's happy and he loves you...why don't you give him a hug? That's what I do to someone I love."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Even amidst the surprise of Leni taking the initiative to speak, Lori took the time to contemplate. Lori understood that her sister wasn't the most expressive one, but if there was any gesture she was fond of, it was that act of wrapping arms around other people and things. She found it unusual (an outlier), but she accepted it as fact. All the while, she merely sat there, awkwardly remaining in her emotionally confused state, just staring at Lincoln's jubilant face.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lori, why don't you give your brother a hug?" Rita asked as she saw the display persist, "He wants one from his big sister."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She glanced back at the baby. By now, her lap had acclimated to the jolt his warmth and weight brought. Lori supposed he was cute, even though his hair was an unexplainable mess.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"If it's gonna be the wrong color, it should at look nice," Lori thought to herself, referring to the multiple ashen strands that stuck astray. She lifted one of her hands and began stroking his hair, trying to comb it into something 'presentable'. Lincoln, though, started giggling from this. The vibrations his head made from this threw off Lori's trajectory, making the task more difficult.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Stop it," Lori said, her voice weaker than she would have liked, "You gotta stay still or you'll...never look handsome."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita covered her mouth to hide the chuckles escaping her. As it turned out, Lori's words and her attempts of being cold were being washed away by her lighter tone and noticeably widening smile.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Girls should be able to look at you and say 'That's one handsome fellow' and then ask you to go to the big dance with them," she said, seemingly unaware of how much her joy was emerging, all in a cascade. Lincoln's laughter amplified as Lori continued to groom his hair, but it was quickly becoming apparent that such an effort was becoming useless.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay, prince. Your hair is better," she said. She didn't even mind the fact that what little progress she had truly made was undone as Lincoln buried himself into her chest. And then she herself did the unthinkable. She hugged him back. Deep down, Lori did feel a tiny ember of anxiety still lingering, but she had embraced her excitment and saw her underlying love of her little brother shine through. In that moment, she forgot all about her hesitations, particularly her dislike of Josh on that show suffering from seasonal rot. Would Lincoln turn out like one of those gross meanies? Maybe, but Lori doubted it would be because of the family. She, at least in the heat of the hug, gravitated to the idea that she could be a loving role model that could set him on a certain path. But she didn't want to think too much about the nuances right there.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You and Linky are happy," she heard Leni say, once again to her welcoming surprise.

Chapter 15: For Linky

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni sat on her bed doodling. In recent weeks, she felt a liberation going on inside. When she sat down in her second grade class (where she went back to having the same teacher Lori had), each of the bodies grabbed her eyes. She wanted to spend all day staring at one, but it soon became difficult because there were so many other dazzling sights just nearby. Her heightened awareness rapidly morphed into something more.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Now, as the seven-year-old returned home with her three sisters in the mushy snow, she eagerly went up to her room and began drawing all the fine things she saw in Mr. Henry's class that day. Colorful shirts, pants, shoes, hairpins, bows, and bracelets. To her, the class was filled with wonders. She filled the paper with sloppy, yet generally accurate copies of the clothes and accessories. Thanks to the crayons, they were also in the proper colors.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After recreating all the ones she could remember, she put down her red crayon and lifted the paper to see her work. Although some of the figures were crud, she noticed how the more recent creations were neater than the earlier ones (bigger in size, straighter and cleaner lines, and a more thorough coloring in). Her work gave her a small smile. She maintained that grin as she grabbed some tape from her nightstand drawer and used it to hang it up on her wall. The wall closet to her bed had accumulated a gallery that took up most of the space. But even with that, she was still able to find a little space for her latest creation.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Once she stuck it on with the tape, she sat on her bed and stared at her cumulative work. She grabbed Bun-Bun, who was resting on the bed, and began brushing his fur. She heard a click along with a clutter of steps. Followed by a sigh.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni. When are you gonna take these down?" Lori asked. Ever since her sister started hanging her drawings on the wall, she went out of her way to face the window when she slept at night.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Her sister, though, merely shrugged.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"They've got to come down some time you know! They don't look good!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">What was glaring to Lori was the fact that Leni had never hung up her art in such a public display before. Sure, she drew, but her creations usually went either in the trash or in some drawer to never be seen again. And now, without warning, Leni started making this collection. Not only did she keep her drawings, but she put them up for her sister to see.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Whose clothes are those anyway?" Lori demanded for the tenth day in a row. Every time she asked, though, her sister didn't respond. As was the usual. Lori sighed, "If you like clothes so much, why don't you just ask Mom to get those magazines at the supermarket?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni tilted her head. It was a relatively new expression she developed, but it didn't take her big sister to decipher its meaning.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Fine. I'll ask her for you," she said, sighing, "But all these are coming down! You've been in second grade for months now. Start acting like it!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She stood there firmly and glared at Leni. Sometimes, she didn't know why she got patient with her little sister; sure Leni's reaction times were improving, but they remained below what she wanted.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hmph," Lori said, "Well hurry up and get ready. Mom's taking us to the mall."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Why?" Leni asked as she hugged Bun-Bun.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lincoln's birthday is next week and we gotta get stuff for his party."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The second girl gave her familiar groan-sounding murmur before getting up. She clung Bun-Bun to her chest as she followed her big sister downstairs. Lori was annoyed that her sister still carried that thing around. Sure there were plenty of second graders that had stuffed animals, but Leni cherished Bun-Bun. As if it were her friend.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Once everything was settled, Rita and the five girls packed themselves into Vanzilla, leaving Lynn Sr. to watch over the soon-to-be two-year-old boy.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">With every addition the Loud family brought on, outings to public places have started to require more planning, more means of maintaining order. Even with the mounting demand, Rita always loved children and was determined to make this trip both efficient and bonding. After Lincoln was born, they decided to take a hiatus from the nearly seamless stream of pregnancies to focus on the kids they already had. Indeed, over these past two years, Rita had become well-acclimated to the six-child structure. This particular trip to the mall, while demanding, was something she had done plenty of times with the existing status quo, so it wasn't as chaotic as it was two years ago. But even at that, she hadn't told the kids yet about her plan to start a new pregnancy at the end of the month.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Upon arrival and getting the kids out of Vanzilla, they headed into Bullseye. Bullseye could be best described as a maze; the two-floor department store was by far the largest outlet in the Royal Woods Mall. With everything in inventory (including the kitchen sink, given the kitchen appliances section) stashed in countless aisles, it was almost to be the mall. It was also a nightmare for most parents with small children. Thankfully, years of experience has prepared Rita all the better with communication and deliberation in movement.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita led the kids to the clothes section and began her search for some toddler clothes. Little did most of the girls know how boring and long this turned out to be. Within minutes, Luna and Luan had their backs slouched and their feet yearning to sit down. Lynn was pacing around the carriage and the shirt racks, using her boundless energy with the hope of exchanging it for pleasure. Lori was leaning against a concrete pillar that filled the gap between the floor and the ceiling, eyes glazed with idle exhaustion. And Leni was walking along a separate shirt rack, examine each of them he articles that hung from it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"As long as she stays in my sight, she'll be fine."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni was fixated by each shirt she came across. She swung it out to get a closer look at those thin lines that encompassed their surface, she absorbed any designs that were on their fronts, she felt the texture each shirt had. A lot of the shirts in the toddler section were similar (similar colors, similar fabric, similar size). Each attribute she experience was a sensory splash. She was excited at the spectacle, even occasionally producing a smile from what she saw.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She felt a familiar thing grab her hand. She turned to see her older sister Lori, eyes clearly displaying annoyance.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Let's go!" she moaned.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Before Leni could reply, her sister was already moving on, pulling her along. She looked forward and saw various clothes in Rita's red plastic carriage. Her eyes were captured to the rainbow of colors she saw in there. If only she could have been close enough to touch them.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The mother guided her children through the various sections within Bullseye—electronics, appliances, hardware, food. Occasionally, one of them (usually either Leni or Lynn) tried veering off to look at something, whether it was a pretty dress or a giant flat screen television. The savvy Rita, though, reined them back before they could get lost in the giant store.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">They eventually found themselves in the toys section. At that point, most of the girls tried breaking away to look whatever caught their eye. Even Lori felt the need for yet another Barbie doll. But alas, all five of the girls were relegated to the young boy's section. Rather than indulging in the endless supply of dolls and houses, they were surrounded by action figures, toys with batteries, and nerf guns. And for them, that was a punishment (or, at least, for most of them).

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mommy! Can I get this?" Luna demanded, bringing back some plastic board filled with buttons. Behind her was Lynn, who herself had an Ace Savvy action figure.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No kids. We're getting things for Lincoln," Rita replied, "now put those back."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The two girls groaned and begrudgingly obliged.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Meanwhile, Leni let herself wander up and down the aisle. Although none of the toys interested her, their bright colorful boxes captured her attention. One of them was a giant cube on the bottom shelf with the perfect mix of blue, purple, and red; the three shades formed a flash that left her paralyzed. Her hands jutted out and pulled out the package. She tried lifting it, but the sheer size of it left her with little leverage. That didn't stop her from dragging it. Loudly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, honey. Put that back," Rita said as she looked on. Yet the girl kept pulling it across the floor, trying to get it to the carriage, "Leni," her mother repeated, however at this point, the other girls were catching on.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Woah! What's that?!" Luna exclaimed as she dashed towards the box. She dropped to her knees and her young eyes spotted the tag lines, logo, toy, and features. The box's cover revealed a giant castle play set with multiple rooms inside and pulpits carving the sides. The most prominent feature, though, were the mini cannons shooting red arrow-shaped ammunition.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mommy!" Luna cried, turning the cover in her parent's direction, "Let's get this for Lincoln!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">All the females at this point were aware of the box. Lynn, unsurprisingly, ran to it and pressed her hands against the surface. She smiled widely as she admired the cool toy.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lincoln would love this!" Luna added, "Please can we get it? Please!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">A skeptical Rita approached the package to get a better look at it. She lifted it and examined both the cover and the small text on the back. Her face did not reflect Luna's or Lynn's excitement.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm sorry, but I don't think this is safe for babies Lincoln's age," she said upon finishing. She then placed the box down and knelt to her children's level, "This toy has small parts that Lincoln shouldn't be around. Maybe when he's older."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But Mom!" Luna moaned.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm sorry. Now please put it back," Rita said as she stood back up. Luna sighed and prompted Leni to help her return it. Meanwhile, their mother looked around the various toys in the aisle. Even though many of them also had small parts, the ones that didn't jumped out at her, "How about this one?" she said as she pulled out a large rubber man. It looked like a Power Trooper, but the limbs appeared as if they were flexible, "Lincoln's gonna love this," she told herself as she plopped it in the carriage.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay girls," Rita announced to the children, "Let's look around this aisle for toys to get Lincoln. Make sure you show it to me before you put it in the carriage," she then turned to Luna and Lynn, "and remember. If the box says the toy has small parts, don't get it."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni looked on as her sisters began walking alongside the shelves in search of a toy. Yet even with that, she merely stood there, taking in the colors of all the various packages.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, honey," she heard her mother say. She watched as her smiling parent approached her, "don't you want to find a toy for Lincoln? His birthday is coming up and I think he would really like a gift from you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Linky..." she said as she stared into Rita's caring eyes. She then pointed to the shirts and pants resting in the carriage. Rita followed her daughter's finger.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Do you want to give him clothes?" Rita asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni nodded, rather decisively.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well how about this. We'll stay here until the others find a toy they want to give him," she then turned to her daughter, "you can get him one too if you like. And then after that, we'll go back to the clothes and you can get him some. How does that sound?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After a moment's silence, the girl smiled.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes. I love Linky and clothes," she said, clapping her hands and her eyes brightening a little.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm glad to hear that," Rita replied, chuckling.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The next few minutes moved slowly, however. Leni stood beside the carriage as she looked around at the different boxes, interested more in the designs than their contents. The big challenge was finding toys that were simple and cohesive enough for a soon-to-be two-year-old to safely play with. Thankfully with Rita's guidance, even Luna and Lynn were able to settle on two cool-looking toys.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">With that, as Rita promised, they then proceeded back to the clothes section.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Really? This again?" Luan protested.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yeah!" Luna exclaimed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Don't worry kids," Rita said, "just give your big sister a little time to find something special," she then turned to Leni, who was walking alongside her and the carriage, and beamed at her, "Go ahead, honey, find something you think Lincoln's gonna like."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After staring at her mother for a little longer (as if she were looking for additional approval) she walked to the nearest rack and began sifting through each individual shirt. Each one was a different color, yet never failed to impress her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Just pick one for now, honey," Rita said, "we can come back on a different day if you want to get more."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Heeding those words, Leni pulled out the one she was currently looking at, even though it didn't necessarily impress her the most. She went over to Rita and held up an small orange shirt. Rita recognized it; it was already in her carriage. Yet Leni's eyes were glowing in a way they didn't very often. She understood that her second daughter had some work to do when it came to expressing her feelings, but she was never foolish enough to think that she didn't have any. Just like her other children, she had a beautiful mind, yet there was something extraordinary about Leni opening up. It made the mother smile.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Very good, sweetie," she said, "Lincoln's gonna love this."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And that made Leni gasp.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yay! Linky! Linky!" she exclaimed. She smiled, this time with her mouth open. Her hands were clapping together, even if they didn't always align.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita felt like she could cry right there. There was something about the way her daughter's voice sounded (bubbly, high, genuine) when she got really excited that always caught her heart by surprise. An enjoyable one.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The morning of February 13 came as any other. Rita and Leni's sisters did a decent job at keeping the presents a secret. Whenever Leni was tempted to tell Lincoln about the special shirt she got him, one of them swooped in just in time and handed her paper and crayons, asking for a drawing made just for them. By now, Lori had a drawer full of orange shirt colorings.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni sat on her bed, holding Bun-Bun. Beside her was a box covered in wrapping paper. Using her fingers, she twiddled the doll around. Meanwhile, Lori looked on from her's.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You know, I still don't get why you didn't get Lincoln a toy to play with," Lori said, eyeing her own package, "do you really think he's gonna like some shirt that Mom already bought one of?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni, though, grabbed her own present and hugged it, along with Bun-Bun.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Linky looks cute in orange," she said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I don't know," Lori replied, rolling her eyes, "he seems like the type of kid that wants toy. Wouldn't you want toys for your birthday?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The younger sister turned to her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's not my birthday," she said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I know it's not. But if it were your birthday," Lori said, sighing. Sometimes, she felt she should have been more aware of her wording around Leni, "Wouldn't you want stuffed animals or something instead of nothing but clothes?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Even with that clarified response, Leni simply shrugged.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I want Linky to look good," she said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"He won't care if he looks good. He's a baby!" Lori retorted as she recalled a time where she would have said 'boy'. Funny how growing up worked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni, though, simply focused her attention back on the objects she was holding. All she could think about was her precious baby brother opening his presents.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Kids, come down! It's a special somebody's birthday!" Lynn Sr. shouted.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori got up and exited while Leni followed behind, carrying both Bun-Bun and her present. From the hallway, she saw her other sisters filing through with their own. Once they consolidated into a clump, all five of them descended the stairs to be greeted to both their parents and Lincoln settled on the couch.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Happy Birthday Lincoln!" Luna exclaimed as she made her way over to her. As the other sisters uproared into their own messages. The chorus of girls produced quite the cheery sound, even if Leni was murmuring her compliments under the confusing chaos.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What's this?" Rita told Lincoln in her 'baby' voice, grinning like a loon, "Your big sisters all got you presents for your second birthday."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">One by one, each of them proceeded to hand over their gifts, starting with Luna. By age two, little Lincoln's fine motor skills were improving and he was largely able to rip the wrapping paper by himself, much to his parents' delight. With each toy he received, he smiled and happily squeed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As this transpired, Leni observed each gift being opened from the back of the pack. She kept both her present and Bun-Bun close to her chest. Even as she imagined her brother enjoying his new shirt as much as the toys, she couldn't stop thinking of what Lori just told her. Sure clothes were still good and cute, but now that she thought about it, toys were also good, but they were also fun. She wondered if she should have picked a toy from the store. Would that have made a good present? Would that have been fun for him?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, honey. Do you wanna give Lincoln your present?" Rita asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Her legs automatically moved forward. Her eyes were having difficulty locking themselves onto anyone, preferring to veer off to the dining room table. Suddenly, she felt this weird feeling, as if she didn't want to see Lincoln. Her precious Linky. To her, it seemed that Lori was always right; she had made a mistake and now she wasn't gonna give her brother anywhere near as much as she should have. Why did she have to go against her mother, sisters, Lori, Lincoln. Even she understood that she couldn't go back to the store now. Nothing seemed to make sense.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Now, in front of the couch, she stood there, unmoving. Her parents could clearly tell that their daughter's mind was elsewhere.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," Lynn Sr. said gently, "do you want to give those to Lincoln?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And then, in a single motion, slid her present and Bun-Bun onto Rita's lap and stumbled back to the clump. Lincoln reached for the wrapped package and ripped it open. He froze when he saw the orange shirt, unsure of what to make of it. Then again, he was expecting to get something he could play with. Rita, though, looked down and saw the stuffed bunny plopped down on top of the wrapped surface. She lifted it up.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, sweetie," Rita said confused. Sure enough, the girl turned to see her mother and her doll, "Did you want to keep Bun-Bun?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Linky can have him."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The mother's eyes widened. She thought that her ears had failed, even though sixty was still decades away for her. Did Leni even understand the question she was answering? Rita knew all too well how attached Leni had become to Bun-Bun. She remembering getting the doll at the baby shower shortly before she was born. For the past seven years and nine months, Leni had been almost everywhere with her friend; she snuggled with it at night, played with it at the house, and sometimes even talked to it. But she also knew that Leni could be impressionable, especially when she's around Lori.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Are you sure, honey? I know that Bun-Bun means a lot to you," Rita said, her eyes and voice conveying concern. Leni, though, looked blank.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes. Linky can have him."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The mother gave her daughter another look. She watched for a minute, to give her a chance to change her mind. Sometimes Leni did that; she would say or do something before suddenly rolling back. But a whole minute passed and it didn't happen. Leni merely watched Lincoln with expressionless eyes, nothing uncommon.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Besides, she can share it if she really wanted to."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well...okay," she said as she brought the doll into Lincoln's tiny hands. She then curled her lips into a smile and turned to her daughter, "That was very kind of you, Leni."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lincoln held the doll in his hands. He quickly absorbed the large eyes, the soft fur, the cuddly proportions. He then cheered and embraced the stuffed bunny. The young boy felt warmth with the doll, one that was (admittedly) stronger than that of the rubber and plastic action figures. Leni heard her brother's cheery smile and mirrored his expression.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Meanwhile, the family basked at all of the gifts they got Lincoln, the clothes and the toys. All of them were elated by the joy they had given to their special little guy. And they were grateful that there were already so many people in the house to love, so many birthdays to celebrate.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It looks like you have a lot of loving sisters," Rita said to the toddler as she gave him a kiss, "Happy Birthday!"

