"Alright then, I hereby call this emergency sister's meeting to order!" With the clap of a flip flop atop the podium, eleven-year-old Lori Loud, eldest child of the Loud family successfully quieted the cacophonous din of all four of her younger siblings.
Near where she stood, Leni Loud, Lori's immediate junior at the age of ten, brought her fist under her chin thoughtfully. "Ooh, are we ordering something!? I could go for a cheeseburger!"
"I'm fairly sure that's not the kind of order we're working with here, Leni." Nine-year-old Luna Loud bit her cheek and fumbled her hands together nervously.
"Hey, maybe if we're lucky, Lori will make a 'cheesy' speech." Eight-year-old Luan giggled and rocked back and forth slightly. "Get it?"
The youngest of the group; seven-year-old Lynn Loud Jr., tilted her head curiously. "I don't get it," She declared.
Lori resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. "Guys, focus!" She urged, banging the flip flop on the podium again. She leaned forward, "If none of you happen to remember, we kinda got some big news today!"
"We got more news?" Leni asked.
Luna's brow furrowed. "No, Leni," She mumbled, reaching out to jostle her. "We're talking about the news Mom and Dad told us."
"Oh, right," Leni said. Her face scrunched up slightly in thought. "Is there really that much to talk about?"
"Much to talk about?" Lori brought her hands up to her head, bringing her golden locks up in a bale of messiness. "Leni, this isn't a change to the chore chart! Mom and Dad are adopting someone!"
…
In the town of Royal Woods, in a thankfully semi-spacious house, the Loud family lived an exceptionally chaotic life, fitting of their namesake. Hardly a day went by without some sort of crazy event taking place. Whether it be Lori trying to jerry-rig a cellphone out of utensils and an old Gameboy, Leni trying to make a new outfit out of the couch's upholstery, or Lynn trying to combine a dozen sports into one super sport that left an entire shelf of plates in shards, the Loud house was the epitome of unfettered chaos. Chaos, with an undeniable sense of love and care at its core.
Sure there was conflict every now and again. What family was absent of that? Sometimes Lori and Leni would fight over a dress. Sometimes Luan, intent to hone her newfound comedy craft, pestered her sisters with nonstop puns. Luna was fairly well behaved, rarely getting into trouble herself, but she wasn't immune to getting caught in a little fight cloud with her sisters if pushed far enough.
And Lynn? The less said about her competitive side, the better.
Still, despite that, whether through the mediation of their parents, or by their own means, the sisters always made up and hugged out whatever disagreement they were having by day's end. It was a chaotic house, but it was a loving one.
And one day, the girls received news that would change the way of their home forevermore.
"Kids! Would you come down here please? Your mother and I would like to speak with you!"
The call of Lynn Loud Sr., the patriarch of the Loud house preceded the rumbling that came soon after; and soon after that, the girls thundered down the stairs, nearly running over their father had he not had the foresight to sidestep their stampede.
"Girls, girls, girls!" Rita Loud held her hands out placatingly, ushering her daughters onto the couch. "Let's all settle down now, your father and I need to speak with you."
Lori puffed out her chest haughtily. "Come on guys," She said self-importantly. "The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can get back to whatever we were all doing."
Luan bounced up slightly, "Yeah! I almost had a full basket of water balloons ready before we came down here."
Everyone made a mental note to watch their backs extra carefully for the foreseeable future at that moment.
"So, what do you want to talk to us about?" Luna asked.
The parents exchanged a look and took a seat on the coffee table in front of the couch, putting them at relative eye level with their five daughters.
"Well, to start," Lynn Sr. began. He took a breath and brought his hand up to scratch his head, "Goodness, where to start—This is quite the—Well, you see girls, in life, we sometimes find opportunities to help others. And when those opportunities come about, you should go after them. And your mother and I think we've—"
"Lynn, sweetheart, you're rambling," Rita said, gently patting him on the knee to quiet him. She turned to the girls, "Girls, what your father is trying to say is…that there's going to be a new addition to our family soon."
The girls jolted in response, Lori most noticeably.
"Wait, what?" Lori said. "How is that—Mom, I thought you said you couldn't have any more babies."
"That's still true, sweetheart," Rita replied, a shadow of a frown crossing her face. "This new addition—is an adoption."
Leni immediately brightened, "We're getting a puppy!?"
Lynn Sr.'s brow furrowed, "No, sweetheart. We're adopting another child. There's someone who needs a good home, and your mother and I believe that we, all of us can give that to him."
Again, the girls jolted.
"Wait, 'him'?" Luna sat up. "It's a boy?"
Rita nodded, "That's right. His name is Lincoln."
…
"Well, at least his name starts with an L like ours," Luna said, pressing her fingers together nervously.
"Pretty sure that literally has nothing to do with this, Luna," Lori said testily. "This is about Mom and Dad bringing some random kid into the house!"
"His name is Lincoln." Suddenly, Lynn spoke up, breaking her concentration on the soccer ball she was rolling along her fingertips. "And Mommy and Daddy said he needs our help, didn't they? Aren't we supposed to help people who need it?"
The other girls looked over at Lynn, surprise written clear across their expressions.
"That's right, Lynn," Luna whispered. "That's very mature of you."
"Uh, yeah, way mature," Lori interjected. She leaned forward again, this time more towards her youngest sister. "Any particular reason you brought us that gem of wisdom?"
Lynn brought the ball to her chest, hugging it tightly with the smallest glimmer sparkling to life in her eyes. "I…I kinda like the idea of having a little brother."
"Aww! Lynny!" Leni practically leapt towards Lynn, taking her into her arms and swinging her around. "That is so sweet! You're gonna be an amazing big sister!"
"Right." Lori rubbed her fingers across her forehead, trying in vain to dispel the headache that was coming on. "Mom and Dad did say he was pretty little. How old did they say he was again?"
"Five," Luna replied. "He really is just a little guy. And Mom and Dad say he's had a pretty bad time of everything, Lori."
"Yeah, they said his Momma was mean to him, Lori." Luan found a frown etching itself across her face as she thought of the implications behind that statement. What kind of mother was mean to their child?
Lori sighed, "I know, it's rough. I'm not saying anything bad about the kid in general. And I'm not saying we shouldn't help him. I'm just…" She leaned forward on her elbows, running her hands through her hair again. "It's just a lot to take in, y'know?"
The girls exchanged looks, silently inquiring what to do next. Then, when no immediate answer came, Leni (With Lynn still in her arms), Luna, and Luan stood from where they sat and went up to their eldest sister.
"Lori…" Luna set a hand on Lori's shoulder. "What's on your mind?"
Lori huffed, "What isn't on my mind? Think about it, guys." She stood up straight again and threw her hands into the air. "This kid is gonna come with a lot of new challenges. What does he like? Where's he gonna sleep? Is he allergic to anything? How long until Mom and Dad decide it's okay for me to watch the house same as usual after he gets here? There's a lot to think about!"
The other four girls stood back, surprised by the outburst from Lori.
"Lori…" Leni smiled warmly, and Lynn reached out to grasp her other shoulder. "You're not alone in this, you know that."
Lori peered at Leni through her fingers, "Um, didn't I literally have to pull you out of the chimney last week, Leni?"
"I heard it was good for your skin!" Leni objected.
"She's right though," Luna added. "Lori, just because you're the oldest doesn't mean all the responsibility of looking after Lincoln falls on you. We'll be here for you, too."
"Yeah!" Lynn threw a single fist up, "I'll play with him so he doesn't get bored!"
"And I'll make him laugh when he gets sad," Luan said, hopping up and down.
"I'll be there for him when he's scared," Luna said.
"And I'll make sure he's as happy as he can be!" Leni declared.
Lori regarded her sisters, taking in their warm expressions, filled to the edges with support and reassurance for her.
There was still more to consider, but Lori just couldn't find it in her heart to quell the positivity that permeated the room.
So, with a sigh, she brought her flip flop gavel back down for another tap. "Okay, you all make good points." She looked over them again, "But there's still a lot to plan. According to Mom and Dad, Lincoln'll be here in a month. That's not a lot of time to get ready, so let's start planning, okay?"
