Disclaimer: The Loud House and associated characters belong to Nickelodeon and Chris Savino.

Lily on the Loose!

By Lola Presents

NOTE: This is a one-shot story, requested by crafordbrian17.

It was a pleasant Tuesday morning, and Rita was enjoying a rare day off. Her boss, Dr. Feinstein, had closed down for renovations, which gave his employees a chance to rest. Her children were at school, except her youngest, Lily, and her husband was working at the family restaurant.

Currently, Mrs. Loud was relaxing on the couch, watching a daytime soap opera on television, with Lily playing at her feet. A cup of coffee sat upon the nightstand beside her, with a cinnamon bagel dangling from her mouth.

Without warning, her cellphone went off, ringing out a few bars of her favorite country song. Resting the bagel beside her coffee, she answered her phone.

"Hello," she spoke. "You've reached Mrs. Loud."

"Rita," declared Dr. Feinstein from the other end of the line. "I apologize for calling you on your day off, but I could use your assistance. If possible, could you make a trip into Great Lakes City and pick up some supplies that I ordered last week? We'll need them before we can reopen. I would do it myself. However, I am needed here. These building contractors have no clue how a dental office works!"

"Gosh, I don't know Dr. Feinstein," Rita answered politely. "I'm home alone with a toddler, with nobody else is around to care for her. Can't somebody else do it?"

"I'm afraid not," her boss informed her. "Everybody else had prior commitments. I tell you what, if you can find a way to do it, I'll make it worth your while and pay you for the day, even if it doesn't take that long. How does that sound?"

Rita considered the proposal for a moment. Money was excellent, and the house required a few repairs, due mostly to L.J.'s reckless ways. She could always take Lily with her, after all. How hard could it be? "Sure," Rita finally told Dr. Feinstein. "Text me the address of the supply store, and I'll deliver the goods as soon as I get them."

"Wonderful!" declare the senior dentist. "Thank you so much!"

Rita pulled the phone away, ended the call, and then set about getting ready for the short trip. After several minutes, she stood by the car, running a list in her mind.

"Diapers? Check! Bottles? Check! Wipes? Check! Car seat? Check!" she announced one at a time. Then after checking her messenger, "Address? Check!"

Satisfied, she entered the van, ignited the engine, and began backing out of the driveway. She had only reached the mailbox before noticing Lily, sitting on the front porch with her arms folded and a scowl upon her face.

"Dang it!" declared Rita. "Every time!"

After pulling back up and placing Lily in her car seat, they headed out for real. Making a quick stop at Flip's, Rita filled the tank with gas and purchased a few cold sodas. The van's air conditioner didn't work, and her GPS estimated the trip from Royal Woods to Great Lakes City would take roughly three hours, which matched what Lori used to complain about when going to see her boyfriend, Bobby.

"Alright, Lily, settle in," the tot's mother said. "It's going to be a while!"

Giggling, Lily clapped her hands excitedly. "Wily go twip!" she said happily.

The little girl babbled incessantly for about an hour before finally getting fussy. Rita turned on the radio, and Lily was soon asleep in her restraint. With peace restored, the remainder of the ride there was tolerable.

Rita had seldom been to Great Lakes City, though some of her children had, mostly Lori and Lincoln. She knew very little about it and took in the scenery as she entered the city lines, making a note of things such as gas stations, fast-food establishments, and oh! There's a Burpin' Burger with an indoor play area! A nice one too, from the looks of it.

Screech! Rita had become too enamored with the eatery to pay attention and nearly rear-ended a driver sitting at a red light. Leaning out the window, she yelled, "Sorry!"

Lily woke at the sound and sudden stop. Luckily, they were only a block from the supply depot. Once parked, Rita retrieved Lily from her seat and walked into the store.

"Good morning," said a receptionist. "What can we do for you today?"

"Hello, there," Rita replied. "I'm from Dr. Feinstein's office in Royal Woods. I'm here to pick up an order."