Chapter 16: The Attic

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita sat at the dining room table, scribbling in a book with a pink cover. Years of experience had made her quite eloquent, sometimes even poetic. She could easily pull out at least a page (sometimes two) just from watching some of the stuff going on around her house, though with seven children and an "eccentric" husband, material was never in short supply. Some days, she even considered writing a novel that could be published.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">This time, though, she found it hard to even keep the pen in her hand. She spent most of the morning at the hospital, going through the tests and check ups she was all too used to at this point. She wanted to be more excited, she really did, but the ultrasound didn't lie. It turned out that she was gonna be getting two for the price of one. Her head suddenly gained at least a few pounds. Her heart started racing. Her mind went running.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Why are you so down like this? It was years ago, you should be over this by now!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She paused and closed her eyes, shutting out whatever noise was going on elsewhere. She inhaled through her nose, held it briefly, and released. She repeated this several times, hoping the images and voices would fade. Perhaps it was all just nerves, she reasoned. Everything was gonna be fine.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Bye. I'll talk to you later," she wrote before closing the book.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Sighing, she sauntered through the kitchen back into her bedroom. The first thing she saw was the garbage bag full of old baby clothes on her bed. Children sure grew up fast. As she slid the pink book back into the drawer, she gazed into the open bag. Much of the clothes had become somewhat faded due to their years of use. Maybe someday these shirts and pants would be used again. Maybe by some future daughter (or son), or maybe she'll pass them down to the grandchildren; given the size of this family, that prospect appeared likely.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She gave a small smile before tying the bag shut. Using her upper body, she lifted it over her shoulders and began moving. Lynn Sr. was in the living room, making it easy for her to slip by without him seeing her. She truly loved her husband; he was a generous man that was always willing to help her, especially while she was pregnant. But sometimes, she figured she could do chores by herself. After all, she was still an able person.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Upon reaching the upper hallway, she reached towards the handle attached to the ceiling. Sure enough, the flap opened and the wooden stairs folded down. As Rita prepared to ascend those steps, she heard a door creak open.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mommy."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Stunned, she turned to see Leni standing in the middle of hallway with a paper in her hand.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Oh hi Leni," she said, setting down the bag on one of the steps. Her eyes then turned to the white paper her daughter was holding, "What's that you have there?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The girl then held it up to present a drawing of a dress, however the paper completely blocked her face. It was long, flowing, and was splashed with rainbow colors. The border lines were remarkably neat, the coloring was bold, and the design was unlike anything Rita had ever seen at the mall.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I wanted to show it to Linky and you and Daddy and Lori and all of my sisters," she said softly. Then, she lowered it enough to reveal a gentle smile of her own. To the mother, it seemed like her daughter's drawing wasn't the only skill that was improving.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It looks wonderful, honey," Rita replied warmly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">But then, Leni's eyes veered from her mother to the black garbage bag. Her face suddenly took on a look of curiosity.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What's in that thingy?" she asked, pointing to it with her free hand.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"These are some extra baby clothes. We don't need them right now and there's not exactly a lot of room elsewhere, so I was putting them up in the attic with the others."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The almost-nine-year-old's eyes wandered to the dim space above the ceiling. And then some exciting prospects popped up, ones that quickly overwhelmed her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Can I go up? I want to see all the clothes! Clothes! Clothes!" Leni exclaimed, running up to hug both the bag and her mother's leg. Rita, though, put on a look of confusion.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You've never wanted to go into the attic," she said, briefly turning her head to the path above.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But I didn't know there were clothes up there!" Leni replied, gripping the bag, "I wanna see them! Touch them! Put them on! Please!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita looked back up the stairs, as if she could see its contents from her spot. She then then turned back to her daughter, who's dangerously wide smile said it all. What was wrong with some clothes? And how could she say no to that face. She exhaled.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay," she said. As the young girl cheered, both of them ascended the steps. Over the years, the attic has been a place of ever-shrinking space. Boxes, bags, golf bags, tents, computers, television sets, and books had accumulated in the space. Every object had a film of dust of it, although some clearly had a thicker coat than others. Leni stood on the wooden floor and took in all the clutter, many of it she had never seen before.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Oh Leni. There are a bunch of clothes over here," Rita said as she settled the newest bag on top of older ones that were covered in dust and wood chips. The fascinated young girl approached the mountain of black garbage bags with her wide eyes in awe. The blonde knelt down as her mother helped her untie the various knots. Once they were free, the contents emerged in the form of various clumps. Sure enough, the bags were filled with small shirts, dresses, pants, overalls, shorts, socks, and other forms of apparel. Her hands dug deep into the pile and began pulling out various articles. As she grabbed each one, she examined it closely. Her mouth dropped open as she came to admire each creation.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As she continued her excavation, Lori emerged from the steps with a noticeable frown and furrowed brows.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"How many times have I told you to not my colored pencils?! Do you have any idea how long it took me to find all of them?!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lori. That's no way to talk to your little sister," Rita said firmly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But it happens all the time! I keep telling her to only use her crayons and her colored pencils. But then when I come into my room, my drawers are literally raided," Lori protested, crossing her arms.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita came to understand her daughter's frustration. Sure she would have appreciated if Lori had taken the initiative the issue to bring it to her attention, but better late than never, she concluded. With that, she turned to the other.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," she said carefully, "if you want more crayons or colored pencils, why don't you just ask me? That way you don't need to take Lori's."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The eldest daughter rolled her eyes at this display. Sometimes, she felt like Leni got off too easily. Meanwhile, the second daughter merely shrugged as she went back to her search.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Honey," Rita repeated. This time, Leni turned around with a blank face to see her mother and older sister, "Do you want me to get you more colored pencils?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">A brief delay. And then, the girl silently nodded before turning back to the garbage bags.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Rita! Your assistance is needed urgently!" Lynn Sr. shouted.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The wife understood that even though her husband was generally a good father, there were times where he was overwhelmed. Like when one of the sisters got into rough housing or if they get sick on the couch. Whatever it was, she had to accept that it couldn't wait. She then gave both her oldest daughters a long gaze before pressing her lips.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'll leave you up here," she said, "just be sure to look out for each other. And don't make a big mess."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Rita!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Coming dearie," she fired back. She then jerked her head to the daughters, "I'll be right back," she said before rushing down the steps.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori sighed and leaned against some boxes.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Really," she said, "you're up here to look at some dumb clothes that don't fit you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The only response she got was the crunching sound the bag's plastic made as the articles shifted around its interior.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">With that, the eldest daughter's eyes scanned around the dilapidated "museum". She figured that since Leni was gonna be a while, she might as well take a gander at what the attic had to offer.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori got up and wandered to various corners of the space, looking through boxes. It was hard to get close to anything without coughing, yet some of the sights she had to admit were a little interesting. She found some really old pictures of her parents when they were her age, along with various mementos from their childhoods. She found several trophies and medals from various sports, accompanied by pictures of a young, chipper boy with curly brown hair. To her it felt weird that she found this boy cute.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Aside from that, she came across the Halloween and Christmas decorations all stashed in one corner. To think that all this time, she thought they wereu hidden in the equally mysterious basement.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">In yet another section was a huge library of books. A lot of them included classic novels, biographies, and atlases. As she scanned through the sheer volume of some of these tomes, she became skeptical that either of her parents had really read and finished them.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Nearby, there was another box full of books with colorful covers. Some of them chose to represent themselves with a puzzle piece, some of them used a rainbow ribbon, others with a picture of some random child using building blocks, and others yet opting for the good ol' stick figure approach with a child and parents. They were all on the same topic (along with similar titles) and her parents had taught her about it some time ago. She understood it all and was fairly accepting, but they warned her to never use it to insult Leni. Regardless, she found it interesting to discover these relics in this place.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You know, Leni," she said as she continued digging, "You should check out some of this stuff I'm finding. It's pretty cool."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She didn't even wait for an answer before she moved onto the next box which, like the others, was cardboard. She opened it and found seven journals, each one a different color. Suddenly, Lori recalled some vague image that deleted quickly. And yet, these books seemed familiar. Like it was deja vu. Sifting through the box, she found two of them (one of them baby blue and the other turquoise) and went over to the sister.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey Leni. Check this out," Lori said, extending out one of the books. This time, Leni turned away from her precious clothes to see a cover that matched her dress. Enamored, she grabbed the book and flipped the cover open clockwise as well as several blank pages.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"May 14, 2000

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She's here. At last, she's finally with me."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Even with the sloppy (practically illegible handwriting), Leni recognized the date fairly accurately. And it was then that she realized she had opened the journal on the wrong side. She clumsily flipped it around and re-opened it counter-clockwise, immediately noticing the neater handwriting.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"August 27, 1999

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">It's me. And well, I'm pregnant again.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Well before I get back into this, I should tell you where I've been these last four months.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori has been wonderful. Lynn and I have been using all the advice from those parenting books and so far, I'd say we're doing a pretty good job, even under these...circumstances. We've been sharing responsibilities, taking turns playing with her, hugging her, making food for her, changing her diapers, and putting her to bed. She's been so vibrant, happy, like any baby should.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And Leni,"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni continued reading, not entirely sure what the author was talking about (a lot of the words were too big for her to comprehend). Not helping were the smudges spread out across the rest of the page. Before finishing it, she suddenly decided to flip around to different points of the story, as if that would help her find something she could wrap her head around.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Meanwhile, Lori did a similar thing. She knew enough about pregnancy to know that it lasted nine months. And from watching TV shows, she was even familiar with some of the other elements that came with the process. It was those parts she was mainly interested in.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"September 10, 1998

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Sorry, I'm a little jittery right now.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Today Dr. Kappy showed us our first ultrasound and it's twins! I know most mothers get scared to learn this, but I'm ecstatic. But you already know how much Lynn and I love children, so as he would say: "the more the merrier"!

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">It's still gonna be another month or so before we know if they're gonna be boys or girls, but I don't care. All children are beautiful and I can't wait to become a proud mother of them!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori felt her eyebrows rise until they almost met her hairline. As far as she knew, she didn't have a twin brother or sister. Who on Earth was her mother talking about? Now ferociously curious, she flipped to subsequent pages in an effort to extract more information. As she skimmed through the various pages, she spotted phrases such as "both girls", "due in April", "excited", and "names".

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"February 3, 1999

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Okay this time I mean it. We've finally settled on two names. For real!

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The first girl is gonna be named Lori. It's supposed to represent honor and victory, which I guess is a good sign for how she's gonna do great things and will fight for whatever she chooses to believe in. I can see her having a powerful fire burning in her eyes that will make her willing to achieve just that.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And the second will be named Leni. When Lynn and I first saw that one in the baby name book, we were surprised that it even existed; the only spellings we knew were 'Lenny' and 'Lennie' and they were both for boys. We originally disregarded it in favor of more traditional girl names like Lauren or Linda. But in the end, I went back to Leni because it's rare. I want her to truly feel unique, that she is one of a kind.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">I feel flustered. Two months is so close but it's also an eternity!

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">I'm sorry journal. I don't think you'll ever understand how excited I am to be a parent. Though of course, you don't have thoughts. You know what I mean."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori flipped through some more pages, disappointed in the lack of answers. As she did this, she turned to her 'twin', who herself was making her way through the turquoise book. Seeing that second book only made her feel confused and even hungrier for answers. Finally, she arrived at a date that was of particular importance to her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"April 23, 1999

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Its happening. They're coming."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">That was all that was on the page and the handwriting was noticeably thinner and messier than usual, though she figured at that point her mother must have been in labor. As she pondered the oddity of doing something so dull in a moment of immense pain and inconvenience, she flipped to the next page.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">It was blank.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">There were still several pages of the book left over, yet none of them had any writing on them.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She briefly huffed before backtracking. Surely there was an explanation somewhere in the interlude she flew over in her haste. But even that was moving too slowly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey Leni," she said impatiently, "Hand me that!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The younger sister lifted her head and crawled over to hand over the turquoise book. But as this was happening, footsteps resonated along creaky wooden steps. Both the sisters jerked in the direction to see Rita emerging. Once their eyes met, the older woman froze.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Both the books were in clear sight. Rita's eyes were saucers, her throat was clamped. The distance between her and her daughters was a light year. Lori's and Leni's states were lethal. The silence couldn't have been more awkward.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mom!" Lori exclaimed as she raced to the parent with the blue book, "Me and Leni are twins?!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I am?" Leni asked, genuinely confused.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"We're nothing alike!" Lori continued, pointing to her sister, "She's been celebrating a different birthday, she's a grade under me! I'm literally four inches taller than her! Why didn't you tell us?!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni stared down at the book she was holding. She understood little from reading it, but she was convinced it was about her. And given that her own birthday is in it, Lori's claims made less sense to her. As she tried puzzling this together, she looked back up at her mother.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita's pupils became dots. She brought her hand to mask her quivering lips. She felt naked, unprepared, not ready. Her knees locked into place. Mrs. Boxer only had one conclusion from these signs