"Okay!"
…
So, the month passed, with the Loud Family scrambling about and utilizing the chaos they were so adept at creating to ready their house for their newest addition. Within the span of four frighteningly short weeks, they had managed to both transform and gather everything that was needed to make sure the boy that would be welcomed into their family tree felt, well, welcome.
And before they all knew it, the day of Lincoln's arrival came, and every member of the family found themselves facing said day in their own, jittery, nervous, excited way.
Okay and…got it! Lori pulled the puffy blue comforter to the corner of the bed, tucking it below the edges with her fingers. Once it was securely in place, she stepped back to admire her handywork. Yup! She thought with a smile. All good to go! Her lips quirked, and she found herself stepping forward to recenter the pillow at the head of the bed, fluffing it up for good measure.
She hated the fact that her fingers were shaking ever so slightly.
THUMP! The nervousness was wracked up to eleven, forcing Lori into a leap when the door to the former linen closet turned bedroom was kicked open, followed shortly after by Lynn trotting in.
"Oh, hi, Lori!" Lynn cheerily greeted, completely oblivious to the heart attack she nearly gave her eldest sister.
"Lynn!" Lori gasped, turning to face her with a hand to her chest. "What have we said about knocking before you go into someone's room?!"
Lynn regarded Lori curiously, blinking a few times. "But…Lincoln isn't here yet. This isn't anyone's room right now."
Lori resisted the urge to roll her eyes, instead focusing on the small shiny blue and green sphere Lynn had clutched to her chest. "Whaddya got there?" She asked.
Lynn smiled and presented the ball to Lori. "I finally decided what to put in Lincoln's toybox!" She declared, using her other hand to point past Lori.
At the edge of the tiny room, next to the lovingly made bed, was a wooden toybox bearing a strong resemblance to what one would think of when picturing a pirate's treasure chest. In its opened state, a generous number of toys waited for their new owner, with several unboxed action figures and various stuffed animals procured by their parents filling a fair portion of the space within. However, wishing to not miss out on the gift giving, the sisters all took it upon themselves to find something of their own to give to Lincoln; a small piece of themselves.
From Lori, a plastic scepter she had loved and cherished in her younger years. At the top of the blue grip that made up its base, a translucent orb filled with smaller orbs shined dully behind the little star shapes imprinted on the glass. Just below the orb was a bright yellow button in the shape of a star, and when pressed, the little pearls inside the orb lit up and span with a blur of color.
That little toy had been a godsend back when Lori was afraid of the dark.
As for Luna, her contribution was something equally as colorful. A small xylophone, with each key a different color, gleamed in its lopsided state. Tied to the edge of the xylophone by a set of strings were two tiny plastic mallets, painted in shiny gold paint.
It hadn't been that long since Luna played with that toy last. Even still, she decided to give it to Lincoln, hoping that the little musical notes those keys produced could help alleviate whatever pain he was bringing with him.
As for Luan, she endeavored to give Lincoln something to laugh away any anxieties that would cling to him. For her gift, she provided two of her treasured hand-puppets, specifically, a red T-Rex with comically large felt teeth, and a golden dragon with a shimmery blue mane and endearingly kind eyes.
On rainy days, literal and figurative, Luan had used these two to dispel any and all gloominess that had tried to dampen her mood, flapping their mouths and concocting increasingly nonsensical adventures for them to go through, sometimes even making some of her family members laugh, if not by anything else than her own infectious energy behind the performance.
It was Luan's genuine hope that Lincoln would find the same joy in these puppets that she did. And if she had to, should sadness creep over the boy, she would take them up once again and put her heart and soul into a performance that would leave even the grumpiest person smiling from ear to ear.
Three of the sisters had provided toys to the toy box, two of them had not.
"I think I recognize that," Lori said, crouching down to Lynn's height. Her brow furrowed when she realized what it was. "Lynn, is this—"
"Yup!" Lynn exclaimed, holding the ball up higher, "My super ultra bouncy ball! Guaranteed to go up to thirty feet!" She tilted herself towards Lori and put a hand up against her mouth, "One time I think I got it to forty feet."
"Lynn…" Lori groaned and brought a hand to her forehead, "What did we say about dangerous toys?" Thus far, Lynn had tried to provide a bag of marbles, a baseball bat and baseball to practice with, and even an attempt at a homemade football tied together with zipties she had found in the garage.
Lynn's bright smile immediately faded and her gaze fell down to the ball, bringing both her hands to cup it tenderly in her palms. "But…This toy isn't dangerous. All it does is bounce. And it's really little, too." She held the ball out to Lori again, "See?"
Lori sighed and brought her hands underneath Lynn's. "Lynn, remember what Mommy and Daddy told us? Lincoln's gone through a lot of hard stuff. He's probably still not in a very good place right now. I don't think a wildly bouncing ball is going to help him right now."
Lynn bit her lip. "I know, I remember what you told me, I have to take it easy with him. No roughhousing and no sports unless he wants to." Her eyes began to mist over and she held the ball out to Lori again, "But I still wanna give him something to play with. So why not this? It's not dangerous, I swear." She demonstrated her point by dropping the ball, letting it bounce up between the two of them and then catching it with a quick swipe of her hand. "See?"
She took a step closer to Lori, "Please, Lori? Can't I give this to him? Even if he doesn't want to play with it, it's still pretty. And…" She held the ball to her chest again, "It's my favorite…"
Lori groaned inwardly. She seriously hated how soft she was sometimes. It had led to countless occasions of giving up the last cookie because she just couldn't resist a pair of puppy dog eyes. This time was no different, especially considering how genuine Lynn was being with her sentiment. "Okay," She said in a drawn out sigh. She stepped to the side, allowing Lynn access to the toybox. "Go ahead, Lynn. I'm sure Lincoln will love your gift."
The light all but exploded in Lynn's eyes. "Yay!" She cried, bounding towards the toy chest. She tilted her hands over the top, letting the ball roll off her palms and dropping it onto Luna's xylophone, giggling when it made a few crystal-clear notes float into the air when it rolled over the keys. "Thanks, Lori!" She said, turning around and throwing herself into her sister.
Lori teetered slightly from the unexpected tackle, barely keeping herself from falling backward by a few quick spins of her arms. Once she was back on her feet, she smiled and encircled Lynn in a hug. "No problem, Lynn," She said, leaning forward to nuzzle the top of her head.
The two stayed like that for a moment or two, simply holding onto one another before parting.
"Now," Lori said, standing back up at full height, "you should be getting back to getting ready." She reached out to ruffle her little sister's currently unkempt head of dark brown hair. "Pretty sure Mom and Dad don't want you looking messy when Lincoln gets here after all."
Lynn giggled again. "Okay," She said, turning around and bolting out the door.
Lori watched her leave, a small smile gracing her features. She sighed wistfully and looked around the room.
The whole family had put in a fair deal of work converting the former closet into what was now a pleasantly cozy bedroom. Aside from the toybox and bed, a small rack of clothes adorned the right wall, each picked with great care. Below the hanging clothes, a relatively small wardrobe sat as well, carefully filled earlier that day by Leni with plenty of other folded clothes.
And speaking of Leni…
Lori turned back to the toybox, eyeing its contents. With Lynn's addition, that only left Leni lacking a gift. She said she'd have it done by today, She thought, biting her cheek. Leave it to Leni to cut it so literally close.
She let out a huff and set out of the room, coming back only to straighten out the bed one more time before leaving again.
Once she got to Leni's room, she quickly grasped the doorknob and let herself in. "Hey, Leni, have you—"
"Ah!" Leni squeaked in surprise and moved to stash something beneath her pillow. "Lori! Why didn't you knock? You make us do that for you!"
Lori clicked her tongue and let herself in, "Special circumstance today, plus, I'm the oldest. I get immunity."
"What does you getting your flu shot have to do with this?" Leni asked, reaching back and pushing a knitting needle under her pillow as well.
Lori rolled her eyes. No time to dignify that with a response. "I'm here to check on your present to Lincoln. Are you done yet?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
Leni shrank back into herself. "Um, not yet," She said, twiddling her fingers together.