The woman at the counter turned her attention to a terminal and began typing. "Hm," she mumbled as she browsed the database. "It looks like we'll need about thirty more minutes. The stock crew got a late start this morning. If you can come back then, I'm sure everything will be ready. Otherwise, we'll call you at the number on file.

Sighing, Rita returned to the van with Lily. Wondering how they would spend their time, her mind floated back to the restaurant. "Hey Lily?" she said, turning to her daughter in the back seat. "How would you like to get some food and visit a playground?"

The youngster's eyes lit up, and she started reaching her hands in the air greedily. "Playground! Playground!"

Rita chuckled. "Alright, Lily," she laughed. "Keep your diaper on. We're going."

After back-tracking a block or so, Rita saw the large restaurant come into view. She pulled into the parking lot, filled with cars, and took Lily upon her hip.

"Gosh, it doesn't look too busy," Rita observed. "I wonder why?" Together, they entered the building and headed straight for the play area.

The amusements consisted of a large, padded structure, within which were many twisted tunnels, areas to climb through, and various slides, exiting back onto the floor.

There were several tables and benches near the play area, intended for parents of playing children. "Perfect!" thought Mrs. Loud.

Choosing a seat with a good view of the area, Rita sat and placed Lily on the ground. She then pointed to the structure, "See that? That's where you play, okay? Mommy will be right here, keeping watch."

Lily looked at the structure in awe, then began pulling her mother's hand. "Tum! Tum, mommy!"

"You want me to come?" Rita asked, still not having gotten used to Lily's newfound ability to speak more clearly. There weren't a lot of words the little girl could pronounce well, but there were enough.

Lily nodded.

"I'm sorry, sweetie," answered Lily's mother. "But I might be a little too big for the activities. I might get stuck in a tube, or break a slide. Besides, I need to stay here in case the suppliers call back."

"Otay," said Lily, much to her dismay. "Bye!" Yet, no sooner had she turned around and saw the play area again than she bolted for it.

Typically, children leave their shoes in a special deposit box. However, Lily wasn't wearing any. As such, she completely ignored the little boxes and went straight into a tube.

Rita watched her disappear and knowing for the moment, at least, precisely where Lily was, she approached the counter and ordered two double Burpin' Burgers with cheese, a medium fries, and a coke. For Lily, she asked for chicken pieces and an apple juice-box.

She then went back to her table and waited on the meal, watching Lily play by herself, wishing she could have joined her child in the merriment.

Looking down at her "love handles," and patting her belly, she muttered, "Maybe I shouldn't have ordered so much food. I'm getting a little pudgy around the old midsection. Leaning slightly, and casting her gaze behind her, she came to a second conclusion. "Not to mention my posterior."

Soon Lily's face appeared in a small, clear plastic window in one of the tubes. She was waving and saying something, but Rita couldn't understand her through all the plastic. Instead of responding, she smiled and blew her a kiss.

"Here you go, ma'am," announced a waiter as they placed a tray onto the table. "Thank you for waiting. Enjoy your meal." The young lady then wandered off.

Rita stared at the pile of food on the tray. Her earlier thoughts forgotten, she hungrily tore into her burger. As big as the meal was, and with constant interruptions from her other children texting her, it took her nearly an hour to finish the first sandwich.

Luan had messaged not long after she took her second bite. "Knock, knock," she wrote. "Who's there?" answered Rita. "It's Brenda." came Luan's setup. "It's Brenda, who?" replied Rita. "It's Brenda time of my life, and I Owen all to you!" "Very funny, Luan, now, back to class," typed Rita.

Balling up the wrapper and setting it aside, she glanced around, then checked the time on her phone. "Oh my," she declared. "It's been an hour already? I better get Lily back so she can eat. We may have to leave soon."

Pushing the tray back slightly, she adjusted her position and tried to find her daughter. Not seeing any sign of her, she began to panic. Lily wasn't in the ball pit, nor the multi-leveled climbing area. Her little face wasn't detectable in any of the tubes' windows either.

Continuing to panic, she came to her feet and searched around the play area's base—still no Lilly. She glanced around for other adults. None were present, which was odd. In any regard, she surmised that Lily must be inside the structure somewhere.