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mommy...are you okay?" she heard Leni say. The girl then internalized her teacher's directions and stood up. She walked up to her mother and wrapped her arms around her waist. Rita's head shot down to witness her second daughter embracing her. All that before her vision got blurry.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mom," Lori said, her voice now shaky, "what's going on?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">What followed were several shaky breaths and stifled sobs. Both of the girls were stunned by how quickly their own mother had fallen apart. What had they done? Did they catch her at the wrong time? Did something happen while she was downstairs? Following a sniffle, their mother took in an audible, yet steady inhale. Rita then looked up with a firm lip and directed her gaze boldly at both her daughters.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lori, Leni," she said. She then paused for another breath, "there's something the two of you should know."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita solemnly walked to another part of the attic and hauled out a very specific box. The two sisters looked on as she brought it over to them and took a seat on the floor. Using this cue, both of the girls joined their mother on the wooden, dusty surface. Rita, meanwhile, was breathing slowly with her eyes closed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lori," she said, reopening them, "you do have a twin sister. But it's not the Leni sitting next to you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita sifted through the box before pulling out a black plastic sheet. As this occurred, Lori took a wide gander at the sister who was also paying attention. Rita held it up to reveal a white outline of the sheet. It made out the shape of a uterus and two identical forms.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"This was the inside of my belly when I was pregnant with you, Lori," she said weakly, "see, this is you right there," she added, trying to put on a smile as she circled her finger around one of the forms. She then dragged it across the dusty film to the other, "And this...was Leni."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni was fixated on the diagram above. Dates jumbled about, bouncing from one corner of her brain to another, creating nasty knots in their wrath. Her mouth slowly opened.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"So that's me?" she asked softly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The mother chuckled, but even Leni could tell it wasn't joyous. The sounds were broken, detached, the opposite of what the laughter card illustrated. She turned to her older sister, who appeared equally uneasy.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No honey," she responded in an equally melancholy tone. It was as if her forced tone was trying in vain to make light of her mood, much to the concern of her daughters, "this is a different girl who's name is also Leni. She wa-is Lori's twin."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Where is she now?" Lori asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita froze once more. Without looking at the box, she slid the ultrasound back into its place. Each of those four words felt like bullets. She knew they were coming, but it was impossible to make material from imagination alone. And she shouldn't have been foolish enough to assume that optimism could sugarcoat a situation like this, even with her attempts to do so.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well..." she started, as she fought back tears. She cursed herself for letting all those nights in bed slip away like that, all those accumulated hours of cool contemplation washed away in the tsunami of the present, "I wanted to wait until you were a little older, so you would understand. But..." she halted.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She saw both of her daughters with anxiety washed across their faces. Even Leni, who wasn't as used to outward expression as Lori, had tints of it spread across. It was the younger of the two that Rita was more worried about. Would she understand? How would their relationship change? And her progress. All those weeks with Mrs. Boxer (and others). Would she be able to move on? Would she stop? Those thoughts struck her with chills that made her shake.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well, here it goes."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lori," she said, carefully thinking through her words, "you came out perfectly. The cries you made were wonderful and it was a very proud moment in my life as well as your father's," she said, pushing her lips up into a grin. Hopefully that was enough to get that portion across. But then, just as quickly as it was delivered, the whole mask dropped, "But Leni...she came out too, but..." she paused. Once again she closed her eyes. She took several moments to clear her mind.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"She had troubles after coming out. The doctors did everything they could to help her, but," she then looked up and faced both her daughters intently with watery eyes, "they couldn't save her."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The two girls were stunned. There was barely any evidence of such an event occurring. For as long as either of them could remember, there were just enough clothes and furniture to go around. Well...almost no traces. Lori suddenly produced a vague image from several years ago, when she was in the attic with her mom. Those books. She had seen her's before. Why didn't she press her more further back then? Unfortunately, Lori couldn't remember that much.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Meanwhile, Leni was in a daze. At first, she found it confusing why her parents planned to have two kids with the same name. Wouldn't that get everyone all mixed up? She already had enough difficulty remembering names and other things. Why would they throw in another doozy to top it off? But this inquiry was quickly overwhelmed by a wave of sadness. She hated that disgusting emotion; it threw her into a funk, one that didn't go away as quickly as her body language suggested. But she couldn't help it. Much to Lori's outward annoyance, Leni had a knack for connecting with things very rapidly. Even if she didn't always show it, she felt fuzzy in her heart when she came across someone new (even if it was an inanimate object). However, as Lori once told her, things that soared high had a long fall ahead. Whatever that meant, she knew about Mrs. Boxer's cards. And, as the other two quickly noticed, she was clearly devastated.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni hugged her knees and whimpered.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That's...so sad," she cried with her broken, muffled voice, "Doctors help people and make them better. Why couldn't they help my big sister?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita made her way over to her crying daughter and hugged her, pushing back any sobbing of her own. She tucked her lips and started brushing Leni's pale blonde hair.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"They worked really hard," Rita said slowly, "they loved your sister as we did and they wanted to let her be able to grow up," she paused, "play with you, talk with you, be there for you," she then let out a sigh, "However sometimes, it doesn't work out."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori was astonished. She felt the force weighing down on her. To think that she was a twin this whole time. To think that within her own family, tragedy has struck. To think that in the modern age with advanced medicine and technology, it was still possible for something like this to happen. Yet she didn't feel her eyes well up. Shecouldn't bring herself to cry. She wondered if there was something wrong with her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mom, Leni. Are you okay?" was all she could bring herself to say.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Her mother turned to her as a tear broke free from one of her eyes.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It happened ten years ago and your Dad and I have been able to go back to our jobs and taking care of all you," she said as she stroked Leni once more. Each carress was soothing to the younger daughter, even as she cried into her leg, "But we never forgot. She was as much a part of this family as you and Leni and Luna and everyone else," she choked back a sob, "When we lost her, it was one of the lowest points of our lives. And sadly, no amount of time can change that. Even now I think about her, my Leni," she then paused. She leaned in and enveloped her second daughter even more and started rubbing her trembling back, "Thinking about all the happy moments she didn't get the chance to have still makes me emotional."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori felt her mouth hang. Even though it has toned down, both of the women before her were still weeping. And here her eyes were dry. It made her feel bad, come across of uncaring of what has happened. Did it even strike her, or was it all out of reach? Regardless, the eldest daughter maintained the need to be a part of this, as if saying something will make either of them feel even a little better.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm sorry, Mom," Lori said softly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No!" Rita cried, short of breath, "Don't you ever say that! It wasn't your fault or the doctors' fault. It was nobody's fault," she then shot fiery wet eyes at her oldest daughter.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The mortified mother then cast down at Leni, whose cries had largely reduced to sniffles, "I want you two to know that you and all of your siblings are loved. No amount of pain or disaster will ever get rid of it. Do you understand?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She caught Lori nodding from her eye's corner. She then looked down at Leni, whose face was still buried in her pant leg.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," she said, tapping her back, "do you get it?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes, Mommy," she replied, deflated.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I never want any of you to feel like you're not loved," Rita said firmly, still looking at Leni, "Don't ever feel like me and Dad regret having you. You are special. All of you. You brighten up our days, you inspire us and those around you. And if you ever doubt that, never be afraid to come to your family. We can talk, hug it out. Because we Louds will always be there for each other."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni moved and revealed her tear-stricken face and red, puffy eyes. But instead of a frown, there was a fledgling smile on her face. She gave her mother an intimate look before surprising her with a tight hug.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I love you Mommy," she said, her voice sore from crying.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita then smiled herself and brushed her daughter's long, flowing hair.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I love you too. You are my sunshine, Leni."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm not in the sky, silly," Leni said, giggling, "I'm down here with you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As Lori observed this scene, she used one of her hands to rub up and down her arm. It was a little embarrassing seeing this unfold. In fact, this ordeal had be mushy to say the least.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lori," Rita said. The girl then turned to her mother's recovering face, "Come over here."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Yet upon seeing her mother's encouraging wave, Lori couldn't help herself. She crawled over to Rita's other leg and hugged her from the other side. Being inches from one of her sisters cranked up the awkwardness to an unprecedented high, but for once, she felt that was a good thing. Even sticks in the mud like her need love.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As she held that embrace, Lori looked over to Leni, who's smile had grown to that of a loon. Suddenly, Lori wondered how this would change things going forward. She knew Leni could be absent-minded, seemingly aloof, or (in the best cases) resilient. But she also understood that her sister had a different way of life, a different brain, a different view. Would she be surprised by what she was capable of?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Did it matter right now?

Chapter 17: Mayfly's Year

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Happy Birthday to you!

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Happy Birthday to you!

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Happy Birthday dear Leni!

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Happy Birthday to you!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The young blonde twiddled her thumbs as she stood before the strawberry cake. Her eyes had no anchor; they shifted from the '9' candle to Lori to her Mom holding Lucy, to Linky, who was to her right. All of their happy faces were staring at her, yet her own eyes served as a window to her own anxiety.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Her entire body was burning up, her cheeks were red, she felt like she would jump out of her skin, and her smile threatened to fly off her face. Generally, Leni wasn't one to appreciate being the center of attention. To her, it was weird for other people to direct all their focus at her, no matter the reason. Usually this happened in class, when the classmates she admired but rarely talked to turned their gazes at her. But family was different.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Make your wish, Leni," Lynn Sr. said, extending his hand out towards the burning candle.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay! I wish that Linky-"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Don't say it out loud, honey. If you do, it may not come true. Just say it in your head and then, blow out the candle."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni pondered the question for several moments. And then, with an eccentric puff, blew out.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Please come true."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Cake time!" the young Lynn exclaimed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I thought you didn't like clothes," Leni said, while sitting at the couch.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You're making it sound like I hate them," Lori replied, kneeling in front of the TV's DVD player, "That's literally not true. Once you get older, you'll start to understand that every girl needs to like clothes. It's the only way anyone's gonna like you," she then clenched her eyes and placed her hand over her heart, although more for dramatic effect.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She pushed 'play' and returned to the couch, plopping herself next to her little sister.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Besides," Lori said, "I literally spent $30 of my allowance on this thing. I might as well watch it."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As she turned back to the TV screen, she felt a jolt across her wrist.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thank you, Lori," Leni said with a small grin, "It was, like, a great birthday present. Thank you, Lori."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Sure."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The two sat there in silence. Lori held the remote and was tapping the fast forward button, chopping through the advertisements and copyright warnings. The oldest sister occasionally turned back to Leni, whose face was as blank as usual (progress wasn't an overnight thing). And then she thought about herself.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Stupid Carol! All your dumb clothes and pink purses."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">But for all she told herself she hated the girly girl game, deep down she was aware of a curiosity; one that melded her body to that cushion, beside the only person she knew with a greater fixation for fashion than that Carol.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm only watching this for Leni! She loves this mindless stuff!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And besides, Los Angels was over. Sure she 'forgot' to watch some episodes during the final season, but she made sure to catch that 'dumb, stupid' finale where Marcy and Josh's relationship only grew stronger. Great. She needed something new, especially with summer vacation just a few short weeks away. And what better way to end the school year than with the first season of Runway Master and her little sister. Right?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"My name is Tony Sykes," said a man on the screen with slicked black hair and thick plastic glasses, "and this is Runway Master."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The camera widened to reveal his setting: a large stage stocked with lights along with a long narrow ramp digging deep into the gallery. Skye's proudly stood at the runway's edge.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Sixteen designers from tailor shops, boutiques, and retailers across the country will compete for the chance to have their creations sold in New York's finest clothing lines! The contestants will be divided into two teams and each week, they will create a line based on a given theme. Their lines will be judged by guest panelists—the biggest names in fashion! The losing team will vote have to nominate two people for elimination and I will personally cut their ribbons short," he said with a mischievous smile, "In the end, only one wil remain. That lucky designer will be named the Runway Master! Along with a $100,000 prize, the Runway Master will join the creative team at my New York store and become a big name in the fashion world!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">What followed was a long montage of all the contestants—their names, backstories, philosophies on fashion, and the measurements of their egos. The two sisters saw the camera whiz from a wannabe star that owns a corner shop in Los Angeles to a farmer whose only experience is sewing clothes for his own family.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I make clothes because I want all my friends to be as beautiful as me!" a third contestant exclaimed. She was a fresh graduate from beauty school and she docked Paris-quality makeup and a devilish smirk.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"She's so nice. She must be a really good friend," Leni said plainly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori, though, couldn't stop thinking of a certain girl that keeps ending up in the same class. Perhaps she wasn't exactly like that now, but she would literally be that way ten years from now. Those pupils on the digital screen screamed nothing but lies, her hairstyle was completely ridiculous (a bush with loops branching out and around), and that smile...ugh.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As the show progressed, Lori kept finding herself giving quick looks to her sister. For the most part, she appeared normal. She wasn't smiling and her eyes weren't sparkling, but they also didn't look lifeless not was that face a frown. It was just, the Leni look.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The first challenge involved everyone making a "true New York" outfit, whatever that meant. The greater part of the episode involved the production of each person's design, but as Lori soon noticed, not all the conversation was about fashion. Right off the bat, there were people talking strategy and relationships. No one appeared to have a crush on someone else (or at least not yet), but there were already arguments and vendettas that grabbed Lori's attention. In some ways, it reminded her of Los Angels, particularly the mean girls from that show. But on the grand stage of reality TV, these personalities became the highlight. And Lori couldn't get enough. Leni, though, appeared unmoved.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori still routinely checked in on her sister. She knew that Leni's body language wasn't always the window to her soul, but there were several moments where she became uncertain. Was Leni even enjoying this? Was there enough clothes going around? Could she even follow what was happening?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Soon enough, it came time to present the teams' lines. The stage was lit in the tackiest neon pink, white, and yellow millions of dollars could buy. At the end of the blessed runway were Sykes and four other people in sophisticated attire eagerly awaiting.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Come on in!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">One by one, each of the contestants emerged from behind the curtain along with an attractive model (a well chiseled figure) wearing their creation. The contestant then described a variety of details—the "inspiration", the fabric, seams, colors, and texture. As expected for a theme as nebulous as "New York", there were a plethora of interpretations. Some envisioned street clothes (to empower the average Joe), others sought to emulate the works of the big names (many of whom were the judges), and still other strove to get their creations into a museum (by being "postmodern").