"Leni…" And now that was two sisters who made her groan that day, far from an oddity, but still an annoyance to Lori.
"But I'm almost done, I swear!" Leni said in a hurry. "I only have a little bit to go!"
"How much is 'a little bit'?" Lori asked, moving her hands to her hips.
"I'll be done by tonight, I swear!" Leni said.
"Leni, he's showing up tonight! And we still have to get ready!" Lori objected.
"I'll have everything done, don't worry!" The tone of panic in Leni's voice was the opposite of reassuring to Lori.
But she could clearly see that going the stern and firm route would not be helpful here. "Alright, look…" She moved further into the room and sat next to Leni. "Normally I don't like to help with this kind of thing, needles and all that, but is there anything I can do to help?"
Leni immediately sprang back up, "Yeah! With your help, I'll be done in no time!" She reached back under her pillow and pulled out the needle along with a spool of purple string. "We just need to get in a few stitches, easy peasy!"
Lori's eyes drifted to the point of the needle, gleaming ominously, practically daring for her to get her fingers close. "Great…" She mumbled.
Why did she have to dedicate herself to the whole big sister thing so thoroughly?
…
The humming drone of the car as it made its way down the road was normally a soothing sound to many a child. That, paired with the comforting heat of the car's heater should have proven full proof to lull even the most stubborn individual to a peaceful slumber, regardless of age.
And yet, the boy in the backseat, nestled beneath a blanket against the back of his carseat, refused to give into it.
Lincoln grumbled to himself and brought his hand from out of the blanket, bringing it to his eye to rub it with his knuckles. He winced when one of them nudged a bruise, and he pulled his hand away with a small gasp.
"Lincoln, are you alright?" The voice of the man driving up front asked.
Lincoln shrank back, his limbs curling up against his torso out of instinct; well, three of his limbs, it was hard to pull his right arm back with the cast on it. "I-I'm okay," He mumbled, bringing his head down and his shaggy white bangs as well.
"You know—it'll be a while yet before we get there," The man continued. "You're more than free to take a nap. I know we had to leave pretty early this morning."
Lincoln shook his head, blinking hard in an attempt to dispel the heaviness plaguing his eyelids. "No, I don't wanna sleep," He said, his voice tinged with telltale exhaustion.
The man sighed, "Well, just know you've got time. You'll want to be plenty rested when you meet your new folks." He chuckled and brought a hand to scratch the back of his head, "Considering the stories I've heard from my friend Lynn, his daughters—your soon to be sisters can be quite a handful."
Lincoln's body tensed further. It was obviously supposed to be reassuring, but Lincoln couldn't keep the flush of fear from sweeping up and down his form, casting a cold pit in his stomach, and a fizzling heat in his face.
Sisters? What did that mean? When he was told he was going to live with a new family, the information that he would get sisters was all but dumped onto him. And while he had been reassured quite a few times over that they were nice and nothing to concern himself over, the worry seed persisted. What if they were mean? What if they made fun of him, or said hurtful things, or made him sleep outside?
What if they hurt him? Just like his—
Lincoln's eyes clenched shut and he curled into a tight ball, whimpering pitifully as his skin burned with the onslaught of fear and anxiety that traveled all over him.
"Lincoln? You okay, buddy?
Lincoln didn't respond. His voice was caught in a strangled gasp, and his breath was hitched as high-pitched little sobs escaped him.
"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay, buddy." The man up front offered several hushing sounds. "You're okay. No one's going to hurt you."
It was a fortunate thing that Lincoln was able to calm down. He didn't want to make the man stop the car and risk upsetting him.
Just like I did with— He shook his head, forcing the word away before it could surface.
"Your whining is so annoying! Don't you ever shut up!"
But he couldn't keep the recollection of her yelling from coming up, or the memory of the pain that came shortly after.
"Lincoln? Do you want me to pull over?"
Lincoln forced himself to shake his head, and he brought his fists to rub water out of his eyes, bumping the bruise above his eye once more. "N-N-No." He just managed to stammer out. "I'll be better, I promise…" His voice took a much sadder tone, almost despairing, far too broken to be coming from a child as small as him.
Even so, after a few more shaky gasps, Lincoln finally managed to force his weeping down to a painful sounding series of hiccups.
"Buddy, it'll be okay." The man offered another soft hush.
"I-I'm s-sorry…" Lincoln hiccupped.
"There's nothing to be sorry for, Lincoln," The man assured. "You've had such a hard time. It's only natural that you'd be anxious." His voice softened again, "But trust me, this family I'm taking you to, they'll treat you right, I promise."
Lincoln didn't respond again, he just brought his hand to his right arm, laying his fingers on his cast.
"You sure you don't wanna take a nap?" The man asked. "You'll feel a lot better after a few Z's, I'm sure of it."
Lincoln stayed silent, only hiccupping again.
Even with the relaxing music that was put on shortly after, Lincoln couldn't fall asleep. He wished he could, his eyes itched so much, and his body felt so heavy with fatigue, but he couldn't.
Not if he wanted to avoid the nightmares for just a little bit longer.
…
Luna winced as she brought her hairbrush through her dark brown locks, detangling the knots that seemed to always pop back up after a single night of sleep. Stupid hair, She thought, eyes clenching shut and watering when the brush finally left the last inch of hair laying against her back, Sometimes I think it'd be easier to just chop it all off. She sighed and brought her hand up, combing it through her hair, soothing the stinging pain. Hopefully it doesn't frizz out before Lincoln shows up.
She sighed and let her hand fall, gasping when a single strand wound up being pulled out with it. "Augh! Son of a—"
"Hey, Luna?"
Luna immediately squelched the curse that was rising to the tip of her tongue, keen on avoiding the possibility of tainting her younger sister's mind with profanity. She was a lady, after all. "Hey, Luan, need something?"
Luan walked up to Luna, presenting her with a pair of hair ties. "Can you tie my hair up? I keep messing up."
Luna smiled and took the hair ties. "Sure. Come here."
Luan moved up to Luna and turned around. "Thanks," She said.
As Luna set about putting her sister's lighter brown locks into her preferred pigtails, she couldn't seem to keep her hands from shaking.
"Are you nervous about Lincoln?" Luan asked.
Luna bit her cheek, "That easy to tell?"
"You've been extra quiet today," Luan replied. She laughed, "Keep it up and you won't be talking at all."
"Ha, ha," Luna said dryly. "I've just been thinking about everything. Haven't you noticed that Mom and Dad are pretty cagey about telling us just what exactly Lincoln's been through? They just keep it vague, and that worries me."
"What, you wanna know the specifics?" Luan asked.
"No, it's not that. It's just…" Luna trailed off, her fingers freezing just before she was finished tying the second pigtail. "It's got me worried that…What if we can't help him?" Her gaze fell, "What if I can't help him?"
A pause ensued, stiflingly silent until Luan giggled again.
"Hey, aren't you supposed to be the big sister?" She asked teasingly. "Pretty sure you're the one who's supposed to make me feel better."
Luna frowned and finished off the second pigtail, giving it the lightest tug she could muster for good measure, "Very funny," She muttered, stepping back. "Forgive me for worrying about the well being of the little guy who's going to be our brother."
Luan turned around to face Luna, "As usual, you're worrying too much." She reached out and took one of Luna's hands into hers, "Luna, everything will be fine. Yeah, we don't know just what happened to Lincoln, but we can handle it." She brought up her free hand into a determined little fist, "Lori keeps us working together, Leni is super nice, I'm hilarious, Lynn is actually pretty great to play with when she minds her strength, and you…" She uncurled her fist and poked Luna in the chest, "You care about us, all of us. And I know you'll care about Lincoln just as much. That'll come in handy when it comes to taking care of him." When she saw a bit of Luna's tension begin to recede, she decided to add onto it, "Plus, if worst comes to worst, you can always try to calm him down by singing to him."
Luna actually chuckled at that, "What with my awful voice, as if."
"Hey, I think you have a great voice," Luan objected with a giggle. She squeezed Luna's hand. "Luna, we'll be fine. You'll be fine. I think Lincoln will be in good hands with us." She flashed her biggest smile, "And if I have to, I'll tell him my best material. That'll get him laughing in no time!"