"Lily!" she called, then listened intently. No response came forth. "LILY!" she yelled louder, an uneasy sense of dread enveloping her. Resigning herself to going in after her, she tentatively walked up to the first open tube she saw and peered inside.

Sighing, she looked at the opening with trepidation. Surely, she'd fit. Right? She hadn't gained that much weight, had she? Only one way to find out.

Placing a knee on the entrance to the tube, she lowered herself into position and began making her way through the maze. Progress was difficult, and on more than one occasion, feared she would get stuck.

Again, she called out. "Lily?" she said, her voice echoing through the tight corridor. "Are you in here? Where are you?"

Looking ahead, she saw the passage made a sharp left, with a slight incline. "Dang it," she muttered. Forging ahead, she wriggled her way around the corner, almost losing her trousers due to the tight fit. After struggling to correct their fit, she advanced.

Was it just her imagination, or were these confounded things getting tighter? It sure seemed that way. Slowly making her way up the incline, she passed by one of the plastic windows and peered out just in case Lily has exited via one of the slides.

Unfortunately, Rita didn't see her daughter anywhere. She again worried, yet pressed on. After a few more moments of struggling, the tube ended, and she emerged into a somewhat more significant, though not by much, chamber. There was a large plastic window on the wall facing the main floor and two tubes leading out. The one to her right was blue, and the one opposite where she entered with was yellow.

Rita sighed as she relaxed for a moment. "I swear," she mumbled. "I'd better not miss my call over this." Deciding to press on, she called out once more. "Lily? Lily, honey? Can you hear me?"

When no answer came, Rita picked the tunnel opposite her to enter. Climbing into the yellow tube, she began making her way through the opening. That is until Rita realized her hips were stuck, finding the opening tighter than the previous one. Looking back, it was clear her butt was too big.

She wriggled her hips, trying to free herself, but nothing happened. "Wonderful, Rita," she declared. "You just had to go in the tunnel, didn't you." Resting on her elbows, she sighed. Who would've ever thought Mrs. Loud would be in such a situation. Still, finding humor in things, mostly out of frustration, she laughed at herself. "Good going, Rita. You must look like Winnie the Pooh, stuck in Rabbit's front door. Dang hips!"

Unseen by Mrs. Loud, Lily came crawling out of the blue tunnel, behind her and plopped into the chamber. Deciding where to go next, she noticed her mother wedged into a tube and immediately began laughing. "Ha, ha. Mommy 'tuck!"

"What?" Rita said aloud upon hearing Lily's voice. "Baby, is that you? Mommy's stuck!" Lily crawled over to her mother, still giggling, and patted her rear. "Yes, Lily. I know. My butt's too big, that's why I got stuck."

It was then that Rita got an idea. "Hey, Lily?" she called out to her daughter. "Baby? Do you think you could push mommy?" It was a long shot, but it was worth a try.

Lily placed her hands on her mother's seat and began pushing with all her might as Rita tried to wriggle herself free, moving maybe a half-inch at most, before stopping again. It seemed that Lily needed more leverage.

Upon feeling herself move slightly, Rita exclaimed, "Hey! That worked! Keep pushing, baby!"

Feeling encouraged by her mother's exclamation, Lily thought for a moment. If using her hands helped a little, why not do more? Adding her head to the mix, she began pushing again.

Feeling herself move, ever so slightly, Rita called out, "That's it, baby! You can do it!" Mrs. Loud scooted forward another inch before they both tired once more.

"Take a rest, Lily," Rita said, gathering her breath. They were going to get through this, one way or the other. After taking a moment to replenish their oxygen, Rita asked, "Are you ready to try another?"

"Wily ready!" the toddler cried out. This time, she leaned into her mother with her left shoulder, hoping that a more concentrated push would work better.

"Go!" Rita instructed, and together they heaved. Again, he loud matriarch slid forward a tad more. "Again!" she called out.