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You have got to be kidding me," Sykes said incredulously as he examined the work of one woman. It was a plain white dress with sequins on it. Unfortunately, there was a noticeable rip at the bottom and, dare it happen, some of the sequins were falling off like beads, "I wouldn't even give that to Sheila! You should be a freakin shredder instead of a designer!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The camera cut to a closeup of the woman's face, whose professional stoicism was clearly struggling to stay afloat.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Get out of my sight!" Sykes exclaimed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Music played as the contestant trudged off the runway. It was that slow piano sound that Lori could have sworn to have heard earlier in that episode. The next image was the confessional cam, where the woman was wiping her tears eyes, lamenting her failure to please Tony Sykes.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That was mean. She worked hard on that dress. I thought it was good," Leni said plainly, although her voice also carried out her concern in small packets.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori turned to see her sister, whose eyes were still glued to the screen. Was she even talking to her or was she vocalizing her thoughts? Either way, it wasn't every day that Leni spoke her mind.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Just what I wanted."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Oh Leni," she said, jokingly, "You don't get it."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Her sister continued staring at the screen with wide eyes.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What do you, like, mean?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I mean that you can't just say everything is good. Sometimes, things are just bad and people need to learn," Lori replied, keeping contact with the disconnected girl, "You can't just say something is good just to be nice."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Her sister's position was unchanged.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But she still worked really hard on it," she slowly said, "and, like, I could wear that to school because it's pretty."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It had a rip! Do you really want to wear something that's literally falling apart?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">For a moment, the only noise in the room came from the TV—background music, sound effects, and dialogue. Lori saw her younger sister shrug even as her eyes remained glued to the screen.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Still, she worked hard on it," she eventually said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori sighed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You know, even if you do mean it, you have to have standards," Lori said, vision turning back to the screen. Sure enough, a more elegant white suit trotted down the runway, much to Sykes's delight. But once she looked back, she was surprised to see her sister's blank stare directed at her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Stan...dards," Leni said, confused.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Of course," Lori thought as she sighed once more.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Sometimes, you just gotta know when something is bad," she said as she pointed to the screen, "Just because people work hard and want it all to be good doesn't mean you have to like it. If you want to be a good designer, then you have to know that some clothes are horrible," her mind then started warping her from the room and bitterness morphed her voice, "Ripped, too big, too small, ugly, stuffy! Sure you can work hard to try to look good or be liked, but do you think Caro-Skyes will care?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The oldest girl then saw a strand of hair fall out of place, swinging in front of her forehead. In a huff, she blew it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lori," she heard Leni say, "you sound mad."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She slowly turned to see her younger sister who, at this point, looked nervous. Those soft eyes and unblemished cheeks immediately sedated her. How that face worked wonders. Lori grabbed the remote and hit the pause button and then allowed the plastic brick to fall into the cushion.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I had a bad day at school," she said begrudgingly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What happened?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">For a moment, she felt almost relieved by the surprise. Here Leni was asking a follow-up question. She almost wanted to thank her for thinking of it, but then something else invaded her attention. Still seeing that annoying loose strand, Lori forcefully grabbed it and slid it back into place. Meanwhile, her sister remained frozen.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You know that new dress Mom got me over the weekend?" Lori asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni nodded.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well when I went to school today wearing it," she then paused as her throat seared with a nasty, nauseous burn, "Carol. She came right up to me with her stupid face covered in stupid makeup and with her stupid fancy clothes and she literally called my dress a sewage-infested garbage bag."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">No change. Lori was bothered by this. When Leni had the care to ask her what happened, she kinda thought that gripping sensation also came with an urge to emote.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But it wasn't a garbage bag. It was a dress," was all she could say.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She wanted to sigh again, yet it came out more as an agitated groan than anything else. Maybe that would have gotten through to her sister. A signal, perhaps.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's a figure of speech," Lori explained, clearly annoyed, "she said it was ugly. And then literally, my whole day was ruined. No one wanted to sit with me at lunch," she then looked down at her normal clothes, which she had changed into shortly after coming home, "it's not fair. They had to put her in the same class as me instead of Emily! At least she would have stood up for me."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She then felt a hand touch her shoulder. She turned, and sure enough, it was Leni giving a small smile.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's okay, Lori," she said gently.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">There it was. So why was it so demeaning?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori sighed defeatedly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, things at school are gonna start getting harder," she said, gazing into her sister's eyes, "the girls you know are gonna change. They're gonna start paying more attention to stuff like clothes and purses, sometimes even boys. And some of them are gonna start getting mean to those that are easy to pick on."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Using one of her own hands, Lori placed it on top of her sister's.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," she said firmly, "I want you to start making friends. You gotta know how to talk to these girls so you have a leg up."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Sure enough, the girl did just that, securing her right foot on the cushion. She then proceeded to rub her leg as she curiously pondered how that would make her new friends. Lori pinched her nose's bridge.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No, not literally," Lori said. Even she was astonished by how much she was using figurative language. Usually, she was so direct and clear to Leni. She tried to translate, but the words wouldn't come to her. It wasn't fair, she felt. It wasn't her fault that things were changing for her. Why couldn't girls like her keep pretending that boys were gross or not have to put on makeup every day? Why did everything—along with everyone—have to "grow up"? Defeated, the fingers holding her nose slid up, eventually involving the whole hand in a facepalm.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And of course there was her sister Leni. From what she heard from around the school, her parents, and (occasionally) from the source herself, Leni had been getting by from kindergarten through almost all of third grade (where she currently was). Her classmates were aware of her circumstances and (for the most part) had been at least civil to her. Barring a few minor incidents, no one has teased her for her tics and on the rare occasions she tried holding a conversation, most of them were polite enough to acknowledge her. From what Lori knew, no one hated her sister or grew the need to harm her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Yet she has also never seen Leni come home with another kid her age. Lori had Emily and a few others. Luna, Luan, and Lynn each had at least one enthusiastic playmate. Even Lincoln had found a circle of friends at his preschool.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni, though, was by herself (unless she just wasn't telling anyone in the House). Sure she was into clothes (a good plus), but what good was that if she never willing to open up. Would her classmates maintain their stance of keeping to themselves? Would they still understand once they move on to fourth grade and beyond? Or would they start getting ideas? If she ever found out someone was picking on Leni...she'd rather not think about it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rather, she turned back to her little sister, who looked like she hasn't moved in all that time of contemplation. In a flicker, Lori also feared giving that innocent face bad advice. What if it made her as rotten as Carol? She sighed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Look," she finally said, "just promise me that you'll start talking to more kids in class."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">A pause.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But..., like, when I do I say 'hi'," Leni replied.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay. And then what do you say after that?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Silence. The audio kind. And a shrug.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That's a problem. I mean, come on!" Lori said as she pointed at the frozen still frame, "you literally have no idea how many girls love clothes! That alone gives you something to talk about. You can make friends just from that!" she then turned back to her sister, who still observed with a blank face, "I mean, how nice would it be to have someone to talk to during lunch? How fun it would be to spend hours at someone else's house reading magazines, watch shows like this, and talking about clothes?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Using her sister's arm as a guide, Leni turned her gaze back to the screen. The still it was paused on had an immaculate emerald dress being displayed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I like clothes."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"All I want is for you to be safe. Just please try to get friends because...you'll thank me some day," Lori said. She gave one last look at her sister, whose eyes were once more glued on the screen. She briefly wondered if she even paid attention to her plea. Perhaps, but for now, there was bonding to be done elsewhere. She grabbed the remote, pressed play, and was met by the cacophony of music and narration.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lori," she heard her sister say, "why do I, like, need standees?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori, though, only kept her eyes on the TV, watching Sykes sing praises to the contestant's wonderful creation. She wasn't sure if that made her excited or just more jealous. And anyhow, she had lost the urge to keep going on with this matter.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Nevermind."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Fourth grade arrived sure enough. Usually, the kids were all scrambled up into different classes, but for this year, the school was testing a new program of "community learning", where students were expected to develop interpersonal relationships beyond the confines of a single school year. Because of this, all of the classes in the school (barring the new kindergarteners) were the same as those from last year (the only thing switching is the teacher). So much for a fresh start.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The first few weeks flew by with little notice. Even with the same set of students, Leni started noticing more purses in the class. While they were limited to only a handful, these girls quickly won the attention of others that sought to be as "old" as they were. Some of the boys also started to change a little. While there were some that still cracked girl jokes and believed in cooties, others were starting to develop crushes. As Lori had saw for herself, Leni's class was starting to change now that they were hitting double digits. They may not all have been bothered, but many of them noticed at the very least.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">One morning before class started, Leni sat at her desk, twiddling her thumbs. A lot of times, she thought about clothes—coloring them, wearing them, and making them (although her parents swore off getting a sewing machine until her next birthday). Regardless, she got excited with those images, even if she couldn't act upon them. But that's just how the routine went.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thanks. I got it from Lacy's yesterday. But don't even bother with it. They only had it in my size."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Fine. I'll just ask my Mom to get me one that's even prettier!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Whatever. Either way, we're easily the most glamorous girls in this prison. Like seriously, don't they know that we have better things to do than be at school?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni looked up from her desk and saw three girls in front of her, chatting away. They were bunched together as their own unit, ignorant of the ambivalent population surrounding them. While she didn't mind too much for what the others thought, all Leni could focus on was the new dress one of the girls was wearing. It was yellow and silky, going all the way down to her thighs. Her eyes were drawn to both its color and texture, a winning combination only a specialty store like Lacy's could provide.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I like your dress," Leni said, her head directed at the pack. What she didn't expect was that on her first try, she gained their attention. Each of the girls shifted around to see the source of that voice. To them, they saw that one girl that never spoke up in class. They may not have remembered what her voice sounded like, but it was distinct enough so that they could at least recognize (if not be surprised) the few times it emerged.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well thanks," the girl wearing the dress said pompously, using the opportunity to show off her attire, "I'm glad we're not the only ones with a taste for true fashion."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And just like that, she and her friends went back to their comfortable circle. Leni only looked on from the outside, ignorant of the fact that she wasn't in it. All she could think about was that one opinion she gave and the approval it received. From her desk, she was at peace.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lori's gonna be so proud."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, Mr. Tyson has been giving me wonderful news about how you're speaking up more," Mrs. Boxer said warmly, sitting at a table beside her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"There are girls that like clothes," Leni replied.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The teacher smiled.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I am proud of you. And now that you're talking more with other kids, I think it's time we start learning about the rules of talking."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni sat there, staring at the table's wooden surface. In that moment, she was fixated to the pattern of beige and brown, how the two swirled into concentric ovals. To her, someone had to be really good at finger painting to get it from a boring white slate to something mystifying.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Could you look me in the eyes, Leni?" a voice said. Sure enough, the fourth grader brought herself to attention, freezing herself in front of the the teacher with flash cards, "One rule of talking is to look the other person in the eye. If they are talking and you don't look at them, they'll think that you don't want to hear what they have to say and they won't want to talk to you. And when you are the one speaking, you want to look the other person in the eye so that they know that they are the one you are trying to talk to."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As she spoke, Mrs. Boxer took out a card with a picture of two boys having a conversation together. Using her older finger, she pointed to each of their eyes and their directions, each right on the other. It was an ideal conversation.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"When you talk to the other kids in your class, do they look you in the eye while you're speaking?" Mrs. Boxer asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni was eager to answer; her throat cleared and her mouth was prepared to open. But then she realized something. She thought about it, for real. And it hit her that she couldn't actually remember how those other girls reacted to her. Sure her body was directed to them at the moment, but she realized only now that she didn't bother to actually see the ones she was talking to. She might as well have been speaking to a wall which, while better than nothing, didn't help her all that much. Sheepishly, she shrugged.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That's okay. If they do, then it certainly means they like what you have to say," she said as she flipped to yet another flash card depicting another scene, "If you are talking and you see that they are looking somewhere else or if they look bored, then you should ask them if they like what you're talking about. Sometimes, they could be interested and they may not be showing it, but other times they will not like it," she said as she tapped the drawing of a kid with glazed, tired eyes, "If that happens, then you can change the topic to something else that you two like."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She then placed the card down on the table.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's okay if you don't like what your friend is talking about either. It goes both ways. The most important thing is that you keep looking at the person if you're the one talking and pay attention to if they look bored or uninterested," she then placed the card back up, using her fingers to emphasize the various details of the 'bored' face, "And always remember to ask if they do look like this. Your friend will be glad that you care about how they feel."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni stared at her teacher, trying her best to remember each individual word she heard. It may not have always worked, but she was at least thankful that Mrs. Boxer spoke in a slow, pleasant tone that was easy to intake.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay," she answered, "I like clothes and I think you're great, Mrs. Boxer."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Mrs. Boxer noticed a small grin popping up on her student's face. If what she heard wasn't enough, that little gesture made it certain that she would reciprocate it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thank you, Leni," she said, even chuckling a little, "that is so thoughtful!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">With this growth (this metamorphosis) happening before her eyes, Mrs. Boxer was hopeful that Leni would soon befriend many. Once the girl learned to truly spread her wings, that task, she felt, would be easy.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">New day. New year. New decade.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">While not as spectacular as the splash ten years prior, the Louds were still excited to be ushered into a new age where anything was possible.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And of course there were coincidences. Given the size and chaos of the world, most people find it refreshing when things line up clearly. In some ways, things become easier. To some, they also create a sense of significance. It's a shame they don't come frequently.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">That said, that didn't make them impossible.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">On the last night of 2009, Rita was paralyzed by the familiar spasms. Lynn Sr. herded the seven kids into Vanzilla while offering his brittle hand to his overwhelmed wife. The rush to the hospital and the impending wait in the hallway were all too familiar to him and the older kids by this point, even with the prospect of twins.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The stakeout lasted well after sunset and into the night. It was on a date like this that the father was glad that the Royal Woods Hospital was divided into wings—childrrn's, adult's, clinic, stomach pumping. The last thing he wanted (he needed) was for a sketchy character to come within ten feet of his children. For now, he sat on the couch and watched both the New Year's Eve specials and the kids on the floor.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm gonna stay up until midnight," Lori gloated as she knelt before the small TV.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Nuh-uh! You are so gonna fall asleep," Lynn shot back, lying on her stomach.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yeah," Luna added, "Just because you're the oldest doesn't mean you'll be the only one still up!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori, though, merely snickered.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You babies don't know anything," the oldest said, "Every year, I see each and every one of you fall. Only I would know because I'm the only one of you that's actually seen the ball fall as it's happening. You've only seen clips of it the next morning."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Luan, who was sitting behind Luna, suddenly formed a sly grin on her face.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well let's hope no one balls asleep," she said. Most of the family chuckled (Lynn Sr. being by far the loudest), "Get it?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good one, Luan!" Lynn Sr. exclaimed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni sat behind the others, her back against the couch's cushion. To her immediate left was her dad's legs.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Daddy," she said, tugging his pants. The motion quickly garnered his attention.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Oh hi, Leni. What is it?" Lynn Sr. said gently.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Um..." she moaned meekly, "I, like, don't get it. All she said was, like, about falling asleep."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr. smiled and extended his fatherly hand to brush his daughter's golden hair.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Oh honey, it's a pun. Yeah she said she hoped she wouldn't fall asleep. But instead of using the word 'fall', she used the word 'ball'. As in, the ball that falls on New Years," he said, chuckling as he explained the joke, "don't you get it? It's funny."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">What Lynn Sr. got next was a blast of manufactured laughter. He was astonished; Leni had exploded into a series of hacked, forced 'chuckles'.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's funny! Funny!" she said between breaths.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr., though, gave a small smile and ruffled his daughter's hair some more.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yeah," he said, "it is pretty funny if I say so myself."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">For the next few hours, not much happened. One by one, the kids started falling asleep. Lynn Sr. cradled Lucy, who was out before nine. Soon enough, only the oldest two girls were still awake. Leni lied down on the couch, using her father's thigh as a pillow. She fidgeted a little, trying to nestle herself securely into his embrace. At one point, she looked up to see his eyes wide, his pupils racing, and his knee tightly gripped by his own hand. It was as if there were three different bubbles condensed into a tiny waiting room couch. Even in the darkness and limited blue light the TV screen provided, even she didn't need Mrs. Boxer to know about this.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Daddy."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lynn Sr. jumped up and snapped his head to the tired Leni.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What is it, sweetie," he said weakly, as if his vocal cords were being snagged by twigs and branches.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Is there, like, something wrong?" Leni asked slowly as she rested her head into his form, "you look scared."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Upon hearing this, the father forced his lips to curl into a U-shape, hoping that alone would be enough. He kept that face for a few seconds, but that stare, that stare Leni was known for giving, persisted like the hours that remained in the decade.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm just a little nervous," he sad, placing his hand on Leni's cheek. Like a lot of the other gestures him and her mom gave, she warmly accepted it, "After all, twins are a big deal."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni's eyes darted up to her Dad's.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I love you so much," he said, almost as a whisper.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">For a moment, her eyes remained on that heavenly face, as if it were an anchor at the bottom of sea. At this point, Leni was too tired to smile, but those fuzzy feelings fizzled her body, giving her those wonderful flourishes. Then, she slowly shifted away to the floor. In the corner of her eye, she could see Lori's face turned towards her. But as her head started moving to adjust to the new position, she swore that sight were an illusion; Lori quickly jerked back to the screen, focusing on the televised festivities.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Next up, a live performance by Mick Swagger!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Soon enough, though, she drifted off as well. The last noises Leni heard of the 2000s was a distant stream of guitar, drums, and some British guy singing his heart out.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Kids! Kids!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Just like that, all seven of them shot up to meet their excited father. The room had tints of sun shining through the windows. It was a new day.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lana and Lola came out while you were all sleeping. Do you want to meet them?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And so the stampede developed. Once again, Lynn Sr. guided the children through the narrow, quiet corridors of the hospital ward. They turned into the room and were greeted by the still tired Rita, holding two newborns, one in each arm.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good morning everyone," she said softly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Happy New Year, honey!" Lynn Sr. replied. And it was then that his eyes could truly register the two beautiful sights before him. The man felt something...new from seeing them. Like magic, a rope was loosened, a string carefully released. His face softened, lost all of its defense, and he proudly approached his two new daughters.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hi Lana, hi Lola," he said, his voice struggling to remain controlled in the wave of elation. He felt his eyes stinging with tears and he shamelessly let them fall, "you two are our New Year twins!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The other children started surrounding the bed, getting their own close-ups of the twins. Even in the midst of the aww's and smiles, Lori still made sure to keep her own eye on Leni, seeing how she was reacting. She appeared fine, celebrating the births as much as the next. Celebrating the new decade.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Spring came as quickly as ever. Even with two new girls around, the House maintained its normalcy. The kids still played and talked amongst each other, even though Lori felt she was getting too old for such little games. As time told, she started asking Mom to take her to the mall to get new clothes. And nice ones at that.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni was pleased to see the room's closet fill with new selections, new combinations. It didn't take long for the girl to start observing them, coloring them, and (on some days) wearing them herself. As annoyed as Lori was for this behavior, she understood it was part of the 'package'. And it wasn't all that big of a trade off if it mean she would finally be admired. After all, such a matter was a top priority for the young girl.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">With the rejuvenation came Lori's eleventh birthday. As promised, her gifts mainly consisted of new clothes, mostly from the mall. She admired and thanked her parents for getting her such valuable tickets to that final stopping point she now craved more than anything.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">But there was one moment that caught the birthday girl's attention. At one point, she caught Leni slipping upstairs by herself. Unfortunately, she was in the middle of talking to the others, so she couldn't follow her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Is she okay?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Before the crowd could dissipate, the answer appeared to be delivered. Leni returned unnoticed. Nothing on her face appeared out of the ordinary, she seemed just as happy as the others for their big sister. Did she just go upstairs for alone time? Had she really gotten above the point where she doesn't need to isolate herself so frequently? It's a shame days like then provided little time for contemplation.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And now that Lori thought about it, the past year had moved fairly quickly. Rapid changes, new additions. Was this just a way of life? Did things change all that much? Was it just a silly dream or thought? For a brief moment, Lori found herself at an unusual crossroad. Too much had happened. Was that what made it nothing more than a blur. But then change struck again. It didn't seem to matter that much anymore. Now there was simply the future.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Let's hope she likes that sewing machine Mom and Dad got her," was all she could think of before moving on.