Luna scoffed good-naturedly, "Sure it will." She squeezed her hand in return before pulling it back to herself. "But still, thanks. I appreciate it."
Luan grinned, "Hey, that's what I'm here for."
"Guys!" Suddenly, Lynn appeared at the door. Her hair was tied down into a loose set of twin tails, with little red hairbands holding them. "Dad just got a call from the guy driving Lincoln here. He says he's only a few minutes away!"
Luna and Luan jolted at that. "What, really?!" They said in unison.
"Yeah, come on!" Lynn urged, gesturing them to follow her.
They didn't need to be told twice. Without another word, they followed Lynn down the hallway, making their way for the stairs and towards an event that would change their lives forever.
The next time they ascended those stairs, they would have a new little brother.
…
"There you are!" Lori glanced back at her other three sisters for a fraction of a second before looking back out the window. "You guys look nice."
"Thanks," Luna replied. She sidled up next to Lori, peering through the window at the driveway. "Any specific ETA?"
"What's an eta?" Leni asked, scooping Lynn up by her underarms and helping her onto an ottoman so she could see out the window as well. "Is it that alien we saw in that movie one time?"
"I'm pretty sure that's not what she's asking," Luan said, wriggling between Lori and Leni to get a center look through the window. "You said he was gonna be here in a few minutes, right?"
"That's what Mom and Dad said." Lori bounced on her feet, "Oh, man! I can't believe I'm actually feeling like this!"
"What, gotta go to the bathroom?" Leni guessed.
"What, no!" Lori said, blushing. "I'm—excited!"
"Me, too!" Lynn declared, bouncing on her knees on top of the ottoman.
"He's really gonna be here soon," Luna whispered. She leaned her head against the cool glass, "We're about to meet our little brother."
"Oh, I hope he likes our presents!" Leni exclaimed, clasping her hands together with a beaming smile.
Lori frowned and looked at her bandaged fingers, Same here considering what it took to get that last one finished.
"I hope he has a good sense of humor!" Luan said.
"I hope he likes sports!" Lynn added.
Lori looked to her sisters, "Now, remember guys; the important thing for us to do is just make sure Lincoln feels welcome here. Mom and Dad say he needs a home, and darn it, we are gonna give it to him, agreed?"
"Agreed!" The rest said, facing Lori and offering a confirmational nod.
"Look, a car's pulling up!" Lynn's sudden cry absolutely rattled the girls, jerking their attention back to the front of the house.
Lynn was right. Outside, a silver car was pulling up into their driveway. At the front, a man was driving, and at the back, hidden behind the glare of the sun, the faintest appearance of a car seat and the smallest bit of orange color…
…
"Here we are, little buddy," The man pulled up into the driveway and put the car in park. "New home sweet home!" The car turned off with a jingle of the keys and he turned around to face Lincoln. "You ready to meet your folks?"
Lincoln blinked slowly. His eyes still itched and ached, and he was starting to really wish he had taken the man's advice from earlier and gotten some sleep. The nightmares almost seemed worth it by that point. "I-I'm ready," He lied, looking away from his driver.
The man frowned to himself and unbuckled his seatbelt before opening his door. "Don't worry, Lincoln," He said. He quickly made his way to Lincoln's door and slid it open. "These folks are great; I can vouch for that."
Lincoln shivered from the cold breeze that came with the door opening. The first vestiges of autumn were strong for September, and he pulled his blanket closer to him to try to shield against it.
"Yeah, I agree, it is pretty chilly today." The man reached forward and unbuckled Lincoln from his carseat. "But I'm sure it's warm inside." Once Lincoln was free, he brought his hands under his arms, being extra sure to mind his cast. "Up we go," He said, plucking him from his carseat and placing him on the ground.
Lincoln's shoulders tensed, both from the chill and from the growing ball of nerves in his stomach.
"Here you go." The fleeting warmth of his blanket was returned blissfully quickly, and the man stepped in front of Lincoln, gesturing him forward, "Now let's get out of this wind."
Lincoln pulled his blanket around himself, pinching the edges together with his good arm and followed.
The two of them walked up the driveway, flitting behind a rather large yellow van that Lincoln swore he heard growl, and onto a walkway that weaved its way towards the house.
It was a pleasant enough looking house: earthy in color with charming little blue window shutters and a burgundy toned roof. The front porch had a few columns, holding an awning up above the walkway stairs and the front door. On the front lawn, a single large tree stood amongst the verdant field of grass, contrasting with the collection of blades with its own crimson foliage.
"Nice looking place isn't it, Lincoln," The man said. He stopped at the stairs that led up to the door. "Need a hand up the stairs?"
Lincoln shook his head. He didn't want to be picked up again. He squared his sight on the top step and brought his foot up onto the first step. Slowly, he pulled himself along each step, one foot at a time. His heartbeat rang in his ears as he took each quivering step up the stairs, trying to block out the thought of falling.
"Atta boy!" The man congratulated Lincoln with a warm smile, following him to the top step in a fraction of the time it took for Lincoln to do so.
Lincoln gulped and pulled the blanket tighter around himself.
"Okay, then!" The man clapped his hands together and turned to the door. "Moment of truth time." He grinned and looked to Lincoln. "You ready?"
Lincoln trembled in response but nodded. It wasn't like he had any other options.
And with anxiety and fear clawing at his heart, the man next to him raised his hand and knocked on the door.
…
"HE'S HERE!"
"THEY'RE AT THE DOOR!"
"OH, WHY'D THEY HAVE TO WALK BEHIND VANZILLA?! WE DIDN'T GET TO SEE HIM!"
The girls sprinted towards the door, tripping and stumbling over one another before Lori managed to grasp the doorknob.
"Girl's? What'd we say about answering the door?" Lynn Sr. and Rita appeared from the dining room just before Lori could open the door.
Lori's shoulders fell and she stepped back, "We aren't allowed if you're home…"
Lynn Sr nodded in approval and stepped towards the door. "Though I can't say I don't sympathize. Your mother and I are pretty excited as well." He grabbed the doorknob and turned to his daughters. "You rea—"
"Open the door!" They all interjected.
Lynn Sr. jolted, and pulled the door open without any additional fanfare.
"Lynnzilla!"
"Reggie!"
Lynn Sr. was immediately grabbed in a bear hug by the man who stood at the door, swinging him around in a bout of raucous laughter.
"Oh, man, it has been too long!" Reggie exclaimed.
"It really has!" Lynn Sr. agreed. "How was the drive from Great Lakes City?"
"Not too bad considering I get to see my bro for it!"
"Well, color me surprised considering how much you used to complain about giving me rides back to the apartment from work!" Lynn Sr. laughed.
"Hey, that was one time and I had a date!" Reggie retorted.
"Hey, I paid you back by—"
"EXCUSE ME!" The game of catch up was shattered by the booming voice of the youngest Loud daughter, pulling Lynn Sr.'s and Reggie's attention down to the diminutive girl glaring up at them with her fists at her side.
"Where's Lincoln?" Lynn asked, placing her fists on her hips imperiously.
Reggie sweatdropped and chuckled nervously. "Right, of course, that's what I'm here for," He mumbled. He cleared his throat and looked toward the open front door, noticeably absent of the boy he had stood with just a minute before. "Lincoln? You wanna come in? Your folks wanna meet you."
No response. The entryway stayed empty.
"Come on, buddy," Reggie coaxed. "They won't bite, I promise."
Another moment passed, torturously slow and agonizingly quiet for everyone involved. Everyone waited, with bated breath, resisting the urge to walk out the door (Lynn actually had to have Lori grab her shoulder to stop her).
Then, a single foot, wearing a blue and white sneaker appeared. After that, the shoe edged out, somehow more slowly than the moment that had just occurred. Little by little, bit by bit, the person they had been waiting for slid out, finally revealing himself to his new family at last.
Several of the girls gasped when they saw him, both in wonderment, and shock.