Lily huffed and puffed, and switched shoulders. She was right-handed after all. Perhaps that side was more robust. Bracing herself, she started bearing down. Rita, taking her cue from Lily, began attempting to pull herself along.

They were making headway, yet it was not enough. "Lily," she said. "We're almost there. Don't give up!"

By this point, Lily was starting to get frustrated at her mother and her overly large posterior. She looked at it, wedged into the opening, and couldn't help but realize just how big it was, entirely too big for the hole.

Studying the situation, Lily concluded that her mother's girth was nearly an inch too big, all the way around. Though, she could've been underestimating things. It's not as if she knew that much about measurements.

Why hadn't Lily noticed it before? Maybe it was due to her mother usually standing, and not in such a compromising position. She began to wonder if her mother would ever get free. However, she made one final attempt, putting her back into it and pushing with her legs.

"Nngh," Lily cried and pushed her little body as hard as she could. Rita was also near her limit but was not about to quit now. As one, they finally forced Rita's hips through the small opening. Rita slid into the tube with a sudden pop, with Lily falling onto her back.

Righting themselves, they continued their trek through the yellow tube. Luckily, it wasn't as long or curvy as the previous tube. Soon, Rita and Lily emerged into a second, elevated chamber. This one happened to be blue, and although it wasn't as wide as the red one, it had more height, allowing Mrs. Loud to come to a seated position.

Resting with her back against the chamber's side, she took in a deep breath and let her frustrations out in a long huff. Lily sat beside her mother and copied her actions.

I'm sorry, honey," Rita apologized. "I should've just waited for you to come out." Patting her hips, she continued. "It looks like mommy has quite the tushie, huh? I badly need to lose some weight."

"Mommy get little?" asked Lily.

"Yes, dear," Rita replied, looking down at her stomach, shaking it like a bowlful of jelly. "This has to go too."

"Speaking of going," announced Rita, "what do you say we get out of here together?" Lily nodded happily.

Peering into another tube, which also happened to be blue, Rita could see that this passage was more significant than the others. "Whew," she thought. "At least I won't get stuck in this one. A little way along the tube was a hole that appeared to lead downward. "Great," thought Rita. "Maybe its a slide out of here."

"Lily," she said, ushering her baby into the tunnel. "You go first this time." Lily smiled and complied. Crawling over to the downward passage, she giggled and dove into it.

Rita glanced into the tube and saw Lily tumble out of the other end, into a chamber below. Lily righted herself and peered into the entrance, waiting for her mother.

Rita entered the tube and closed in on the hole leading out. "Okay, Lily!" she called out. "I'm on my way! Wish me luck!" Rita reached her arms out in front of her, slid off her tush, and fell awkwardly into the tube, feet-first.

Knowing freedom was moments away, she smiled. However, that glee turned to fear when she stopped sliding. "Dang it!" she said. She had become stuck once more and could only imagine how she may have appeared.

An image of herself formed in her mind, plugging the tube and her sizable waist drooping over the rim like an overcooked muffin. She couldn't be happier, though, that no other patrons were around to see the spectacle.

"Stupid gut!" she declared out loud, though mostly to herself. "How did I ever think I could do this with you in the way? You may as well say your goodbye's now, because, after this, you're history."

With no recourse, Rita began wiggling her pelvis, trying to dislodge herself. After a moment, and no luck, she tried pushing on the top of the tube, attempting to force herself through the opening.

Upon seeing her mother struggle yet again, the little girl furrowed her brows and grimaced. Reaching her small arms in the air, she managed to grab hold of one of her mother's feet.

Swinging and pulling wildly on her mother's foot, Lily tried to free her. However, neither her weight, nor strength, was enough. Letting go, she stood to the side and peered back inside.

"Thanks for trying, baby," Rita said. "But I have another idea." Pushing herself up slightly with her hands, she exhaled and sucked in her gut as much as possible, then released her arms, holding them above her.

Though it was still a tight fit, her body managed to slip through the opening. Lily saw her mother plummeting through the tube and ducked out of the way at the last possible moment, and Rita fell into the chamber below, landing on her butt. "Ouch," she cried "That's going to sting later."