Chapter 18: Fifth Grade

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good morning, class."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good morning, Mrs. Johnson," the class recited.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">For a few moments, the proud teacher smiled as her gaze shifted from one side of the room to the other. While it most of the teachers at Royal Woods Elementary were passionate about their job, Johnson had a reputation for being especially devoted. She wasn't the best at educating, but she loved children and she couldn't help but take time out of her day to appreciate them for who they were. Her students could tell and they had a high level of respect for her, although sometimes they felt she went a little too far. The silent stare did create some confusion.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Eventually, though, Mrs. Johnson started sifted through her bag. In the midst of winter, it was already stuffed with materials.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"First thing's first," she said as she searched. Eventually, she found two Manila folders stacked with papers, "I have your tests from last week."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Mrs. Johnson, carrying the stack, walked up and down the aisles to hand back individual tests, "Some of you did quite well, others could do better, but I want you to know that I believe that all of you can do it," she announced as she did this, "Keep working hard, ask for help if you need it, and tell yourself that you can do it."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni kept staring forward at the clean chalkboard. She nearly missed the piece of paper being slipped onto her desk. She glanced down on it and noticed the 'C-' printed in red. Her eyes scanned the test, being particularly drawn to the x's, circles, and notes scattered across the white and black surface. As was typical for her schoolwork.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">It was a math test and it covered operations with decimals (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division). Leni knew math wasn't easy for her, but that never stopped her from trying to get it, to really nail it down. And while she felt she got a lot of help, she was disappointed that it didn't yield ideal results.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Starved by desperate curiosity, her expressionless face scanned the desks around her in search of other red markings. Most of the ones she saw had a 'B' or better. Was the concept that elementary? That even after studying and extra help, she still couldn't match her peers. It was times like these that Leni was glad she could slack to her default look ('indifference').

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Now that that's done, I have an exciting new assignment for you all," Mrs. Johnson said, her voice pumped by enthusiasm. She swung by her desk and pulled out a second Manila folder, "Group project!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Most of the class broke out into its usual chatter. From their persona experience, they knew that Mrs. Johnson had fun projects, even if they rarely cared for their educational value.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Alright, settle down everyone," she said over the noise. Sure enough, it did. as usual, she started speaking as she distributed the sheets, "You will each be in groups of two or three and you will work together to make a poster board about the American Revolution. On the sheet provided are some topics you can do research on. I would like you to include at least three topics on your poster. After that, each group will present their poster in front of the class."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Each student took the time to read over the paper and most of them instantly became excited by one sentence on the sheet, "You are free to choose who will be in your group."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Now since everyone is present today," Mrs. Johnson said as she oversaw the class before her. Sure enough, none of the seats were vacant, "I will let you pick your groups today," her vision then gazed to a bloc of five girls in the back corner of the room, each of them with purses and other accessories, "Remember, no more than three."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Just like that, the room exploded into sound. About half the class stood up and moved around. Many of these kids were barely even thinking about which direction their legs were moving in; they knew who was sitting where. By this point in the year, relationships have deepened even further (and cemented by yet the third year this exact roster was in place). It was common sense.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni quietly sat at her own desk. Her eyes wandered from her desk's wooden surface to the numerous clusters of classmates that had developed around her. Her throat was relaxed and had no intention of winding up. Her arm was tired and lacked an interest to rise up. Her deepest fibers were comfortable with maintaining the status quo; why get up and move or talk right now?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">But the girl was suddenly surprised by a buzzing happening in her head. It was small and largely insignificant (certainly not enough to get her body moving), but it was poignant enough to make her think. Now that she did observe what was around her, this configuration was more than just a one-time ordeal. Memories of other times flooded her mind of other group assignments. Sure she ended up in a group, but only after the teacher (whether it was Mrs. Johnson or otherwise) asked an already established unit to put her on like a jacket on a summer day. It was a pattern. Why was it only now that she was becoming aware of it, she thought.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," she heard Mrs. Johnson say as she approached her desk, "would you like to find a group to join?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Beat for beat. As that buzzing amplified, Leni jerked her head around the room, trying to find a group that she thought might accept. While a lot of them already had three people in them, what she thought about more was her inability to leave her seat. Here she was, having this urge, this itch to prove something and she couldn't get up. To her, it felt embarrassing.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Is Mrs. Johnson looking at me funny?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That group in the back only has two people. Why don't you join them?" she said gently with a smile.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Too slow. Have things always been like that? Was the world suddenly on fast forward?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Using Mrs. Johnson's hand as a guide, Leni's eyes followed it to the back of the room, where two girls were giddily talking amongst themselves. Each of them had purses and distinguished themselves with their sophisticated sweaters and yoga pants, among the only five in the class to adorn such attire.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Cassidy, Tara," Mrs. Johnson called out. On cue, their conversation halted and the two girls brought themselves to their teacher's attention. What became striking to her was how their faces drained of emotion. They both looked like her in that moment, "Would you mind letting Leni join your group?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The two girls glanced at each other, their faces remaining unmoved. And then, Cassidy slowly nodded.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Before Mrs. Johnson could speak, Leni grabbed for her things and moved them to an empty desk near Cassidy and Tara. Those empty stares. Leni was aware of how difficult it could be to translate emotions into tangible expressions. Were they all that much like her? That underlying tension chewing at her as she looked back at them. Is that how she has made others feel this whole time?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"So I literally cried so hard when I found out she broke up with him on live TV," Tara said, turning to Cassidy. Leni, meanwhile, twidled her thumbs as she silently spectated the two-way talk.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Me too! And then my brother came in and he was, like so annoying! He didn't get it. All he wanted was to switch the channel to some stupid basketball game."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Ugh! That's the worst! When will he ever learn?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"And he's already in, like, sixth grade. He's never gonna get a girlfriend if he keeps being so smug."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The two continued their fierce gossip about Cassidy's brother (who's name isn't shared). All Leni could do was observe this dome from the outside. And to think this project was supposed to be about something. If only she could think of any potential topic to include with it. Besides, it's not like she had anything else to talk about.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But then I saw her literally wearing a T-shirt. A T-Shirt!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No wonder we don't like her. And because of that, no one likes her. I mean, what girl in their right mind wears a T-Shirt?! How old are you? Like, two?!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I uh," Leni blurted out. Her tongue got jammed, the words were stuck. And those faces were staring at her again. Even with the intimidation they wrought to her, she still took the time to slowly untangle and speak, "Why don't we, like, have fashion from the American Relation and put that in our...um, project?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Cassidy and Tara turned to each other once more. All Leni could was wonder if that's normal. Was it?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Um," Cassidy eventually said, stilted, "well that's not due for, like, another month."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But, like, shouldn't we be talking about the project right now?" Leni asked, staring down at the information sheet. Although it had little detail on an initial group discussion, the due date was clearly printed in bold. Additionally, she could make out some of the other conversations happening amongst the different groups. She may not have made out all the words from the clashing noises, but she could at least make out "American" and other words that she recalled Mrs. Johnson using in class. What made them so different?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"We'll get to it," Cassidy repeated.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And the words dissipated. Leni felt like her voice faded out. Again. Cassidy and Tara simply went back to their conversation. All she could do was sit there and listen. A lot of it was gossip (the two girls complaining about other people and inconveniences of daily life). They talked a lot about their proclaimed friends and what they were up to. Setting frequently bounced from one friend's house to another's back to the school, followed by a trip to the mall, and then back to Tara's house before having to go to 'lame old school'. Cassidy and Tara were awfully fast talkers. Too fast. Even when they talked about clothes, Leni tried reaching out to say how she too likes clothes or how she herself has started making them (thanks to a sewing machine she got for her last birthday). But the window was there. And gone like that.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Was this how Mrs. Boxer described conversation? Cassidy and Tara were both looking at each other, none of them looked bored, neither side went on a monologue, they kept their personal space, and the comments weren't that rude. Leni understood the part she was playing; she paid attention and was actively trying to show that she cared about the topic (especially when it shifted to clothes). But she began observing (oh how Mrs. Boxer would be proud) of her surroundings. Was it natural for a three-way conversation to have the speaker perpetually only look at one person? Was she just being impatient that she hasn't been asked a question yet or given a turn to talk? Was she not smiling wide enough for them to see? Was she being rude in the presence of such tolerant girls?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"The model they got for Tween Queen this week is gorgeous!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I know. Last week's was so disgusting, I literally almost unsubscribed!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's all in the eyeliner. My parents were like 'Not until you're fourteen'," Tara said nasally, "Ugh! I hate them so much!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I would die! And I thought waiting until twelve was bad!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">So that's what girls in fifth grade read? Leni suddenly felt bad that she had never heard of some of these things. Had she been living under a rock this whole time? Now that she thought about it, she recalled some of the fits Lori got into about things.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"And then it got to the dresses and they were simply fab!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"My parents will never get it for me! It's so expensive!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And then she threw her mouth open.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It must be a nice dress if it's, like, a lot of money," Leni said, desperately trying to get her words in, lest one of the others continue.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The two girls turned back to her. Their eyes, mouths, nothing. Did they even appreciate her input?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well yeah," Tara replied, "it's, like, $200."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Before Leni could add to that, Tara jerked her head back to Cassidy and went back to their conversation. Leni gazed at Tara, the one that had the bother to acknowledge her existence. Did she look pleased? Was that enough?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">But the answer was two girls talking more about magazines that she never heard of. If only she saw those pictures they were describing, the articles they read, the paper they touched.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And to think they were all supposed to be bonding over the 'American Relation'.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The blonde girl turned to Mrs. Johnson.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You're free to join Mrs. Boxer."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She then turned to the door and saw the teacher waiting joyfully. It seemed like an escape.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni obliged. She stood up, gazing at Cassidy and Tara, who were both staring at her. Why were they doing that? Why couldn't they just go back to talking about whatever it was? That's what the others were doing. Right? Leni slowly stumbled up the aisle, approaching Mrs. Johnson's and Mrs. Boxer's smiling, eager faces. Oh, how they were guardians in that moment. They knew her. They knew how it should be. Right? And that question carried itself all the way out of the room.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mrs. Johnson told me you're working on a group project," she said, givin her student a hearty smile, "Are you, Cassidy, and Tara having fun?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni stared at her teacher's reassuring face. What was there to say? She could say 'bad', but then that would make her partners look malicious. They weren't bullying her. They weren't trying to be mean, right?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes...it's about, uh, the American Relation," Leni said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Mrs. Boxer chuckled.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I believe it's called the American Revolution," she said, being careful as usual to not hurt the girl's feelings.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Oh, okay," she replied, her voice clearly unaffected. But Leni couldn't bring herself to look back at Mrs. Boxer. She could only bring herself to keep her eyes on the hallway before her. It wasn't even an act of forgetting; the girl felt a force pulling her in the opposite direction of the teacher, as if she were a spider. Perhaps it was just a bad day. Maybe that silly mind of her's was acting up again. Tomorrow, everything would be back to normal.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Right?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Soon enough, they were back in the room. That small, white room with that same old table and chairs. It was familiar. Maybe a safe space was what she needed to relieve this uneasiness. Leni clumsily found her seat and eyed Mrs. Boxer as she casually took her's.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Today, we'll be learning more about conversation," Mrs. Boxer said, "Have you been talking with Cassidy and Tara?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes," she replied, even with a voice reminding her of her doubts.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What topics got brought up?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Silence. Those precious seconds following the question were far from comforting to her. Were these moments always like that?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Clothes. We'll get to the project soon," Leni replied.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hmm. That's okay. Sometimes, it can take a little time for ideas to come to us, especially on a big project like this," Mrs. Boxer said, trying to sound reassuring. All Leni could wonder was whether or not her teacher was a psychic. Her hungry curiosity wasn't that obvious.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Thankfully, the matter didn't come up again for the rest of the session.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lunch time came. It was about time. After that weird morning, Leni hoped to forget her distress with a little quality cafeteria food. Besides, they were serving hot dogs today.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Unfortunately, given how she was stashed towards the back of the clumps of students, such relief was quite far. She was stuck in place, unable to move even a step forward without bumping into some poor kid's back. Realizing she was parked, Leni decided to look around the cafeteria, trying to find at least some pleasure in the ceiling, fluorescent lights, nutrition posters, Luna sitting alone with her homemade lunch.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Fascinated, she drifted from the clump. As she approached her little sister, the presence of empty chairs surrounding her became as prominent of the walls in the room. Once she was close enough, Luna looked up and saw her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hi Leni," she said, putting on a smile, "wanna sit with me?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The offer was too great for words. Leni, without even speaking, took a seat next to her sister. Luna then took out a fresh sandwich from her bag.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Want half of my sandwich?" she asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No thanks," Leni answered, opting to plant her hands on the table. As she started eating the sandwich, Luna was puzzled by the lack of food her sister had.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Are you okay, Leni?" Luna asked, suddenly concerned.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">To Leni, though, her sister sure was one to talk. Now that she thought about it, she did recall quite a few times in the past where her little sister had brought other girls over the House. She remembered her sister personally inviting her to join them, partaking in their rambunctious antics. Were they all sick that day? Sure it was cold out, but all of them?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Where are your friends?" Leni asked, "are they in line?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Luna's eyes widened. Her mouth halted, letting the sandwich mush sit on her gooey tongue. Leni noticed immediately. Was it the wrong question? Was her tone too rough? She tried telling herself she didn't mean it. Maybe Luna would finish chewing so she could answer her. And then everything would be alright.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Why is still looking at me like that?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After a long pause (that Leni was all too familiar with at this point), her sister closed her eyes and swallowed her food. All either of them could hear was the unintelligible chatter of the student body. Why wasn't Luna opening her eyes? Leni suddenly felt a rush of anxiety, fearing that she had hurt her sister's feelings.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm sorry," Leni said. She then leaned in and hugged her sister. She felt a jolt as she made contact with the younger Loud. Was she really that invasive of personal space? Even in a moment like this?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thanks, Leni," she heard her say softly, "you're the best."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Why are you here all by yourself?" she asked, still embracing her. She then started rubbing her back, as if that would encourage her to open up. She never imagined seeing any of her siblings feeling sad, especially not Luna. What a day this turned out to be.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Because I don't have friends," Luna said sadly. Even though Leni couldn't see her sister's face, those words compelled her to tighten her grip.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What about those girls you hung out with? Aren't they, like, your friends?" Leni asked innocently.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She remembered those times when those girls let her join in. Even if she couldn't recall their names, those girls were wonderful, she thought. They were nice, encouraging, funny, and overall great kids. As was Emily. Leni may not have been a social butterfly, but those memories were simply wonderful. But come to think of it, she hadn't seen those girls around the House much. What was Luna getting at?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"They moved on," Luna said, sighing," They found other kids to be friends with, so...they don't need me anymore."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni clenched her eyes as she squeezed Luna even more.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"That's sad. Why haven't you tried to find new ones?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Too tight," she replied as she gasped for air, "You're...hurting me..."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The older Loud recoiled and shot up her Ducky arms. Her eyes trembled as she tried to make out each detail of Luna's face. Her sagged eyes and frown did show disappointment.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's at me, isn't it?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm sorry," Leni blurted out.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Luna sighed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's okay," she answered, looking on the ground, "I know you're just worried about me."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">That was reassuring, Leni guessed. While she lowered the Ducy arms, she pitted her hands down to her chair's surface. She used her arms as some sort of brace, embarrassed to be in such a situation. Was she always this pushy?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I have tried to make new friends," Luna said, looking back up to face her sister, "but it hasn't worked out. No one likes the things I like...and I don't have any talents I could use to impress them," she then sighed, "Lori was right."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">At first, she wasn't sure what to say. Was she always this slow for words? But what came quickly was a vague recollection of Lori telling her the same thing she told herself some time ago. Was this what she meant? If Luna knew, why did it take her so long?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">How long has Luna been sitting alone at lunch? What kind of big sister was she?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rather than stalling, Leni fell back into a hug once more. It was all she knew how to do.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I can be your friend," was all she could say.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Surprised, Luna couldn't help but smile. To her, it was charming knowing that there would be at least one (more like five) that were willing to be there for her when she needed it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thanks," Luna replied. It wasn't much, but she meant it. And with that, she too returned the hug, not caring if the "sophisticated" girls saw her acting this schmaltzy. Leni, though, hoped that her sister would be enough to make this silly day all worth it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Right?