Lincoln looked frail, unbelievably small standing there in the doorway. He had a head of shaggy white hair, with his bangs descending over his eyes, barely discernible as bright aquamarine blue due to being dulled with something that filled the family with an immediate sense of sadness. His face was concernedly pale, with the freckles on his cheeks somehow looking gray thanks to the sallow state he was in. He had a cozy looking purple blanket pulled tightly around himself, somewhat covering the fuzzy vermillion sweater and dark blue cotton pants he was wearing. His sweater was very clearly too big for him considering the good inch the edges of his sleeves went past his hands.
Needless to say, the family was left a little gobsmacked; especially the girls. Their parents had told them the boy had suffered some hardships and that he would be a little sensitive. They had not been told that he would look so—so broken, so beaten down that everyone in the room would have to fight the temptation to run forward and grab him in a hug the second they saw him.
"Come on in, buddy." It was only Reggie's reassuring timbre that broke the stifling tension. "These nice people have been waiting for you."
Lincoln's shoulders bunched up, pressing against his little neck. The family noticed him gulp, and he stepped forward on violently trembling legs.
Lincoln was happy to be out of the cold, but considering the group of people he now found himself facing, he wasn't entirely sure what he'd prefer. T-They look nice, He tried to tell himself. Yet he couldn't get his hand to loosen its vicegrip on his blanket or force himself to look up at the people he was to stay with.
"Lincoln." Reggie crouched down to the boy's tiny height, offering him a warm smile, "This is your family." He gestured back to the Louds. "Say hello to the Louds."
Lincoln gulped again, swallowing a gasp of air, and forced out a single, solitary word.
"H-Hello."
The girls were taken aback by the drawn back tone in his voice. He even sounded wounded. Like he had never been allowed the utterance of a single syllable without swiftly being silenced. It shocked them, frightened them, shook them to their cores.
"Hello, Lincoln." Fortunately, Mr. and Mrs. Loud were quick to act. The two parents went up to the frightened child, maintaining a small bit of distance between them as they crouched down in front of him.
"Welcome to our home," Rita said.
"We're so happy you're here," Lynn Sr. said.
Lincoln didn't relax, but he didn't tense up any further either. Instead, he just bit his lip and offered another two words, equally as reserved and withdrawn.
"Thank you…"
"You hungry?" Lynn Sr. asked. "We're having macaroni and cheese tonight. You like macaroni and cheese?"
"I—I dunno…" Lincoln still couldn't lift his gaze from the floor. He seemed fully intent on keeping it firmly on a single bit of outlying fluff close to his sneaker. "I never had it."
"You haven't?" Lynn Sr. lilted his tone into exaggerated shock. "Well, you are very lucky young man. Because my mac and cheese is the best in the world, hands down!" He tilted his sights back to his daughters, still standing several feet back, too shocked to move. "Isn't that right, girls?"
"Oh, right!" Lori snapped out of her trance along with the rest of her sisters. "Yeah, it's literally delicious. You'll love it!"
Lincoln still didn't move. His heartbeat was so loud, and his hands were still so cold and clammy, and he found himself just wanting sleep more and more, nightmares be darned.
"Sounds pretty good if you ask me, Lincoln." Reggie moved by Lincoln's side. "Good food, cozy quarters, you're gonna do great here, buddy."
Lincoln could only mumble in response.
Reggie chuckled and stood up, "First day jitters, not much that can be done about that, I suppose. Lynn, Rita, you mind if I have a word with you? There's a few…" He glanced at the girls for a second, "Things I want to discuss with you."
The parents stood with Reggie. "Of course," Rita said, tone shifting to a concerned whisper. "Girls, why don't you introduce yourself to Lincoln while Mr. Reggie speaks with us in the dining room?"
"Yes, mom!" The girls replied.
Reggie nodded at the girls, then looked at Lincoln again, "Don't be afraid to make nice with these girls yourself, Lincoln. They'll be real important to you from now on, kay?"
"Mmhmm," Lincoln offered an affirmational nod in return.
Reggie faced Lynn Sr. and Rita again, "Shall we then?"
"Of course," Rita replied.
With that, the three adults made their way past the stairs and towards the dining room, leaving the five girls alone with Lincoln. Five girls, stunned and alone with a boy who looked like he had been thrown through the wringer five times over.
Awkward couldn't even begin to describe the mood that permeated the room.
Still, someone had to break the ice.
And Lori knew she had to be the one to do it.
"Um…" Lori took a few steps forward, suddenly sympathizing with why Lincoln was so slow when it came to showing himself to them. "H-Hi there, L-Lincoln." She got within the same space she had seen her parents stop and got down on her knees, still looming a fair bit over him. "My name's Lori," She continued.
To Lori's surprise, Lincoln didn't seem to tense up any further. Emboldened, she found herself edging just a little bit closer. "It's—It's so nice to meet you." She tried to get an even closer look at him by getting down on her hands, but she apparently got too brave and Lincoln lowered his eyes further, bringing his chin to his chest. A shadow of a frown crossed her face, quickly removed for the sake of the scared boy in front of her and she backed back up. "We've really looked forward to today," She said, "All of us, we're so glad you're here." She sat back up and turned back to her sisters. "Right, guys?"
The other girls' eyes widened. Then, when Lori urged them forward with a firm swish of her neck, they all flitted forward, nearly stumbling over one another again and unfortunately startling Lincoln into stepping back a step; much to Lori's chagrin.
"Hi, Lincoln!" Leni chirped. "It's great to meet you! My name's Leni! I love your blanket! It looks totes cute on you!"
"H-Hello, Lincoln." Luna stayed behind Lori, hands clasped together and a nervous smile etched across her face, "Welcome to our home. I'm Luna. If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask."
"Hey there, Lincoln!" Luan jostled Lori in her hurry to get into the little half circle they created. "I'm Luan! I'm the jokester of the family! If you need a laugh, just come find me!"
"Lincoln!" Lynn went last, getting the closest to him and only being stopped by Lori quickly grabbing the back of her shirt. "I'm Lynn! Do you like sports!? I have tons of different things we can play with if you want! I'm so glad you're finally here and that I get to be your big sis—"
"Lynn!" Lori quieted her with a low hiss through her teeth and tugged her back to her side, "Remember what we talked about. Being gentle?"
Lynn looked at Lori, blinking several times and tingeing a slight pink. "Oh, right," She mumbled, suddenly finding the carpet interesting as well. She turned back to Lincoln, "Um…I'm happy you're here, Lincoln. I'm really excited to be your big sister."
Lori nodded in approval and set Lynn down next to her. Okay, introductions out of the way, hopefully the hard part's over, She thought with a sigh. She returned her attention to Lincoln, still staring straight down. Maaaybe not. She exchanged concerned looks with her sisters, then back towards the statuesque boy in front of them.
"Lincoln?" Lori again scooched forward, getting back on her hands so she could be eye level with him. "You can relax. There's no reason to be afraid. We're literally so happy you're here. Please look at us?"
Lincoln's grip on his blanket tightened, and he turned his head, closing his eyes behind his bangs.
Lori frowned, her heart suddenly aching with another pang of sympathy. Then, a thought came to her. Lincoln may have been afraid, but he was still a kid, a little one at that, and if Lori learned anything from all her time as a big sister, it was how to coax an upset child out of their shell.
"Hey now," She said, a smile gracing her face and her voice shifting into a playful tone. "Are you sure you wanna hide such a cute face from your big sisters? It's gonna be real hard to eat mac and cheese if you don't look up, y'know?"
Lincoln's fingers curled and relaxed around the bunch of blanket fabric he was clenching. His feet nervously tapped up and down, like he suddenly couldn't keep them still, and slowly, he lifted his face.
Lori's heartbeat increased and her smile widened, "There we go…C'mon, Lincoln, let's get a good look at you."
Lincoln's face contorted in a fearful struggle, pained with every inch that he lifted his head further.
"Don't worry, we're all good here," Lori gently urged.
Finally, the two of them were face to face, with only Lincoln's obscuring bangs and closed eyes keeping them from seeing each other.
"Almost there, just one more thing, Lincoln." Lori's chest was filled to the brim with sudden elation. "Come on, let us see you."
And it was with that final little push that he did. With a little gasp of breath, Lincoln's eyes popped open and he beheld the girls that would be his big sisters up close and personal for the very first time.