Lily giggled at seeing her mother rub her tush. "Mommy funny!" she declared. "You think that's funny, huh?" teased her mother before turning her attention to where she was.

Rita took stock of the chamber where she found herself, noting that another room was directly adjacent to this one. They were bolted together, with a large doorway connecting them. Looking into the next section, Mrs. Loud saw what appeared to be the entrance to a slide. Sighing, she wondered if it were true. The way her day was going, it would just lead to another trap. Still, there was no other way forward.

"Hey, Lily," she told her daughter as she entered the area. "There's a slide here. At least, I think that's what it is. Come on."

"Slide!" bellowed Lily with glee.

"Here goes nothing!" cried Rita, bracing herself and jumping in headfirst. Initially, she appeared not to have any issues. That is until her body plugged the hole with a resounding thump. Near the point of exasperation, she looked down to see her fat rolls, or "love handles" as her husband called them, had blocked her exit.

"Um, Lily..." she said sadly. "You're not going to believe this, but I'm stuck again." It was true, unfortunately. Her girth made it impossible to pass, sizing an entire inch too big.

"Daggit!" cried the toddler, folding her arms in disgust.

Rita sat and breathed for a moment, reflecting on her situation. "Lily, I'm so sorry. Mommy doesn't mean to keep getting stuck. I'm just too big for this. I shouldn't be, though," Rita declared, her lower lip beginning to quiver. "How did it come to this? I'm only middle-aged for crying out loud. As much as I work, I should be as fit as a fiddle."

Gathering her resolve, Rita shook furiously, trying to free herself. Of course, Lily doubted it would work. Why would it, when it so far hadn't? Closing her eyes, the toddler palmed her face. Just then, Lily heard a noise behind her, the stepping of socked feet.

Turning, she saw a slightly older girl emerge from the other chamber. She had light brown skin, medium-length brown hair, and wore yellow shorts and a lime-green shirt with a flower embroidered onto it.

"Oh, hello there, little one," the girl said. Then, eyeing a woman stuck in the slide, "having trouble?" There was something familiar about the girl. She looked an awful lot like her friend Lisa. Then it hit her. The toddler must be Lisa's younger sister and the woman her mother!

The young girl looked over the situation. The woman appeared lodged. "Say, is your mother alright?" she asked politely. Lily shook her head. "Mommy 'tuck."

"I understand. What a mess" said the girl. "Don't worry. I'm sure I can help." The girl then addressed the immovable woman. "Mrs. Loud?" she called. "It's Darcy. Darcy Helmandollar, from Lisa's class."

At the girl's voice, Rita came to attention. "Hey, Darcy," she called out, remembering her after having Lisa come home one day, fussing about how making friends with her had been annoying. "Am I glad you're here! I seem to have gotten myself into a pickle!"

Darcy giggled, along with Lily. "I'll say."

Tentatively, Mrs. Loud asked, "Do you think you could give me a hand?" Rita honestly didn't want to bother another child with her problem, but she had no choice."

"Hm," said Darcy, rubbing her chin. "I think I might know a way to get you out."

"I'm all ears," replied Rita. "I mean, I know I'll get out eventually, but..."

Her words were cut short by a hard shove from behind, taking her by surprise. Darcy was straining against Mrs. Loud, to the point where beads of sweat began forming on her brow. Unfortunately, the woman didn't budge. Ending the attempt, Darcy sighed. "You're jammed in there pretty good, Mrs. Loud."

After a moment's rest, Darcy tried again to free her friend's mother. Leaning into her with her left shoulder and arm, she propelled herself into Mrs. Loud and gave a mighty push, to no avail. Gathering her strength, she tried once more.

As Darcy strained again, this time using her back, a few children appeared in the small chamber. Recognizing Darcy from class, one of them addressed her. "Hey, Darcy! What'cha doing?"

There, before them, stood three of Darcy's classmates, one was a chubby lad with red hair and fair skin. Another was a shorter fellow with blonde hair and a little girl with a bow in her brown hair.