Chapter 19: Present Happenings

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Now whenever you're talking to someone, it's important to remember connotations," Mrs. Boxer said as she sat with Leni, "Connotations are like synonyms, where there are two or more words that have similar meanings."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay," she said as she twidled her thumbs, her eyes losing focus.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But just because a word has the same definition doesn't mean that it's exactly the same. Sometimes, a word can remind them of other things and that can make them feel different than what you expected."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Silence.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What do you mean?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Indeed, Mrs. Boxer expected this lesson to be difficult. But she also knew that she couldn't keep holding her student back; she really was getting better. Fifth grade has been a wonderful year for Leni.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It can be hard and everyone has slightly different ways of seeing each word, but there are some that are bound to affect a lot of people," the teacher said as she took out a series of flash cards. Unlike most of the ones she had used in the past, these were merely simple ones bought from a stationary shop as opposed to ones produced by a printing company. Each card had two words written by Mrs. Boxer's own pen.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, could you look up please?" Mrs. Boxer gently asked. The girl obliged like a robot, "look at these two words 'wet' and 'moist'. Both of them have the same definition, but which one would you rather hear?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni wished she was good at these questions. Even with her progress, she still had difficulties here or there, especially when asked for her opinion. For the first time that day, she felt disappointment. Why couldn't she just give a straight answer?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Wet," she said, her voice lacking any confidence.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hmm. What do you think of when you hear the word 'moist'?" Mrs. Boxer asked, using her finger to point to the word.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">To Leni, all she could ask was what kind of question that was. Sure there were some 'bad' words out there, but 'moist' wasn't one of them. Right? It was just another collection of letters that people like her use. Unable to answer, much to her dismay, she shrugged. Was she always this oblivious?, she wondered.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Very interesting," she replied, "you may not mind it, but there are other kids where 'moist' makes them go crazy. These people say that the word makes them feel uncomfortable," she then placed the card down, "It's okay if you yourself are not bothered by the word, but it's important to remember that others might be. Think about how they feel as you talk to them and ask yourself how they would react to words like that."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni found her mind accelerating with confusion and anxiety. It felt like the world was making less sense. Why were there so many rules to conversation? How was Lori able to do it all without going mad? Why was she having these thoughts when they weren't there before? What's going on?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"How," Leni started, raising her arms, "do I, like, know if others like a word or not?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Mrs. Boxer started shuffling the cards.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"There are a few ways," she started, "One is to listen to the words they use when they talk to you or others. If they feel comfortable saying the word themselves, then more often than not, it'll be okay for you to say it to them. Most words are perfectly fine to say to most people, but if you're ever unsure about one, you could also ask them. If you bring the word up like that, then even if they don't like it, they won't be uncomfortable. In fact, they may even be glad that you care about their feelings enough to ask."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Mrs. Boxer gave off a smile, but Leni was unmoved. She merely sat there and absorbed what her teacher was telling her. All the while, her mind was replaying interactions she could recall off the the top of her head. Now that she was thinking of this, she was forced to dig through those words to see if she had done that very mistake. From what she could remember, no one snapped at her for something she said. Right? Yes, and yet how could she know what she had said. She couldn't remember the exact words she had said. It's not like she had paid attention to the words others were saying. And she certainly never asked other's if they were okay with certain words. How could she really know?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Let's move on to another example," Mrs. Boxer said as she pulled out yet another flash card, this one with the words 'white' and 'pale'. And as she took in the following questions, she had a mantra playing in the back of her head.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I have a lot of work to do."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Happy Birthday, Lori!" Rita exclaimed as she gave her oldest daughter a hug.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mom! Dad!" Lori exclaimed as she felt red tinge her cheeks.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Sorry," Lynn Sr. said, barely able to contain his excitement, "we're just so proud to have our little girl another year older. Twelve's a big milestone!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Even as she rolled her eyes, her lips couldn't help but shoot upward.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good thing the girls aren't here to see this."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Eventually, Lori was able to separate from her parents. With the morning now underway, Lori decided to grab an apple for breakfast. She wasn't hungry and she knew she could survive skipping a meal, but her parents would be all over her case. Just last week, her Mom had sat her down for a talk about 'puberty' and 'anorexia', issues that posed a greater risk as she was preparing to start junior high. She wasn't willing to draw more of their attention than she was comfortable with.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori headed into the living room and looked around. Thankfully, no one was around (a miracle in a place with nine kids). Once she was assured security, she scanned the apple and its shiny red surface. She then pressed it with her fingers, hoping to sink in a little.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's kinda soft."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She slowly brought it to her mouth and maneuvered it in an unusual position. She prayed that the surface was as soft as she thought. And then, with wavering uncertainty, she sunk her teeth into it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Immediately, she recoiled. Her entire mouth seared with agony. Her pupils became dots. She tapped her foot in the hope of making the pain go away. Although it did recede with time, there was a lingering unease that clamped her lips shut, her tongue to hold firm. Lori then looked down to see the apple, where there was a small crater of dimples on a small section. It wasn't even deep enough to make the red skin dangle.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori stared longingly at the "bite". She scolded herself, demanding to know why she picked an apple of all foods. Her teeth had been acting up for a while now. She should have known by now that such hard food was hard to eat.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Are you trying to make Mom and Dad discover this?!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She shuddered at the repercussions that would come out of that. But then she found a new determination to at least eat the part she had started. She slowly brought the apple and her mouth slowly started to lower. If she went slow enough, it wouldn't hurt, she figured.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Happy Birthday!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She shook. The teeth seethed through, ringing new pain. It was too much. Lori dropped the apple on the couch and pressed her hand against her mouth. She couldn't help it this time. She clenched her eyes shut to keep her tears at bay. She fought nearly instinct to keep herself from screaming.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Oh my gosh! Are you okay?" she heard. In that moment, she dreaded that voice. Why did it have to barge in? Even though she tried to hide her problem, couldn't she take a hint?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The pain was impossible. She couldn't see anything, but she got the last thing she needed. Suffocation.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm sorry I, like, surprised you. Are you okay? I'm sorry."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori forced her eyes open to see her little sister smothering her. She used her hand to rub her blurry eyes, puckering her lips to suppress the burning sensation. So much for a happy birthday.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," she said through the pain. Her voice trembled, "it's fine..." she then groaned as she remembered the more pressing matter, "just don't...tell Mom or Dad."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I know. You, like, told me," Leni said, her head gently fitted over her big sister's shoulder. For a moment, she replayed the scene that just transpired. Knowing that she had caused that, "But why are you, like, doing this? If your mouth hurts, shouldn't they know about it?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori aggressively shushed her, paranoid that others from the other room would hear. All she heard was commotion, mostly from the younger siblings. As the pain started to fade, she relaxed her lips.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I told you this as well, Leni," she said, annoyed that she had to repeat something she felt was so elementary, "if they find out, then they'll take me to the dentist and he might give me braces. Do you have any idea what that would do to my reputation?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Even as they held that hug, largely under Leni's discretion, Lori was irritated by the lingering awfulness her mouth left, even in the absence of damage. Not helping was the silence to isolate this feeling.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Reputation?" Leni asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori sighed. To her, today was not the day for Leni to do this to her. Sometimes, she honestly asked herself why her little sister couldn't just get it. Some things just had to be known, given how simple they were. Or at least, to her they seemed that way.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I could lose all my friends if I got braces," Lori explained, getting nervous as the thought came to mind. While she wasn't fully sure they would betray her, she knew them well enough to know that they could let little things get to them. Oh, this path she has chosen, "they literally make your teeth look nerdy and my friends don't like that. Do you understand?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni felt her eyes widen. She suddenly felt a nasty flare in her chest, a weight that she had to bear. All she could think about was her little sister Luna, whom she had been sitting at lunch with every day for the past two months so she wouldn't feel lonely. Even if Leni herself didn't mind isolation, she had slowly come to realize that her other siblings were quite bothered to not have someone to play with or talk to; they always needed someone other than family that liked (or loved) them. And the least she could do, or so she figured, was to support her other siblings' efforts to maintain their friendships.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm sorry," she said, trying to comfort her big sister.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori sighed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You haven't done anything wrong," she said, resigned as she ran her hand up and down Leni's back. At this point, her mouth was numb, "just remember to not tell them...and don't surprise me when I'm trying to eat."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As Lori was contemplating whether her problem had worsened from that incident, Leni suddenly pulled herself away, leaving the older Loud to see her face.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Happy Birthday, Lori," she said gently.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Now that she could see Leni's face, she couldn't help but feel stricken by it. She never expected that her sister was able to produce an expression like that. Sure, there was a small smile, but the corners of her lips were barely tucked, as if they could easily slip away. And her eyes carried this heaviness that Lori could only conclude was a disproportionate flourish of regret.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I didn't yell at her, did I?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">At first, she wanted to say something about it, see if she could get to the bottom of this. Was Leni hiding something? Did someone see her lack of friends, her social awkwardness, her slow mind and start taking advantage of her? If anything was wrong, wouldn't Leni or someone else have already publicized it? But after a little consideration, Lori jumped to the conclusion that she was simply overreading all of this. Even though she was supportive of her little sister, she still conceded that Leni wasn't good at showing her emotions; any effort to do so could easily end up looking unnatural or ghastly, even if the feeling was genuine.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thank you," she said. And, in addition, "I love you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Hopefully that should be enough, she figured. Leni got up, still holding that face, and headed upstairs. Lori watched as this happened. She wondered if her sister had only gone downstairs to speak to her and was now heading back to do whatever. Lori noticed that ever since Leni got that sewing machine, she had been spending more time in their room working away. Sure she still came down to play with her siblings, but the others were starting to see less and less of their second oldest sister.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori thought to herself that on one hand, this experienxe definitely produced results. With the help of a help book, her Mom, and a (lot) of practice, Leni had become remarkably proficient at sewing; by now, she was able to make shirts of at least four different sizes and styles. While she did find it annoying to have a bunch of extra shirts lying around, she couldn't help but admire her sister's acquired skill.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">But on the other hand, even with her improved social skills, she found that Leni wasn't utilizing them much more than she had in the past. Lori felt that her sister could easily make friends (given her kind heart and fixation with clothes) if she could just come out of her shell. It was right there, and yet there was little drive to reach there. Sometimes, Lori was consumed with the question of why. Does Leni even know what she could be? Of what "better" life was waiting over the wall?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"She should be spending time with us! It's my birthday for crying out Loud!... Dang it, Luan!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">With a newfound determination, Lori got up (not even bothering with the apple) and ascended the stairs to their room. Along the way, she noticed the ladder leading to the attic was exposed. Lori made a B-line towards those wooden creaky steps, hoping that she wasn't gonna find something her expectations conjured.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">But upon reaching that part of the House, she didn't find anyone. Her eyes raced across the room, trying to spot some lumps. Her ears became attentive as they tried to make out noises, particularly of shuffling. When nobody appeared in the vicinity, Lori proceeded to walk around, seeing if anyone was hiding. In her search, she unveiled various tarps and moved some boxes, common hiding spots. But nothing.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Looks like she already left," she thought, "Figures that she forgot to close it."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After one last scan, she exited, making sure to close the hatch upon reaching the bottom step. But then, she felt a pit in her stomach re-emerge. She knew full well what the date was. Possibilities swirled as she contemplated the reasons Leni could have been up there. Did she parouse? Did she take anything? How is she feeling?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And then she walked towards their room. Each step was more difficult to take than the last. While she couldn't hear anything new as she got closer, her heart rate accelerated. Did she want to see what was behind that door? Once she was in front of the wooden barrier, she held her hand out. It initially just stood there like an unmoving statue. She tried to make out any sort of sound she could. She thought she could hear some buzzing, but her mind was too preoccupied to think through what it could have been. But then, in a hasty motion, she opened it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Inside, she saw Leni's back. Behind her was the sewing machine at work along with some elongated fabric hanging off the desk. The soft pounding the machine produced as it nailed in each stitch was a calming drone that even Lori had to admire. But then she snapped out of it, realizing that Leni continued to work, as if she didn't even hear the door opening.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," she said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">All she heard was the drone. She was in her bubble, Lori supposed. She then wondered whether she should pop it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Would that make me a hypocrite?" she asked herself, "Dang it, stupid teeth!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">But what would happen if she didn't? At least Leni doesn't have to hide an orthodontist's nightmare. And besides, Lori noticed that her sister's nightstand had its drawer open. It was just hanging there, begging all sorts of questions.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">But on the other hand, she didn't want to startle her. She really didn't want to go through the trouble of explaining herself. Not on a day like this. She figured that Leni would come down on her own time and on her own terms. She had to at some point. And that notion was reinforced when she noticed something on her bed, a thing covered in wrapping paper.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori reluctantly sighed and closed the door. She slowly headed back down, making sure to move gradually enough so that any new sound would be detected. None amounted.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Once back in the living room, Lori plopped herself on the couch. That stupid Apple was still there. Trying to ignore that fruit, she grabbed the remote and flipped on the television. Not much was on Saturday mornings. Aside from reality shows. She flipped to one of those weight loss stories. Lori had seen a few of them.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">They were usually about some grown up (usually a woman, with the occasional man) wanting to drop a few sizes so they can fit into that fancy dress they went to prom in. Deep down, Lori wasn't a fan of them; they were formulaic and manipulative, trying to suck whatever emotion it could through the most eye-rolling tactics she had ever seen. Some days, she wished she could see something that was truly heartfelt, something she could touch with her hand and feel true acceptance. But her friends had other interests.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She lied down and just let the show play, not really paying attention to it. Twelve years old. Oldest child. Here she was, trying to fit in and be someone everyone (especially her younger siblings) could respect. Her parents have already been discussing letting her babysit now that she was becoming mature. She guessed that was cool. She had even sounded excited when they brought up the prospect. Soon, she could boast to all her friends that she didn't have a sibling problem like they did. And that was exciting. That's what would bring a thrill. Right?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Move over! The Lions are gonna play soon!" Lynn exclaimed as she jammed herself on the couch's edge and switched the channel.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori lethargically moaned, her body unwilling to move.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You're taking up the whole thing! Move!" Lynn whined, kicking Lori's feet. The older Loud reluctantly condensed her form, allowing her little sister to cozy herself. Lori gazed at the screen where two commentators were throwing out names and numbers that had no meaning to her. This wasn't heartfelt either.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Lori!" Lynn Sr. exclaimed, "could you join me and your mother for a minute?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The oldest Loud slowly got up and moved, not looking at her younger sister or the screen. She detected the location just from the sound, a place she or the other siblings rarely entered: her parents' room. It was uncharted territory stuffed in the corner of the main level, a mystery to most. It was a simple space, sure, but even Lori was astonished to absorb each nook and cranny the room had to offer. And there on the master bed were the two parents, smiling at her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well, as you requested," Lynn Sr. said as he produced a wrapped package from under the bed, "none of your siblings will be drawn to it. Unless you want to show it off to them, of course."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori was handed the package and felt the flexible, soft surface. It was like magic. She wasn't in the mood, yet it was exactly what she asked for. Mom and Dad were good parents. At least they kept their promise.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thanks," Lori said, without smiling.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Your father and I were gonna go on a 'date' this Friday," Rita said, exaggerating her finger movements, "We'll let you try it out. And remember, it's okay if you're not up to it. Most kids around here don't start babysitting until they're thirteen or fourteen."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">This time, she worried that if she didn't reply in a timely manner, her parents would get concerned. And so she nodded.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No. I think I've got it," Lori replied, bringing the package close to her chest, "And thanks again."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Anything for our birthday girl," Lynn Sr. said, smiling.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">To prevent the conversation from running any longer, Lori exited the room. Besides, her mind was already contemplating how to get this thing to her room without the others noticing. They would see it, with time. She slipped through the corridor, her eyes focused on the presence of other siblings. She maneuvered herself, trying to avoid notice. Thankfully, she made it all the way to the stairs without garnering any of their attention, not even the erratic Lynn. Lori slid up the stairs, her eyes again focused on the presence (or absence) of Louds. Fortunately, she made it already back to their room without being questioned about anything. A miracle, indeed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Inside, she saw Leni working on her bed with wrapping paper. She was trying to cover a dress with the stuff, again the door's sound failing to throw her off. It was then that Lori understood what was happening and she tried to work her way around her sister to sit on her own bed. With her face to the wall and window, Lori grasped the package she had. She briefly eyed it before ripping through the wrapping paper.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Sure enough, the promise was kept. It was a plastic bag with a Halloween costume inside. It was a drill sergeant costume for girls with all the pieces included. It had the boots, the hat, sunglasses, and even a functional whistle. It was remarkable that her parents were able to get a complete costume like this in the middle of April. She even felt bad that she didn't thank her parents even more than she did.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"This isn't overkill," Lori thought, trying to reassure herself, "This will make me respected. This will make me special."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She then opened the bag and pulled out all the pieces. Sure it wasn't real leather. Sure it wasn't the best fabric. But it got the effect across. And with that, she turned to her sister, who was finishing wrapping her dress.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well, Leni," she said, trying to put on the best cocky accent she could, "I'll have you know that Mom and Dad are gonna start trusting me to babysit you all," she boasted as she placed a hand over her chest, "so you and all the others are gonna start doing what I say and there's nothing you can do about it!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori then tucked her lips into a smug-ish smile. She even tried popping her chin. But upon looking down, noticing that Leni's face was blank. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary, but it bothered her more than usual.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I have some presents for you," Leni said plainly as she made her way over and handed her two packages, "I hope you like them."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Did she not realize the news? Why wasn't it working, Lori wondered. Perhaps because it wasn't Friday yet. But still...