Even on her hands and knees, Lori still had to crane herself down slightly to get a good look at him. She had golden blonde hair, tied into a braid that drifted down between her shoulders, bright green eyes, and lightly tanned skin. She wore a light blue T-shirt with a pair of khaki shorts and a pair of slip on light blue slippers. She wore an expression of friendly reassurance, warm and soothing to his frazzled nerves.
"Hey there," She said, "It's good to see you, Lincoln."
Lincoln quivered slightly, and he found himself taking a tiny step towards Lori. "Hi…" He said.
Lori giggled and turned back, "Girls, come here and get better acquainted with Lincoln. Slowly, mind you."
Lincoln gasped again when the other four girls sauntered up, but thanks to a quick smile from Lori, he was soothed enough to stay put.
"Oh, look at that handsome little face!" Leni exclaimed.
Leni was a little shorter than Lori, but she exuded three times the good cheer, easy. She had blonde hair as well, but hers was a little lighter in color. It descended further down, stopping at the middle of her back in a straight series of locks. Her eyes were a deep, dark blue and incredibly comforting for Lincoln to look into. She was lighter in skin tone in comparison to Lori. She wore a white headband, a light green dress with a white ring collar around her neck, and a pair of white flip flops with little green beads on the flaps.
"Wow, you have really pretty eyes." Luna found herself staring into Lincoln's aquamarine orbs. Oh, man, he's seriously cute! She thought.
Luna was a fair bit tanner than her sisters, with freckles on her cheeks much like Lincoln's. Her hair was dark brown in color, with a waviness to it that suggested it would curl up with time. Her eyes were a soft caramel brown, filled with a warmth that allowed her to get so close to Lincoln in the first place. Out of all the sister's she seemed to be dressed the fanciest, with a pair of white bead earrings adorning her ears, a dark purple blouse, a lavender skirt with a checkered pattern, and a pair of shiny black shoes with a pair of knee-length socks.
"White hair, how cool!" Luan moved up just behind Luna. "I didn't even know that was possible."
Luan's energy definitely conveyed a sense of being silliness incarnate. She had light brown hair tied into a set of pigtails, dark blue eyes like Leni, and a pair of buck teeth standing front and center of her exuberant grin. She wore a yellow dress with a floral design at the hem, a pair of black stockings, and a pair of white performance shoes.
"Lincoln, are you still cold?" Lynn rubbed her arm, nervously looking between Lori and Lincoln. "We can get you another blanket if you want."
Lynn was the closest to Lincoln in terms of height, only being about a half-head taller than him. Her hair matched the dark brown color of Luna's, with a little bit of waviness to it as well. In addition, she also shared her freckled features. Her eyes bore the same bright green sheen of Lori's, sparkling and full of energy most days; today, a little softer considering her efforts to be calm with Lincoln. She wore a red T-shirt, a pair of black shorts, and a pair of red and white sneakers that flashed with little red lights with each step she took.
Lincoln regarded the five girls, taking them in. As he took in each of their supportive expressions, his drum solo performing heart began to quiet down. "I…" He took in a breath, and took another tiny step forward. "It's—It's nice to meet you," He said, imitating the many social workers who had said the same thing to him over the past month. Suddenly, he remembered how they all complimented him a second ago. His pale face turned a slight pink and he shuffled somewhat. "You're all…really pretty."
"AWWW!" The girls broke into a cacophonous exclamation of adoration and all five of them had to resist grabbing the boy in a hug then and there.
"What a cute little thing you are!" Leni exclaimed.
Oh, what a sweetheart! Luna thought.
Decently polite, definitely a plus, Lori thought.
Lynn moved closer to Lincoln again. "Um…Do you wanna play?" She warily asked. This holding back thing really was proving quite difficult for the poor girl.
Lincoln stiffened again, "I…Um…"
Lori immediately set to action, "Or we could just sit down and watch some cartoons?" She edged towards Lincoln again, finding herself growing happier when she saw him relax a little. "Would you like that?"
Lincoln looked up at Lori. Seeing her warm smile, so kind and calming made the tension in his body eke out of him, softening his shoulders and finally getting his heartbeat out of his ears. He couldn't explain it, but he felt safe with her. "T-That sounds nice," He mumbled.
He unfortunately didn't notice the way Lynn's face fell.
Lori smirked and stood to her feet, "Alright then! Cartoon time it is!" She gestured her other sisters towards the couch, pointing Lincoln towards it as well. As the siblings made their way towards the couch, she crouched down to Lynn.
"Don't worry about it," She whispered, tousling her hair. "It's just his first day, give him time."
Lynn nodded forlornly in response.
The siblings gathered around the couch, with Lori, Leni, and Luna taking seats upon it, and Luan, Lynn, and Lincoln taking spots on the floor in front of it, with Lincoln taking a place some space further away.
"Any preference, Lincoln?" Lori asked, flipping the remote in her hand.
"Anything's fine," Lincoln replied, his feet shuffling together bashfully.
"Chalkzone it is," Lori said, flipping the TV on.
So it was, with the siblings sitting there together, with their new little brother sitting a foot away or so from them. It was a bit of a stilted start, but it couldn't be denied that despite the withdrawn nature of the boy who had arrived on their doorstep, that there was a fledgling sense of something fostered between the girls and him. Lincoln undoubtedly had some troubles plaguing him, but then and there, he felt the smallest modicum of calm.
And that was better than any of them could hope for in that moment in time.
…
"Hey! Looks like you guys are doing pretty good together!"
Lincoln's eyes popped open, just a measly sliver away from closing altogether and granting him the sleep he both desperately wanted and terrifyingly dreaded. He sat up with a start, looking around in bewilderment.
Rita, Lynn Sr., and Reggie had walked back in the living room. Mr. and Mrs. Loud still looked rather amicable, but there was a shade of concern written across their smiles.
"Yup!" Luan replied. "We all introduced ourselves!"
"Ha, I knew things'd go well!" Reggie said. He turned to the parents, "You really got some good kids, you two!"
Rita chuckled, "We sure do."
Reggie moved to Lincoln and kneeled down, "And that leaves me feeling pretty stellar about leaving you in their care, Lincoln."
Lincoln's eyes widened, "You're leaving?"
Reggie's expression softened, "'Fraid so, buddy." He reached out and ruffled Lincoln's hair, earning him a slight shrinking back from Lincoln. "But this family is great. They'll take amazing care of you." He looked up and Lincoln followed his line of sight.
Behind him, the five girls watched the interaction. When they saw Lincoln look to them, they jolted and immediately smiled; some of them even gave him a little wave.
"You can just tell they will," Reggie said. He took his hand off Lincoln's head and stood up. "Plus, this won't be the last time we see each other." He lightly elbowed Lynn Sr., "Gotta find an excuse to see both my best buddies, don't I?"
Lynn Sr. clicked his tongue and elbowed Reggie back in return, "Hey, show up anytime, I'll be able to finally settle that old score from back in college."
"In your dreams."
A minute or so later, the family was standing at the door, seeing Reggie off. At the front, still a little bit of space away from everyone, Lincoln watched him descend the stairs.
"See you around, everyone!" Reggie called, waving to the family as he made his way to his car.
Lincoln bit his lip and moved closer to the threshold. He gulped and lifted his good hand out of his blanket and waved at the social worker who brought him to the warm cozy house he actually found himself feeling somewhat safe in.
"Goodbye, Mister Reggie!" He cried.
A moment later, the family watched him drive away, and in that moment, Lincoln became their responsibility, wholly and full heartedly.
…
"Dinnertime!" The call of Lynn Sr. snapped Lincoln out of yet another near fall into slumber. It had been so close that time, just a few seconds more and he'd have finally gotten the rest his little self had been endlessly fatigued by.
Just a few seconds and he'd have to face those horrid nightmares he wished more than anything to avoid.
"Finally, I'm starving!" Lynn leapt up onto her feet and sprinted towards the dining room, followed quickly by the other girls.
Lincoln watched them go, his eyes droopy and his body swaying slightly.
"Lincoln, are you alright?" A soft hush of a voice roused him back into a somewhat more wakeful state, and Lincoln looked up with half-lidded eyes.