Resting, she looked at her acquaintances and told them what was going on. "Lisa's mom is stuck, and I was trying to help get her free. Do you think you can lend a hand?"

Nodding, they replied in the affirmative. "Of course, Darcy!"

Settling into position, the three children join Darcy. Placing their hands on Mrs. Loud, the four began their effort. Lily was surprised at how hard the group was working to free her mom. The appeared to be giving it all they had. "Push, guys!" instructed Darcy. "Harder!"

"Geez," whispered Rita to herself after feeling their assault. "These kids are strong! If they push any harder, I'm going to burst!"

Finally, Mrs. Loud was freed and shot through the tunnel as if launched by a canon. Having accomplished their goal, the five kids began cheering. Lily, Darcy and the others danced in celebration.

"Alright, Lily," announced Darcy as the celebration subsided. "It's your turn!" Smiling, Lily dove into the slide. On the other end, Rita came sliding out and landed face down on the cushioned floor. "Oof!" she declared as she picked her head up slightly. Before her, were several pair of shoes. Gazing up, she looked at what she assumed were the other kid's parents.

"Having fun?" asked one of them jokingly. "Not particularly," replied Rita, as Lily came shooting out of the slide and landed on top of her. Hearing the others coming down, Rita quickly rolled to the side, cradling Lily as she went.

Once Darcy and her classmates had exited, Mr. Helmandollar reached out to assist Mrs. Loud in standing. "Thank you so much," she said, shaking his hand.

Rita had never been so happy to be out of a small space than at that moment. "Mommy free!" cried Lily, clapping her hands and giggling.

Once Mrs. Loud has regained her footing and scooped Lily from the floor, she waved at the children. "Thanks so much for your help, kids," she said. "If it weren't for you, I'd probably still be stuck."

"No problem, Mrs. Loud!" they responded before heading back into the structure. "Play!" cried Lily. "No, dear," said Rita. "It's getting late. You need to eat so we can get back to the supply store."

"Mmmm," mumbled Lily as her mother placed her in a nearby high-chair and set her nuggets and juice on the tray. Then, taking her seat, Rita absent-mindedly picked up the remainder of her burger and almost took a bite. "Whoa, there, Rita," she said to herself. "After all that you went through, you're still going to eat this?" Shaking her head, she rewrapped it, placed it in the bag, patting her belly afterward. "Maybe I should take this home for George, or maybe Lana. One of them will eat it. What do you think, Lily?"

"Ha, ha!" giggled the toddler in approval of her mother's decision.

As she placed the food into the bag, her phone rang, filling the room with country music. It was the supply store. Their order was filled and ready to go. "Alright, we'll be there in a few," Rita informed them and hung up.

She sipped lightly on her drink while Lily finished her meal, then threw away the trash. She then picked up her daughter and the leftovers and made her way to the van. On the way, Lily yawned deeply. "It's okay, baby," Rita said softly. "You can sleep on the way home. I can't say I don't blame you after the adventure we had."

"A-venture!" Lily squealed as she was buckled her into the car seat and given her pacifier. Turning the engine over, Rita pulled out of the parking lot, and soon, Lily was asleep. She only wished she could get as comfortable. Her seatbelt was altogether too tight around her belly, which brought Rita's attention back to her weight.

The exhausted toddler was still sleeping when Rita arrived at the dispensary and backed up to the loading dock. She pulled the switch, unlocking the tailgate, and watched as the rear compartment was loaded. It only took a moment, then the dock-hand closed the gate and banged on it, letting Rita know it was safe to pull off.

Much happier, Rita began the long drive back home, finally beginning to relax, even though she was sore. Things were peaceful again, and her thoughts turned to her weight. She had put on the pounds over the years. "Maybe this was a wake-up call," she thought. "I need to start eating better. Perhaps I shall begin a diet."

The respite lasted only for a moment more. For whatever reason, possibly awakened by the banging on the car earlier, Lily awoke. As fate would have it, they were just passing the Burpin' Burger, on their way out of town.

"Playground!" shouted the toddler.

"Not on your life," replied Rita.