Thread:MrAnimatedToon/@comment-31647719-20180801204708/@comment-32807753-20180804225452

(I wanna add something)

Lola: We should've won that KCA award!

Lincoln: Maybe next year, Lola. Maybe next year.

(Back on track)

Lori: (sigh) I'll explain it to you later.

Teri reached into the tide pool and pulled out a hermit crab, giggling as it crawled across the palm of her hand.

TERI: Darcy would love to have seen all of this.

''Lincoln and the girls looked at the other many creatures that were in the tide pools. There were more starfishes and sponges, tiny fishes, hermit crabs, and even some seashells. Lincoln decided to pick some as a souvenir for his other sisters.''

LINCOLN: (picking out shells and placing them in his pockets) ...And one for Lisa, and one for Lily.

''The girls let out sighs at relaxation. After a while, Teri sprang to her feet.''

TERI: Well, I think that's enough resting for me. I've still got some energy left. What do you say we head back to the spot and get my volleyball? Anybody up for a little round?

BECKY: (grins) You're on!

''The group climbed down from the rocks and headed back to their spot on the beach. Teri took her ball out of her beach bag.''

TERI: Alright. Since I suggested this, I'll be captain of one of the teams.

LORI: Fair enough. But I get to be captain of the other team.

TERI: Sure. Okay then. For my team, I pick... Lincoln!

Lincoln smiled bigly upon hearing this.

LORI: (under breath) Dang it. (at normal volume) Alright. Then I pick... Becky!

TERI: And I choose... Dana!

CAROL: (smiles) Well, I guess that puts me on your team, Lori.

LINCOLN: (playfully) Prepare to bite the dust! Or... the sand.

LORI: Oh really? Because we’re gonna bury you on the ground!

LINCOLN: (narrows eyes) You wanna make this game more difficult? How 'bout first team to make FIFTEEN points wins?

OTHER GIRLS: (in unison) Oooooooh.

TERI: The little guy enjoys a challenge, I see. (grins) I like it!

LORI: Then game on!

Lori: Pfft. I wish I knew how to play volleyball.

[The sisters look at Lori]

Lori: Uh... I didn't say anything!

''The group headed over to the volleyball net. Lori's team got on the left hand side, while Teri's got on the right. Teri then tossed her ball up and hit it, sending it over to the other side of the net. Lori struck it back and then Dana hit over the net. Becky hit the ball and when it reached the other side, Lincoln gave it a powerful strike and sent it flying over and out of Carol’s reach, earning his team the first point.'' TERI: Nice move.

LINCOLN: Thanks.

''The game continued on for a few minutes. Eventually, it had come to a close match with Lori’s team having a score of 13 and Teri’s having a score of 14. Lori was up to serve and ready to win.''

LORI: (grins) This is it…

''She tossed the ball in the air and struck it, sending it over the net. Lincoln barely missed the ball, but with one swift movement, Teri gave it a hard hit and sent it flying over both the net and Lori’s team. Teri’s team had reached the winning score!''

TERI: Heck yeah!

Teri, Dana and Lincoln high-fived each other.

LORI: Oh, dang it!

BECKY: Hey, come on, Lori. We did our best. And at least we had fun. (nudges Lori) That’s what really counts.

LORI: (gives a small smile and chuckles) Yeah. I guess so.

Teri’s team ran over to meet with Lori’s.

LINCOLN: (offering out hand) Good game, guys.

LORI: (high-fives Lincoln) Good game.

''The other girls shook hands and high-fived each other. Just then, Lincoln’s stomach began to rumble.''

LINCOLN: Oh. (chuckles embarrassingly) I guess all this energy has worked up my appetite.

LORI: Well then, I guess the leader of the losing team should buy lunch. I’ll go get my wallet.

DANA: Actually, Lori, that won’t be necessary.

LORI: What? Why not?

BECKY: (turns to Carol) Carol?

CAROL: (rubs arm embarrassingly) Um… (chuckles) I-I know this seems like a bit much. But I felt that this was just such a big occasion that I kind of went and made lunch for all of us.

LORI: What? Carol, you didn’t need to do that.