Luna stood next to Lincoln, her hands clasped behind her back and a puzzled expression on her face. Upon seeing his drowsy demeanor, her lip quirked thoughtfully.
"I'm okay," Lincoln said. He pulled his legs up and got to his feet with a squeak of a grunt. "Just a little sleepy."
He certainly looks a lot more than a "little sleepy", Luna thought, fighting the pout that tried to come across her face. "Do you wanna take a nap?" She asked. "We have your room all made up and ready for you."
Lincoln shook his head, several frightening images fluttering into his mind that he had to force away by shaking his head harder. "I don't need sleep," He said adamantly.
Luna licked the inside of her cheek. Tell that to the bags under your eyes, little one, She thought. She surrendered to the frown and brought her hands forward, Or maybe I should say little racoon considering how thick those rings are getting.
But she couldn't say that out loud. So instead, she just nodded and held out her arm for him to follow. "Okay," She said. "Well, should we get to the table? We don't want the food to get cold, do we?"
Lincoln hummed in agreement and followed after Luna.
"There you two are," Rita said when Lincoln and Luna stepped into the dining room. She was in the middle of serving several helpings of gooey, melty, utterly delicious bowls of macaroni and cheese. "Lincoln, I think you're really going to enjoy this," She said, handing the bowls down the line of the table.
Lincoln's nose wriggled from the alluring smell and he found himself standing on his tiptoes, sniffing the air appreciatively. "It smells really nice," He said, lifting his nose skyward. He brought his nose down and looked around the table, "Um, where do I sit?"
"Right over here." Lynn Sr. patted a spot between Lori and another empty seat, a spot with a little booster seat set upon another chair. "Want me to lend you a hand?"
Lincoln walked up to the chair. Unfortunately, the chair was indeed too tall for him to climb up on himself, so, with no other choice, he nodded and closed his eyes.
"No worries, Squirt." Lincoln tensed up significantly when Lynn Sr.'s hands gently grasped his torso and lifted him up, "I'm just gonna get you up and let you go, nothing more."
Even when Lincoln was released within the booster seat, he kept his eyes closed and his body curled up for a moment more. The tension was like stone in his veins, spreading achy shadow pains that he wished more than anything to whisk away with something else, anything else.
"Lincoln?"
Fortunately for him, something did. That same mouthwatering scent intensified several times over, coiling thickly around his nose and banishing the pains in lieu of a grumbling stomach.
With his appetite gurgling strongly in his belly, Lincoln relaxed once more and opened his eyes.
Lori held a bowl of mac and cheese in front of Lincoln. In her hand, the bowl gave off several wispy puffs of steam; an effervescent sheen amongst the golden spiral noodles, covered in melty yellow and white cheese with golden toasted breadcrumbs coating the top. Lori giggled at Lincoln's widened eyes and set the bowl in front of him. "I think he approves, Dad," She said, picking up a spoon and setting it next to Lincoln.
"Well, I'm glad you do, Lincoln," Lynn Sr. said, taking a seat of his own. "But if you don't mind, can you give us just a moment to say a word?"
Lincoln just stared at his food, too stunned to say anything more.
Luan laughed, "I think you better talk fast, Daddy. Lincoln looks like he's a few seconds away from going full raptor mode on those noodles."
Lynn Sr. chuckled as well and cleared his throat. "I think you're right," He said. He tapped a fork to the side of his glass, gathering his family's attention with a few chiming rings. "Tonight…" He began, "We celebrate the addition of another member to our family; someone who we are so happy to have, someone who is undoubtedly going to be a cherished—"
"Daddy, we're all hungry!" Lynn interjected.
Lynn Sr. stopped for a split second, then scratched the back of his head bemusedly, "Right, sorry everyone," He mumbled. He cleared his throat again and raised his glass, "To Lincoln!"
"TO LINCOLN!" Everyone else cried.
And just like that, Lincoln gave in to the demands of his stomach and dove into his bowl.
Instantly, all the heaviness of the stress he had been carrying throughout the day was smothered to almost nothing. Gooey, creamy cheese paired with springy pasta with the slightest crunch of toasty bread covered his spoon constantly, emptied and refilled at a continuous pace.
"Do you like it, Lincoln?" Leni asked.
"Mmhmm!" Lincoln replied with gusto.
Luna watched Lincoln from her spot next to him, eating much more slowly herself, but with an amused little smirk playing across her face. He looks better, She observed, taking another bite herself, Though I can't say I'm surprised. Dad's food can put a smile on anyone's face. Her smile faded when she noticed his ring marked eyes again. But…I'm pretty sure he needs a nap soon. She looked down at her bowl, And considering what we're eating…
"Aww, are you sleepy, Lincoln?" Before Luna could finish her thought, Leni gushed over Lincoln, who was suddenly slowed in his fervor by a heavy lethargy. What had been a voracious appetite spurring Lincoln to practically inhale his food became him pretty much hanging over his bowl with his spoon hovering over what was left of it.
"Not surprising," Lori said, wiping her mouth. "This stuff is pretty much a guaranteed food coma."
Rita stood up from her seat, "Luckily for us, we have a nice comfy bed for you, Lincoln."
Lincoln tried to lift his head, now heavier than ever. "N-No…" He muttered, shaking his head, "I'm not—" Before he could finish his objection, his body shook and his mouth opened with a mewl of a yawn. "—sleepy."
Real convincing, little one, Luna thought, biting her cheek. Why is he so against taking a nap? It seems different then when Lynn doesn't wanna go to sleep.
"You sure about that?" Lori playfully challenged. "You seem pretty close to dreamland to me."
"I…I…" Lincoln fought against the hand of the sandman with everything he could muster. But with a belly full of macaroni and cheese, and his blanket wrapped warmly around him, his efforts proved futile, and at last, under the weight of everything, he caved and allowed his head to droop just above the surface of the table, surrendering Lincoln to his irrefutable need for sleep.
"Wait, did he just—" Luna elevated herself by her palms to get a closer look at the slumbering child. "Did he just fall asleep? That fast?"
"Small children require a lot of sleep, sweetheart," Rita informed, carefully stepping beside Lincoln's slumbering form. "The poor thing must have been holding off on it for quite a while."
Luan's eyebrows quirked, "Holding off? Why? He doesn't seem like the type to be whiny about taking naps." She gave Lynn a playful glare, "Unlike how someone used to be."
"Hey! I had records to break!" Lynn objected.
"Keep it down," Lori said in a hush. She looked back to her mother, "So why's he been avoiding sleep?"
"He…" Lynn Sr. bit his lip, taking a moment to debate telling his girls. "He struggles with nightmares. According to Reggie, he's developed a tendency of putting off sleep until he pretty much can't move anymore."
"What?"
"Oh my—"
"Poor baby!"
The pitying exclamations of his daughters brought both a pang of sadness and a smidge of pride to Lynn Sr.'s emotions. "Yeah, that's why I chose mac and cheese for dinner tonight," He said, his sights setting back to Lincoln and his shoulders falling despondently. "I figured some comfort food would do him some good."
Luna brought her hands over her lips, eyes widening and blanching several shades. I just thought he was a little sleepy from the long car ride or something. I—I didn't know he was actively avoiding sleep because he was scared! Her eyes shimmered with the telltale mistiness of tears, and she had to look down at her lap to avoid looking at Lincoln, lest she start weeping right then and there. Poor little one, I'm so sorry!
Rita took note of Luna's change in demeanor, much more emphatic than the rest of her daughters. I better have a word with her after I put Lincoln to bed, She thought, reaching down to begin taking the boy into her arms.
"Careful with his arm, sweetie," Lynn Sr. said.
Lynn jolted, like she had just been scared by someone jumping from behind a corner. "What's wrong with his arm?" She gasped.
Rita frowned as she took Lincoln into her arms, cradling him against her with the side of his cheek tilted against her chest. "His—His right arm is broken," She mumbled, her sight falling with Lincoln's blanket fluttering to the floor.
Again, the girl's gasped, horror stricken as they saw Lincoln without the blanket.