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori grabbed the two presents. She took the top one and opened it. It was a simple blue dress, just her color. The texture was soft, she noticed rather quickly. None of the stitches seemed out of place; the whole thing felt like a natural connected piece. While she was unsure whether it was the right size, she couldn't blame her if it wasn't quite right. After all, she never asked her for her measurements. And anyhow, she admired how much her sister loves her, that she poured all this time into makin such a fine dress. And to think she was almost eleven years old.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thanks Leni," Lori said, smiling, "this is such a wonderful dress."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">But her sister didn't smile back. To Lori, that was weird. Even Leni smiled when she saw someone in her family do it too. It was a mixture of genuine affection for family and a compulsion to imitate what she saw. What was going on? Did she simply forget to do that?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Lori then brought her attention to the second present. It was a noticeably similar shape. Not willing to hesitate and potentially hurt Leni's feelings, she opened the present and her eyes widened. It was...also a blue dress. She grabbed it and it was just as soft as the other, just the same amount of stitching, just the same size. It was, as far as she was concerned, the same dress in every way.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Please don't tell me,"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni..." she said, holding the dress, concerned, "why did you make the same dress twice?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And then, she noticed Leni's eyes darting back and forth. Her lips even curled inward, forming an overall awkward expression. She scratched her head, moved around. For the better part of five seconds, it was nothing but nonverbal communication. What was she trying?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well," she said, "I, like, wanted you to have two. That way if, like, something bad happened to one...then, like,...um..." she paused and scratched her head, her eyes moving a mile a minute the whole time, "like, you would have another to wear."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Silence then enveloped the two. Lori immediately assumed that Leni was lying. She knew her sister was never good at it, let alone hold a conversation. Why would she even try to do that? It was then that the notion struck her again. Did this have to do with...what April 23 meant? It must have. Why else would there be two dresses?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">But then she looked into Leni's eyes. Was she about to make things more awkward than they already were? Was she about to draw attention away from the fact that her sister loved her enough to make her two beautiful dresses? She already had enough on her mind. And anyhow, this conversation could be set for another day.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I will get back to her on this," Lori told herself. And then she thought once more about all the clothing she got for her birthday, dresses and costume aside.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And with that, she got up and hugged her little sister.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thanks," Lori said, "you're fantastic at making dresses."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And pulled back.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni appeared stunned at first. She was surprised that someone other than herself would initiate a hug, especially Lori of all people. The older Loud understood that confusion. Even she was stunned that she did that. To think that she would be that mushy of a big sister. She was supposed to be an authority.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I love you, Lori," Leni then said, finally smiling.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And that made Lori grin in return. There was the Leni she knew. There was the Leni she wanted.

Chapter 20: Day Trip

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Vanzilla hummed along the damp highway. Leni stared out the window, captivated by the individual raindrops slide down the glass surface. She envisioned them as shooting stars in a night sky, moving in distinct paths at varying speeds. To her, it was magical how they were able to do that even though they were made of the same water, falling on comparable positions on the window. And yet, they always managed to find their own unique travel to arrive at a individual destiny.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She and Rita were the only ones in the vehicle, the two of them sitting next to each other in the front. Leni recalled her mother saying something about this, but was ashamed by her inability to remember. Meanwhile, Rita was grateful for her husband, who agreed to pick up the kids and walk them home.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"So, like, where are we going?" Leni asked, particularly confused. It was a school day, yet she specifically was pulled out.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I told you. We're gonna visit Dr. Henry," Rita said gently.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Doctor? Am I, like, sick? I don't feel tired or woozy or, like, bad," Leni replied, suddenly concerned.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita giggled, much to her daughter's confusion.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You're fine, Leni. The one we're seeing is a different type of doctor, not like Dr. Tyson," Rita said. On cue, she slowed down to yield to a traffic jam ahead. She used this opportunity to face her daughter, "This isn't the first time we've seen Dr. Henry. When you were little, we saw him quite a lot."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni perked her head, a mannerism she had been getting more acquainted with in recent months. Now she was lost. She didn't remember anything about a 'Dr. Henry' and here her mother was saying otherwise. She figured she must have been really young or...she didn't want to ruin the morning already.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What do you mean?" Leni asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"He helped your father and I understand you better."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The car in front of them pushed forward, allowing Rita to nudge Vanzilla. Once she was anchored, she turned back to Leni. She was back to focusing on the raindrops. Was that enough to answer the question? It seemed that way; Leni did have a way of investing herself in things she finds amusing. Rita then shifted her focus back to the traffic.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You needed a special doctor to, like, figure me out?" Leni asked in a plain voice, however the curiosity was apparent to Rita.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes," Rita replied.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The rain picked up in fervor, allowing the drops to clatter against the window like marbles. Leni must have had quite the spectacle to witness, the mother thought.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Oh," Leni said. And then, she turned from the wet window to see her mother, "Couldn't I have just, like, told you like Lori or Luan or my other sisters and brother what I like and stuff?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">A pause.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Well...when you were younger, things were differe-"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I like clothes. I like making clothes and touching clothes and feeling clothes. I love Lori and Luna and Luan and Lynn and Linky and Lucy and Lana and Lana and you and Dad. I like those girls in my school that wear clothes and, like, talk about clothes and talk to me. I like Mrs. Boxer and Mrs. Johnson because they are nice to me and teach me nice things and I always try to remember those things because that's what they care about and they want me to do good and be good."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita was baffled by how quickly Leni was speaking. She had never seen her talk with such drive over such a long period. Not to mention her eyes penetrating the space separating them, such a direct stare.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I understand you very well, Leni. Over these past few years, you have made remarkable progress," Rita said, giving Leni a smile, "I know you can tell others who you are and what makes you special."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Any marker of Rita's laughter was reined in as she tried displaying a direct approach. Her daughter picked up quickly. All she could see was her mother shifting her focus between her and the road in front of her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But it wasn't always that way," Rita added.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As Leni looked at her mother's serious expression, she herself tried piecing together whatever she remembered. Now that she thought about it, she started to wonder why Mrs. Boxer didn't teach anyone else in any of her classes.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Tell me more," Leni said, staring at Rita.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The mother turned to her daughter at the next halt from traffic. The convenience of this long traffic jam briefly floated in her mind before returning to the ground. She then gave a small, supportive smile.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay," she said, using this opportunity to place a hand on Leni's shoulder. By now, the eleven-year old was sitting upright, head turned to her mother.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"The first time you came home from the hospital, you were the cutest thing me or your father could have asked for. It was so exciting for us all to have you around. We treated you and Lori with the same amount of love and care and she just couldn't get enough of you. And for a while, everything seemed fine,"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita then chuckled as she remembered some adorable antics the two infants got into, much of it flying over Leni's head. Once she noticed that her daughter wasn't smiling, she cleared her throat and continued.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But then when you were about a year old, we started noticing things that weren't...normal," she then paused. Rita knew that Leni, while not always showing it, could pick up things from even the smallest oversights; she understood that each word had to be carefully chosen.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Things would happen and you wouldn't react. One time, you were in the kitchen and I was making you breakfast. I dropped a whole bunch of pans and it made a big sound throughout the whole house. Your father was sleeping and he jumped out of bed, thinking a robber broke in," she then looked directly at her daughter, "you didn't even flinch."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Traffic started clearing up, forcing Rita to take her eyes off her attentive daughter.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Go on," she heard Leni say.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">A brief pause as she got Vanzilla moving.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But it wasn't just that," Rita said, her voice dampening, "you almost never wanted to play with Lori and after Luna was born, you didn't want to spend time with her either."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni was immediately conflicted. Vague images began surfacing, ones she wasn't aware of before. While they barely told a story on their own, her mother's words bridged this gap well. Too well for Leni's comfort.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But I, like, love my sisters and Linky," she said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I know you do. You're a very loving person, Leni. But back then, there were times where you were in your own world, away from it all."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The girl then started pouring through all those daydream sessions she had, all those extra seconds she spent doing things.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"And then we tried teaching you how to talk. We would spend hours using the same things we used to help Lori, but we couldn't even get a sound out of you," she said, starting to get anxious by the possibility of an unexpected reaction, "Eventually, we took you to Dr. Tyson and had you examined. He had some ideas of what was going on, but this wasn't something he could do by himself. He's not that type of doctor. So he sent you to Dr. Henry, special Doctor, and he figured out what was going on."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">By then, the traffic was mostly clear and Vanzilla was moving at a steady pace. The wheel's contact with the pavement and rain's with the windows were the only audible sound.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Wait," Leni said, finally making a connection, "is this about that weird word that you and Dad, like, use sometimes when you're talking about me?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes, honey," Rita replied, trying her best to keep her eyes on the road, "because of him, we found out that you have autism."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni already noticed how connections were penetrating her mind; memories that were once isolated episodes were now interlinked to larger trends. But this was the one theme that she felt encompassed a lot of what she experienced. All in one, silly-sounding word.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"So why are we going back?" Leni asked innocently, "Did they, like, find something else wrong with me?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita's eyes widened as she felt her heart jumped and hands gripped to the steering wheel. She was grateful there were no nearby cars, otherwise she wasn't sure what might have happened.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni Loud," she said, trying to ground her voice amongst her shaky breathing and firm lips, "there is nothing wrong with you. You have your own way of thinking and seeing the world. Just because it's different from other kids doesn't make it wrong or less valuable. And you have come so far in making others appreciate all the wonderful things you are. You have blown us away and no words can ever tell you how proud I am of you!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">On cue, Vanzilla approached another spot of heavy traffic, allowing Rita to stop and face her daughter.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Do you wanna know who else is blown away by you?" Rita asked, softening her lips into that of a reassuring smile.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Her daughter's attentive stare said it all.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Dr. Henry."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What?" Leni said, confused, "He's a doctor and, like, really smart. How could he be surprised at anything?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Smart people don't know everything and they can't see into the future," Rita said, occasionally monitoring the highway, "When he first saw you, he was worried that you wouldn't get very far. He thought that at most, all you would ever be able to say would be one or two words. But what he didn't know was how much you, your father, and myself wanted you to overcome that."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita then turned back to Leni, who had an indiscernible expression. And so, she smiled again and continued. By then, the road had cleared up.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"We found out when you were pretty young, so we were able to act early," Rita said, finding a smile to give herself, "Thankfully, your Dad and I knew tons of people that were able to help you. Remember Maddy?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni was unable to answer, but that name did generate a fleeting image of an older woman with jet black hair. Was that her down there? Deep in the subconscious?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"She came to the house three times a week and worked with you. She taught you how to read and talk," she said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">By now, Leni's cheeks were red hot and her tummy was full of butterflies. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she could easily tell that this was not something she could be peaceful for. Was it embarrassment? Shame? Pride? Why couldn't she figure it out?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Maddy adored you and loved helping you. But at the end of the day, you were the one that pulled it off," Rita said, recollecting the times she watched over those sessions, "You had this determination to learn how to talk. We were all amazed by how hard you worked. And...well, here we are."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She turned the steering wheel as Vanzilla zoomed off the exit into Detroit. During all of this, there was silence. Rita was consumed by a worry. Does her daughter understand how remarkable she is?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Can we see her on the way home?" Leni asked. Thankfully, nothing in her voice suggested sadness, "I want to thank her for helping me?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">While her immediate concern was at bay, Rita still felt her spirit dampen. Not that she let it show.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Sadly, we can't see her in person. She moved away a couple years ago," Rita said softly, "but I still talk to her on the phone and she thinks of you every day. You continue to inspire her even now. She's usually busy during the week so if you want, we can call her this weekend and you can talk to her."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay," Leni said calmly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">For the next minute or so, Rita concentrated specifically on the road. The city was filled with care, low speed limits, pedestrians, and traffic lights. Despite living relatively close, the Louds rarely ventured into Detroit, only going in for day trips. Rita was ashamed by her discomfort with driving in a place that lacked the familiarity of Royal Woods.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"So when we get to Dr. Henry's office," Rita said while stopped at a red light, "he's just gonna do some tests with you to see how you've been doing."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni, though, was too absorbed by the sights outside the window to listen. Rita, though, simply attributed it to excitement of being in 'the big city'.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Soon enough, they arrived at the children's hospital. It was a large building wrapped in stainless glass windows. The gray clouds dampened the reflection. Right outside the main entrance was a large blue statue of two stick figures holding hands. Leni admired this simple, yet fitting piece of architecture. Once they found a spot in the parking garage, they headed in a special entrance in a different wing of the building.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The lobby was a colorful room. The walls had rainbows, animals, and smiles painted across, immediately capturing Leni's focus. Rita smiled at her daughter's erratic head movements as they made their way to the counter, where a smiling man was seated.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good morning, how may I help you," the receptionist said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hi," Rita replied, "we're here to see Dr. Henry."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Your child's name?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni Loud."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The man proceeded to tap the name into a nearby computer. Sure enough, all the appropriate information appeared.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay, yes," he said, giving a smile, "Dr. Henry will see you shortly. Feel free to make yourself comfortable in the lobby."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thank you," Rita replied. She then offered Leni her hand and the two walked over to two open seats. The room was fairly empty; they and the receptionist were the only occupants on that morning. Once they were settled, Rita pulled a yellow notebook and a pen out of her purse. She opened to where she left off and wrote in it. Unfortunately, the process had been slowing down for her. Just yesterday, she got a burst of ideas dropping all over the page. Now, she was all tapped out and was practically squeezing her creative fibers for new content. Oh, the agony.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Are you, like, having another baby?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita perked up to see Leni staring intently on the bright yellow covers. It didn't take long for her to connect the dots.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"No, honey," Rita said, shaking her head, "we're gonna wait a few more months before that...process starts."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She then started scribbling lines onto the page, meaningless strokes to give the impression of progress. The mother lamented the lack of ideas. Why was everything so devoid of excitement?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Then what are you writing?" Leni asked, her eyes continuing to drill into the object of interest. In that moment, none of the colorful paintings on the walls could have drawn her focus anywhere else.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Oh...this is just for...um...work," Rita replied timidly. Now was a time more than ever for new ideas, "just keeping track of all that stuff."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Oh..." Leni said, her voice dropping off. She then turned to look around the room. Rita briefly observed her daughter, making sure she was settled, and then she returned to her book, the pen frozen above the white surface.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Meanwhile, Leni passed the time mostly through sitting. There were some toys strewn about the room, but she had no interest in them. She gazed at the walls, her Mom, the man behind the reception counter. She pressed her hands together, played with her fingers, tapped her feet, the usual stuff. And through all that, her mind running wild with commentary. There was much she wanted to tak through by herself.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The Louds turned their attention to the voice. Emerging from a door was an older man with gray curly hair and thick black glasses. The defining feature, though, was the badge he wore around his neck. Rita got up and shook his hand.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Dr. Henry, glad to see you again," she said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"The same can be said for yourself," he answered warmly. The man then walked towards Leni, who was silently seated, staring at him with a blank face, "Good morning Leni. It's been a while since I've last seen you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni sheepishly stared up at the man standing before her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hello Dr. Henry," she said slowly, even allowing her lips to gradually curl into a smile.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Your Mom has told me a lot about all the great things you're up to these days," he said, smiling as well, "my grandniece is crazy about fashion. She reads all the magazines, see what new clothes are in. She always comes to school dressed to impress. I think she would love to meet you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Hearing that made the girl's eyes glow, always a good sign to Dr. Henry.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I like clothes and I make them too," Leni said, the excitement gently lifting her voice.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I think that's wonderful," he said before turning to Rita. After a momentary glance, he shifted back to the young girl, "we're gonna head to my office now and do some tests. Okay?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni nodded, another gesture she was growing used to.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The girl got up and walked alongside Dr. Henry. Once they caught up to Rita, she took up her daughter's other side and the trio headed through the door.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The hallway was remarkably narrow, the walls saturated with navy blue. For the most part, it was a typical hallway. The only noticeable point of interest was a section where one side was covered in transparent windows. Leni peered through them and saw what appeared to be a ball pit and net above it all. To her, it looked like the perfect playground.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Eventually, the group turned into a relatively large room. The ceilings had blinding fluorescent lights, the walls were the purest shade of white possible. The space was divided into three corners. One had a desk, full with a computer, mini bulletin board, and book shelf overseeing it. In another was a bed that Leni recalled seeing in Dr. Tyson's office. And yet another was a blue leather couch. The one entity connecting these sectors was a prominent circular table in the room's center, stocked with boxes, folders, and papers.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Dr. Henry invited Rita to take a seat on the couch while he and Leni settled at the round table.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay, Leni," he said as he grabbed one of the little boxes. Inside were a bunch of colored wooden blocks, which he spread across the table, "we're gonna play a game."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay," Leni simply said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm gonna show you a bunch of pictures and I want you to move around these blocks so that they look like the picture. Does that make sense?" Dr. Henry said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni glanced at the collection before her. She then nodded.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Alright, then," he said. He then took out a packet and passed the first page over. It was a picture of nine squares of various colors and arrangement.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni stared at it for a few seconds before glancing down at the block. She slowly raised her hand and grabbed one block, an orange. She pinched it as she looked at the table, trying to determine where to place it within the blank space. Soon enough, she decisively planted it in the middle of the open space. This process repeated for each of the parts as she gradually assembled the creation. During all of this, Dr. Henry observed her and scribbled into a clipboard. After a minute, she correctly arranged all the squares.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Very good," the doctor said upon Leni's completion, "Now, here's another one."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">He then flipped to another page before handing it back. It was a different configuration, but it used the same nine blocks. At first, the girl wasn't certain how to proceed. She just stared blankly at the picture, her mind not really moving. In her complacency, she gazed at Dr. Henry and caught him bringing his pen to his clipboard.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What's he writing in that thing?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Was it something bad, something that reinforced the fact that there was something wrong with her? And who could forget her mother, who was spectating from behind. What was she thinking about all this? How would she react if she read whatever this doctor was jotting down? To Leni, these thoughts caused her heart to accelerate and for her mind to wake. Her eyes frantically went to the diagram and she forced her hands to move quickly. She couldn't stop. She didn't want to stop. It must have taken less than half the time for her to complete this diagram correctly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">There were about eighteen more of these problems. While Leni found herself able to solve them in a reasonable amount of time, she kept staring back at Dr. Henry, seeing if he was writing in that ominous brown clipboard. Whenever there was a point where she was idle for even a few seconds, panic seeped its way in, forcing her to respond. Luckily, she got most of the diagrams correct.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Very good," he said. But Leni knew that was the same thing he said after each problem. Now that the test was over, was there more to say? Was that all?, "Now, I want you to take a seat up there," he said, pointing to the bed. The girl obliged and did so. Dr. Henry went to his desk and opened one of the cabinets. He quickly pulled out a white, hammer-like instrument.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Next, I'm going to test your reflexes. I'm gonna tap you very lightly with this," he said. Her eyes then averted from him, opting to focus on her supportive mom. She suddenly felt her chest squeeze itself tightly, "Don't worry, it's rubber. You'll barely feel it."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni then saw her mother smile.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's okay, honey. He's not gonna hurt you," she said warmly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">It took her a moment to internalize that. Leni still felt nerves pulling at her, telling her that the hammer was much harder than it was (or at least looked). Dr. Henry could clearly see her anxiety and gently touched her hand. This contact sent shockwaves through the girl's body. She was thrown off by how soft the doctor's hand felt. It was soothing. She gradually felt her heart slow, her nerves loosen, her mind to relax. She turned her head to him, seeing his reassuring face. He looked a man that was only trying to help. And so she gave in.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">He hovered the hammer over her knee and tapped it. Sure enough, the bottom half of the leg popped up appropriately. Dr. Henry then went to the other knee and repeated the process, to a similar result. Just what we hoped to see. He then did this to various points on her body, each tap immediately met with a visual and proportionate reaction. All he could think was the dramatic improvement from when he did this when Leni was a baby, where there was little to no jerking movement.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Very good," he said upon completion, "Now on to the next test."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Throughout the morning, Dr. Henry conducted a series of examinations on Leni. Most of them involved the two sitting at the table working with paper. Leni was tested on her communication, identification of faces, and reading comprehension. To her, this largely felt like a session with Mrs. Boxer, only that she wasn't learning anything new. Sprinkled into this morning were tests that involved moving around the room and out in the hallway. She was asked to walk around, touch certain points on her body, stand up straight, and other odd requests.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">As Leni performed these tasks, she felt comfortable completing them successfully. But she kept finding herself noticing Dr. Henry's clipboard. It seemed that every motion, every sound, every second she was in his sight warranted something being written in that thing. It was a question that burnt in her mind, a parasite that wouldn't go away. What was it about her that made him have to document it? Was she doing something wrong? Was she a freak of nature in his eyes?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Alright. That's the last of them," he eventually said with a smile, "you two are free to sit at the table. This shouldn't take more than a few minutes."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Dr. Henry sat down at his desk. He scribbled down some last second observations on the clipboard before turning to his computer. He opened up a special program and began typing his findings into it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Meanwhile, Leni twidled her thumbs as she sat at the table. Rita grinned as she was beside her.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"You were great," Rita whispered to her daughter. Leni, though, barely acknowledged it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The next few minutes were without words. Leni had no desire of starting a conversation. Her thoughts swirled around clothes and clipboards.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Did Mom just take me here to see me mess up?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">At one point, Leni glanced at her mother. She appeared to be the same loving figure she's known as long as she could remember. Her mom would never make her feel bad about herself, right?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The silence was eventually ceased when Dr. Henry got up from his chair with his clipboard and claimed a seat at the table.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," he said. The girl shot up, staring at him, "you did remarkably well on all the tests," his vision expanded to also include Rita, "Leni has improved in every aspect. Her reflexes and motor skills are up to par, her cognition and reasoning have gotten better, her speech and reading are well on their way to being up to that of her peers."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita's smile grew as more of this news was revealed, as was Dr. Henry's.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I must say," he continued, "you Louds have proven me wrong. And I've never been happier to not be right."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thank you, Dr. Henry," Rita replied. She then gestures to Leni and nudged her shoulder. Leni snapped herself to attention.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thank you...Doctor," she said slowly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"If I may, I would like to speak to you alone out in the hallway," he said, pointing to his clipboard.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita nodded her head. She briefly grinned at Leni, to assure her that she trusted her, before following the doctor into the hallway. The room felt empty. Leni's eyes graced through various corners of the room, trying to find some entertainment from the dry setup. She then tried thinking of clothes, what new designs she could develop. Oh, the number of colors and fabrics there were to choose from. She figured she could make a dress for Luna or a T-shirt for Lincoln. They would love that, right.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">But then she heard something, some mumbling. That buzzing sensation in her ears quickly caught her attention. She jerked her head back towards the long white wall. It was louder from this vantage point. Curious, Leni got up and pressed her ear against the settled plaster.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Her progress has been impressive," she heard Dr. Henry say, "I'll forward it to the school where they can then make recommendations."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Do you think she may not need an IEP anymore?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Not right now. I don't think her skills are quite developed enough yet. But I would urge Mrs. Boxer to start teaching her more advanced concepts. And I don't think she'll need to see me again. I also think if she keeps improving, I would say she would be all set to end her Plan at the end of tenth grade."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"What do you think they should focus on for her?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mostly comprehension skills. I feel as if her reading and math skills need the most work. Do you know how's she been doing in school for those subjects?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Ow"Yes...those are two subjects she's been struggling with. She's not failing, but she needs a lot of help to understand the concepts."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hmm. Perhaps Mrs. Boxer can help her out with that on top of speech therapy. Of course, this also ties into cognitive and reasoning skills. Whatever help you can give her will be ideal. But overall, she is on a good track. She should be proud of herself."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">A pause.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm...astonished by her. Especially in the last year or two, she's really been blossoming. I got her a sewing machine last year and already, she can make clothes. She even made Lori a dress for her birthday."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm quite glad to hear that. It's good that she's finding a hobby and pursuing it. If I were you, I would encourage her to use that passion to get involved and make friends. I have a feeling a lot of kids her age share that interest and would be happy to use that to befriend her."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I feel the same way. And she's so friendly that I have no doubt she can easily become liked too. Lately, she has been speaking up more and she's been telling me about these girls she started talking to...I'm glad she's been opening up a little, but her interactions are still limited...I haven't seen any of these girls come over our House to hang out. I gave her a cell phone a while back and she doesn't have any of their numbers on it."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Just give her time. Sociability can develop slowly in those on the spectrum. She may really like these girls, but it may not be in her nature to interact with others."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Do you think it's something Mrs. Boxer could help her out with?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Only to a fault. Speech therapy can help somewhat, but I think she also needs additional encouragement. Keep asking her about her interactions. Keep praising her when she makes a new friend. Make her feel comfortable doing it. It may not happen overnight, but I think she can do it."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thank you Dr. Henry."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She then softly heard footsteps and a door hinge swinging open.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay Leni, are you ready to head out," Rita said, now holding a stack of papers. Leni obediently joined her mother and stood by her side.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, it's been wonderful working with you," Dr. Henry said, smiling, "you have exceeded my expectations. I want you to know that you have a great future ahead of you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni gazed at him before mirroring his grin.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thank you," she said gently.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The three of them wave goodbye and head out. Even as she followed her mother out, Leni kept her eyes on Dr. Henry's supportive figure as she moved away from him, letting him and the (distant) memories of him shrink from view. Once she could no longer see him, she turned her focus forward.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The walk to Vanzilla and much of the drive back was without note. By now, school was out for the day.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Thanks Lynn."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Fortunately, Royal Woods was relatively close from Detroit. Much of the weather had cleared up, leaving the sky to be a dry gray. Still, Leni found herself gazing out the window, watching the cars roaring along the pavement, the buildings, trees, signs, and other landmarks they raced by. However, in a surprise, Rita deliberately made a pit stop. It was in a parking lot outside the grocery store.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"We just have to pick up a couple things before dinner," Rita announced as she got out of the car. Leni followed her in.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">To her, the grocery store had always been a boring place to go to. There were no clothes to be felt anywhere, most of the food items were things she didn't even like, there was nothing to do, and there was nowhere to sit. Leni just saw the grocery store as a place to stand around and wait for Mom to find what she needed. She hoped that this time, mom was telling the truth when she said "couple things".