CAROL: I-I-I know! But I just felt that this was a special event. I knew this was gonna be a big day for Lincoln. I wanted to make this special for him. And it’s also my first time going to the beach with you guys too. I figured the least I could do was provide the food as a way of saying thanks for letting me hang out with you guys these past couple of months. It really has meant a lot to me.

LORI: (smiles and pats Carol on the shoulder) Well, if that’s the way you feel, then thanks.

LINCOLN: Could we perhaps go and eat this lunch now?

LORI: (laughs) Okay okay, let’s go eat.

''So Lincoln and the girls walked back to their spot. Once they got there, Dana and Becky laid out their beach towels together to form an area for them all to sit on while Carol carried a large picnic basket over. She then emptied its contents onto the towels. Inside were twelve wrapped-up sandwiches, a container holding some leftover chicken, a bag of carrot sticks, a few bags of chips, another container with slices of watermelon, and one containing some leftover chocolate cake. The other girls and Lincoln looked at Carol with raised eyebrows.''

LORI: Carol…

CAROL: I-I-I know it’s a bit much! But I was just so stressed out and I didn’t know what type of sandwiches you would have wanted and there were still some leftovers from last night and I… (sighs) yeah, I guess maybe this is too much.

LINCOLN: (grabbing a paper plate) Well, too much is still certainly better than nothing. What type of sandwiches did you pack?

CAROL: Half of them are PB&J’s and the others are all grilled cheeses. Those are the only types I know how to make.

LINCOLN: That’s good enough for me!

''He grabbed one of the sandwiches and placed it onto his plate, then added a few carrot sticks and a bag of chips. The girls laughed a little bit before grabbing their own plates, and began to help themselves. Once their plates full enough, they all sat down and began to have lunch.''

BECKY: (bites into chicken leg and chews; through mouthful) Hmmm… this is…. (swallows) pretty delicious!

Lincoln: And she's a good cook too?! Ooh, boy. Sounds like another Loud member she'll be competing with. Cough. Dad. Cough.

DANA: (eating sandwich) Mmm hmm! (swallows) Carol, this is really good! Did you make all of this yourself?

CAROL: (blushes) Yeah, pretty much.

LINCOLN: Where did you learn to cook this good?

CAROL: (in an uneasy tone) From… my dad?

[The sisters and Lincoln gasp]

Lisa: Awkward...

''Lincoln’s expression changed from one of interest to one of guilt. He remembered how Carol had told him about how her parents were divorced and felt that he had just brought up a bad subject to discuss.''

LINCOLN: Oh, s-s-sorry. I-I didn’t mean anything—

CAROL: No no! I-it’s fine! Really! (takes a deep breath) B-before my parents split up, my dad was the resident cook of the family. He made our meals EVERY night. Once in a while, Mom would help him out, and usually she was the one who made lunch. But really, Dad did a lot of the cooking. And as you can probably tell right now, a lot of the stuff he would cook was pretty tasty.

LINCOLN: (to Lori) Kind of reminds you of our own dad, huh Lori?

Both of the siblings laughed.

CAROL: Anyways, before my dad moved away, he left behind a lot of his recipes for my mom to cook. He knew that her and me and my brother liked his cooking, so he felt he should leave something behind for us to remember him by. And at first, that really payed off. Soon, Mom was making dinner for us, and the meals tasted just as great as when Dad made them. But then eventually, we began to stop having homemade meals and Mom began to bring us takeout pretty late in the evening as her job started demanding her to work overtime more often. And while we do enjoy takeout food, all of the waiting for food made my brother grow pretty impatient with each passing day. And considering how he usually behaves, that’s never a good thing. Eventually one evening, I began to grow tired of hearing my brother complaining so I figured that maybe I could try cooking dinner that night. So I found my dad’s spaghetti-and-meatballs recipe and gave it shot. It did take a little time to figure it out and there was a bit of a mess leftover, but in the end it all payed off. My brother was certainly satisfied with the meal. Mom loved it too, and she was gratefully towards me for making it. So ever since then, I’ve been doing a lot of the cooking in the Pingrey household.

[Lori begins to tear up]

Lori: [sobbing] I'll never think about myself ever again! [cries]