He wore an oversized vermillion sweater that covered most of his torso, but that couldn't hide the bulkiness within the sleeve of his right arm. It allowed his arm to be held out in a straight angle, but it was obvious there was little movement allowed thanks to the confining nature of the material.
"No…"
"How did that…"
"Who did it…?"
The response of the girls was far worse this time, with Lori and Lynn growing angry, Luan and Leni completely stricken silent, and Luna unable to keep the tears at bay any longer.
"Girls…" Lynn Sr. stood up, ushering their emotions down by gesturing his hands downward. "Your mother and I both agree that what Lincoln has been through has been awful, beyond terrible; but our job here isn't to react to it, our job is to make it better." He looked towards Lincoln, resting in Rita's arms, taking shallow little breaths as he sought out the rest he had been denying himself for who knows how long. "That's what Lincoln needs. A family to make things better." He looked around the table, smiling comfortingly at each of his daughters, "And considering how we saw you interacting with him earlier, there isn't a doubt in our minds that you will all do just that."
His words had an effect, not much of one considering the circumstances, but there was one considering the way everyone at the table relaxed by just the smallest amount. His smile stayed, noticeably bittersweet and he clapped his hands together. "Now, what say we start cleaning up? I just bought a fresh box of snack cakes from the grocery store and I think all of you girls deserve a treat before bed considering how well you've done today."
"Ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah!" Lynn immediately sprung from her chair, her empty bowl in her hands, ready to go into the sink. "I'll help! Can we use extra bubbles?"
Lynn Sr. laughed, "Sure."
Rita chuckled and looked towards Lori, "Lori, sweetheart, can you grab Lincoln's blanket and take it up to his room with me? It would probably do him some good to have something familiar of his nearby."
"Sure, mom," Lori agreed, standing up alongside her mother.
"Can I come?" Leni asked.
"Sure you can," Rita said.
Leni smiled and joined Lori and her mother, following them out of the room in a single file.
"Good night, Lincoln…" Luna wiped her eyes, sniffling as she watched her mother and sisters leave with her new brother. She wished she could have joined them, but she didn't want to risk making things even more sad with her blubbering. Stupid tears… She found herself thinking.
Together, Rita, Lori, and Leni made their way up the stairs with Lincoln. By her sides, her daughters watched the way she held Lincoln, quietly bouncing in step as they kept up with her.
"Could one of you get the door?" Rita asked when they approached the former linen closet.
Leni opened the door, and they made their way inside.
The room was just as cozy as Lori had left it, with the oncoming night leaving it in a shade of comforting light blue.
"Lori, could you pull back the blankets?" Rita asked. "And Leni, can you plug in the nightlight we got him?"
The two daughters did as they were asked, with Lori going to the bed and pulling the blankets back by the corner, revealing the white sheets beneath. As for Leni, she quickly set about to plugging in the cute little bunny nightlight that sat on top of the wardrobe, filling the room in brighter soft blue light.
"Mmm…" With the light coming about, Lincoln frowned in his sleep and curled up in Rita's arms.
"Oh! Shh, shh, shh…" Rita turned her and Lincoln away from the light, rocking him in her arms and whispering soothing hushes to him. "Now, now, it's alright; just a little light to make you feel safe, nothing more."
Lori and Leni exchanged concerned looks, thinking the same thought.
Rita stepped towards the bed, shushing him sweetly as she brought him down onto the bed, setting his head on the pillow with all the care in the world. "It's alright," She whispered lovingly, "there's nothing to worry about." As she continued shushing him, she carefully removed his shoes and brought the blanket over him.
Lincoln's legs shuffled beneath the blankets and his head turned along his pillow. His frown still persisted.
Leni suddenly stood a little straighter, a figurative lightbulb bursting above her head. "Ooh, I got an idea!" She whispered. She dashed to the toybox, kept closed so that the girls could surprise Lincoln with their gifts at a later time. Carefully, she pried it open just a crack and stuck her arm in. After a moment of rooting through the dark, she smiled upon feeling something soft in her palm and pulled it out.
"Here you go, Lincoln." Leni crept to the bed and placed her gift alongside Lincoln.
It was a stuffed bunny; a white stuffed bunny made of fuzzy white velvet with comforting eyes and a little black nose. It was garbed in a little purple T-shirt, coincidentally the same color as Lincoln's blanket.
"I spent a long time making this for you," Leni whispered, gently nudging it into Lincoln's side. "I hope you like it."
Rita regarded Leni, her eyes twinkling with pride, "It's wonderful, Leni. Absolutely fantastic."
Lori smirked where she stood, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes towards the ceiling, I'm just glad we had enough extra material to finish it after the mistakes. She lifted her fingers up to her face, examining the bandages wrapped around her pointer and middle fingers. Pretty sure a bloody bunny would not have been a well received gift.
"Look, he's calming down now!" Leni whispered joyfully.
"Looks like he likes your gift, sweetie," Rita said, ruffling Leni's hair. "But we better be on our way if we don't want to risk waking him up. Say goodnight."
Leni grinned and pulled more of the blanket over Lincoln, "Goodnight, Lincoln."
"Sweet dreams," Rita added.
Lori followed suit, going to the very head of the bed, "Sleep well, Lincoln."
Their goodnights said, the three Louds stepped away from the bed and made their way for the door.
That is, except for Lori.
Lori stood back, stopping at the door. She watched her mother and Leni head for the stairs. Then, when she was sure she was alone, she turned around and moved back to Lincoln's bed.
She stopped at the head of the bed, clasping her hands together as she regarded Lincoln. She bit her lip, shuffling her feet as her emotions churned within her.
It wasn't fair. Who or what could ever hurt someone so small? Someone so innocent?
Someone so sweet, She thought, recalling how he had told her and her sisters that he thought they were pretty. And someone gave him nightmares? And broke his arm!? It's not right! Not in any shape or form!
She sucked in a breath, trying to quell the rage she was feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had to remember what her father said. She had to focus on making the situation better for Lincoln, not the circumstances that led him to her family.
Once her temper was in check, she looked at Lincoln again. Sleeping there, he looked so much more at peace, not nearly as broken or wounded as when she first saw him. Poor thing. Poor little thing…
She edged forward, bringing a hand to brush through his hair, being sure to be as gentle as possible.
That's when she saw it.
A bruise just above his right eye; a splotch of dark purples, blues, and reds with some yellow around the edges. It glared angrily at her from its spot just below Lincoln's bangs, practically searing itself into her memory in what was supposed to be the comforting blue light of the nightlight.
Lori should have been angry, filled with rage, incensed beyond any possible comprehension.
But she wasn't.
Instead, her eyes welled up with tears, falling freely down her cheeks without restraint. "Oh, Lincoln…" She whispered, pulling her hand back. "I—I promise we'll be better. We won't let you experience even a fraction of the hurt you've experienced. We're going to take the best care of you and give you every single ounce of love we have to give, understand? You deserve so much better, no question about it. And while I'm here, I'll make sure you're taken care of, alright? Because…Because—"
She had to take a moment to bring her arm up to wipe her eyes. Then, in a bout of affection that had never been summoned by anyone other than her sisters, she leaned forward.
"Because I'm your big sister, Lincoln." She whispered, laying a soft kiss against the spot where the bruise was, somehow not causing a single twinge of discomfort upon him. "And I love you."
And somehow it was true. Despite only knowing the boy a scant few hours, she did love him. After seeing the pain the world had inflicted upon him, the protective feelings brought about had grown into a fierce personal obligation to make it better.
And she was going to do it. With her sisters at her side, she was going to make sure Lincoln would have the family life he deserved.
But first, she had to let him sleep.
Lori stood back, wiping her eyes again. Okay, Lori, She told herself, You gotta get going. Go wash your face and get downstairs before all the snack cakes are gone.
Her stomach growled at that thought and she rolled her eyes. Okay, fine, I'm going, She thought, turning around and heading for the door. Before she left, however, she turned around one final time.
"Sweet dreams, little brother," She whispered. "I'll see you in the morning."
And with that, Lincoln was left in his new bedroom, cozily snuggled up with warm blankets, a homemade stuffed animal…
And a family just one floor below who would love and care for him, as it ought to be.