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The two of them were parked in the paper towels aisle. Given the short lifespan of the stuff (and toilet paper), no Loud trip to the store would ever be finished without a stop by this section. To pass the time, Leni leaned against some of the items. She tried thinking more about clothes, of what types she would make next. She thought more about Luna's new dress. But then she remembered Luan, whose birthday was technically next in the calendar year. She lamented how she could overlook a member of her own family. What kind of big sister was she?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Rita!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Eileen!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni was drawn from her thoughts once more as she saw two people approach her mother. One of them was a woman about Rita's age with black hair. She smiled as she waved 'hi' and started talking to her. The other was a boy about her age. He had a white t-shirt, red sweat pants, and unruly brown hair. What Leni noticed, however, was the black tablet he carried in his hand. The boy found himself wandering around the vicinity, touching most of the parcels neatly stacked on the shelves.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hey Leni," Rita said cheerfully, "do you remember Derek? You two went to preschool together."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni saw the boy still picking through individual items, his back facing her. She nervously wove to him.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Derek, honey," Eileen said, smiling. On cue, the boy dropped a mini package of toilet paper, letting it fall on the tile floor. He then stumbled as he turned to face all of them. Eileen then gestured to the girl on the other side. By now, Leni had her Ducky arms up.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"This is Leni," his mother said, "you two knew each other a long time ago," she then stared at him and threw up her open palm, "Say 'hi' to her."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hi Derek," Leni said, softly curling her lips into a smile.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The boy stared at her. For a solid ten seconds, the two made eye contact. Leni simply smiled, hoping that would encourage him to open up. After all, Dr. Henry said himself that time is the ingridient to conversation and friendship. Indeed, Derek eventually held up the tablet and used one of his fingers to tap on it. She waited happily as he did this.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Hi. There," a voice said. It was monotonous and detached, however the boy's mouth wasn't even moving. He simply held his finger in midair as he stared at the tablet's screen. He was frozen for several seconds, his face clearly indicating concentration.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Then, the rest of his fingers unbended, forming his hand into a single shape. While holding the tablet with one hand, the other drove itself into his cheek.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Here, let me help you, honey," Eileen said, rushing over to him. After a whole minute of trying to gesture to him, she saw her chance to finally jump in. She grabbed the tablet from his hands and typed into it.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni," the machine said.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">She then held it as she used her hand to work out some of its other functions.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Who on Earth would name their baby girl Leni?" Eileen thought to herself, "It's not even a nickname! Why couldn't it be something easier to spell, like Helen?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After typing that name several more times into the program, she handed the tablet back to Derek.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"And saved," Eileen said proudly, leaning into her son, "now you can just click on the 'L' box and be able to find it."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Derek stared off in the distance as Eileen went back to Rita to resume their conversation. Leni observed him, trying to remember seeing him before. After a brief moment, she was able to conjur up several brief scenes of her interacting with him. They didn't say much, though. Did he like her? Did he like clothes too? And, after seeing him not smiling, did he need a hug?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Seeing an opening, Leni started walking up to him, extending her arms out, hoping he would notice the offer. He never seemed to turn away from that imaginary point he was fixated on. She just kept moving. And then, once she was close enough, she wrapped her arms around, enveloping him in a deep hug.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Derek tensed. He was frozen in place. Leni didn't care, though. To her, all he needed was a little affection. But then he started squirming, trying to break away from her. Suddenly Leni was confused, which made her grip him tighter. Derek's lips were clenched, however he started panicking, making a muffled scream. This caught Eileen's attention and she raced over to them.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, let go," she said, her voice wracked with concern.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Instantly, Leni jumped back, throwing up her Ducky arms. She saw fear and pain in those eyes of his. He screamed once more, bringing his hands to his head. Eileen placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke gently in an effort to calm him down.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm sorry!" Leni exclaimed, genuinely ashamed of the disturbance she caused, "I was just trying to hug him a-and, like, make him happy!"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">After several moments, Eileen rubbed her son's back and turned to the Louds.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's okay, Leni," she said softly, "Derek doesn't like to be touched by people he doesn't know very well."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I'm sorry!" Leni exclaimed again. This time, Rita went over to her and hugged her daughter.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Leni, it's okay," Eileen said, watching the mother and daughter, "you didn't know. And you only did what you thought was best. It's okay."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni, though, had her face on the other end of the aisle.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Is Derek mad at me?" she asked sadly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"He's not," she heard Eileen's voice say, "he knows that you care a lot about him."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Following a brief period of silence, the two groups calmed down and parted ways.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Have a nice day," Eileen said as she and Derek departed, the former waving at the two Louds. Leni, though, couldn't help but keep staring in that direction even after they were out of sight.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Are you okay, honey?" Rita asked, seeing her daughter.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni sighed tiredly.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Yes," she said resigned, "but, like, I didn't want to hurt Derek."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"I know you didn't. But don't worry, he forgives you."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Even with that effort of reassurance, Leni's mind was still consumed by the entirety of the matter. The incident (Derek's screaming) kept replaying in her mind, as if it were a bad nightmare.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Mom," Leni said, still not facing her, "why does Derek have that thing in his hand?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">A pause. One that was long enough for Leni to discern. What was going on? Was this just a terrible prank that wouldn't end?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"He uses that to talk, honey," Rita answered.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">At first, that seemed to make sense. After all, it did speak out words that were tapped into it. It was a simple tool that one could use anytime. But then, she started noticing things. She was suddenly rife with curiosity.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But...like, why doesn't he get someone like Maddy to, like, teach him?" Leni asked. And, only then, did she turn to see her own mother, eyes full of desperation, "Like you did for me?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita's face told so much. Leni could pick out something wrong. Was her mother hiding something? What could it possibly be?

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita sighed.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Derek's parents weren't able to find someone like Maddy. People like that cost money and they weren't able to pay it," Rita said, hoping that was a satisfactory answer.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni, though, was still troubled. Her frown was quite upsetting to Rita.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"But...if parents, like, love them, then they could have, like, gotten something," Leni said, her voice succumbing to mere rambling, "what's gonna happen to Derek? Don't his parents, like, love him?"

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Of course Derek's parents love him," Rita said. This time, she kneeled down and placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder, "They did everything they could for Derek. Even now, he goes to a special school, his mom and dad give him all the love and attention he needs."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">The young girl merely stood there. Her head fell to the ground, her eyes too tired to be attracted to the neat tile lines.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"It's just not fair," Leni replied softly, "Derek should be able to, like, get the things that you and dad gave to me. He's, like, a good person and I wish his mom and dad had more things to help him out."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">From her viewpoint, Leni felt herself being pulled into an embrace. She looked up to see her mother smiling.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Oh Leni," Rita said, "I think that's very sweet of you," she then looked down at her flustered daughter, "you should think about doing something to help out kids like Derek."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Leni, though, was at a loss of thought.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Like what?" she asked.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita's eyes widened as she looked around. She noticed some of the passer us were staring at the scene happening.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"We can come up with some ideas later," she said. Rita then pulled away, allowing herself to see the entirety of her daughter's face. That horrible frown was gone, "I don't want to put any pressure on you, but I think it would be wonderful if you could do something."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">Rita then gave Leni a kiss, causing the girl to giggle.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Okay, I'll think about," Leni said, finally smiling.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">"Good."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"TimesNewRoman";font-size:medium;font-weight:normal;">And with that, the two Louds got up and continued their shopping. For the first time in a while, Leni found an air in the store that wasn't just boredom.