The delicate aroma of coffee hit Reggie Kinsmen: CPS officer extraordinaire the second he took his first sip, spiriting away the lethargy that came with the early morning office environment.
Ah, much better! He thought, lowering the cup back down to his desk.
Thankfully, the regular din of the office was quieter on Saturdays, still abuzz thanks to the unfortunate nature of their work, but thankfully down to enough of a dull roar that he could focus on the files before him. Files dictating the progress of a special case; at least to him.
That was the case of Lincoln Loud (formerly Lincoln Warren): the boy taken into custody following the discovery of the brutal abuse he had taken at the hands of his mother.
Reggie still recalled the night he was taken in, the night the authorities had been called following reports of a child screaming from one of the apartments in the shadier part of Great Lakes city. The reports stated that it just started with the child crying, but then they felt they had to report the more it persisted and the worse the crying got, eventually crescendoing into wails of pain.
Reggie gulped. He wished they had gotten there sooner, at least that night.
Upon the mother hearing that the police were coming, she tried to run, Lincoln in tow.
But Lincoln resisted, that point battered and bruised beyond the capacity of listening. So he ran, and his mother didn't take kindly to that.
Following eyewitness accounts of Lincoln trying to pull away from his mother, those who saw the event reported the boy falling down the stairs in the struggle.
That's when they got there and found him.
A poor little child, laying crumpled on the concrete, his arm all but crushed beneath him, his breathing ragged, and a trail of blood running down from his forehead, completely unconscious in the dirtiest clothes one could imagine.
Lincoln had been practically jettisoned to the hospital following their arrival, the search for his disappeared mother being put on the back burner. Once he had arrived, the hospital staff rushed him to the ER, tending to his broken arm, the multiple lacerations marring his skin, and the hideously dark bruises painting a great portion of his tiny injured form.
Reggie had seen some harsh cases in his time as a CPS worker, but when he saw Lincoln, hooked up to a machine, an oxygen mask over his mouth, looking so frail and weak in his struggle to stay alive, he knew he had to make sure the boy went somewhere better; somewhere where he could actually receive the love and care a child needed to not only survive, but flourish.
Thus his search began.
First, he scoured their databases for suitable families within the borders of the city; and while there were a few notable families that seemed like they would've been a good fit for the boy (One such being a well loved family by the name of the Casagrandes), a singular detail was pointed out to Reggie that brought his desire to keep the boy within the city down to an absolute no go.
Lincoln's mother had never been apprehended. She could be anywhere in the city; just waiting to get to her son once more.
Reggie couldn't allow the boy to be in danger. Not after what he had already experienced. So the search was renewed, now with a wider radius to try and secure a modicum of safety for the boy.
That in of itself made the task much harder. Sure there were other families who would be willing to take Lincoln in, but they were either far too far for Reggie to find comfort in sending him there, or they lacked any notable references or experiences that conveyed they would be able to help a child like Lincoln.
And that was Reggie's struggle, spurred by his desperate need to try and not only ease Lincoln's suffering, but to prevent any further harm brought upon him.
Reggie had been told that he was taking too long with this single case; that he needed to hurry up and get Lincoln assigned somewhere so he could move on to his next assignment.
But every time Reggie visited Lincoln in the hospital, every time he saw his tiny form wheezing and struggling for air because of his brutalized ribs, every time he laid eyes upon his suspended arm, every time he saw the bruise upon his forehead, he just couldn't do it. He HAD to find him a family that could fill in his rigorous criteria.
After a while, and when he received news from the hospital that Lincoln had woken up screaming several times, Reggie knew he was running out of time. He either had to get Lincoln into a family, or Lincoln would be sent off to a group home.
Options were thinning, choices running out like the minutes that ticked by in its cruel relentlessness.
Then, a miracle happened.
Reggie shuffled into his apartment one dreary night, his bones weary with another fruitless day of searching weighing down on him. Desperate to get away from the herculean task that he was failing spectacularly at, he fell into his recliner, kicking off his shoes and bringing his hands over his face to try and block out the cruel, uncaring world that sought to bring pain and misery to the undeserving.
DING!
Fortunately, his melancholic reverie was cut mercifully short by the chime of his phone, simultaneously sounding off and vibrating in his pocket to signal it had something to show him.
And Reggie listened to its call, reaching into his pocket to retrieve the device, praying to whatever deity that would bother listening that it wasn't something work related.
Apparently someone was looking out for him, given the singular message that came up when he opened his phone.
Lynn Loud just posted! Check it out!
A simple notification from a social media site that he checked in on from time to time; and from a dear old college friend no less!
Reggie smiled. He wouldn't mind checking in on what his old roommate was doing. If anything, it would ease the dour mood he was in.
So, he tapped on the message and opened the page.
Reggie's heart warmed a thousand times over when the image came up.
It was Lynn Sr., laughing below a dogpile of his daughters, all swarming him with gleaming little grins of their own as they overtook their father in a very one-sided wrestling match.
No fair! Five against One! Where's the fairness in that?! Beside the caption, a little smiley-face was placed, showing Lynn Sr.'s apparent humor with the situation.
Ah, Lynnzilla, you really do love doing the whole "Dad" thing, dontcha? Reggie shook his head. Even with five girls, you're still happy as a clam! If only there were more parents like you in the wo—
Reggie jolted before he could finish his thought, jerking in his seat like he had just been bitten in the backside. More parents like you…
A fledgling idea, crazy as a sunflower on the moon, bloomed within his mind; and as it fought to exist as plausible, Reggie scrolled through Lynn Sr.'s page.
Countless pictures of the Loud family adorned the page, each showing the happy family being, well, happy. From picnics to holidays to birthday parties, the Loud family positively radiated love in each image, filling Reggie with the same kind of warmth a mug of hot chocolate on a snowy day would.
Could this be the answer I've been looking for? He thought, stopping at an image of the four older Loud girls greeting a newborn Lynn Jr. from way back when. Could Lynn and Rita be the ones to give Lincoln the home he needs!?
Reggie shook his head, No, that can't be, that's crazy!
"What would I even say?" He asked himself, tossing his head back. "'Hey Lynn! Long time no see! Looking good! Lovin' the new do! Say, you seem to have a decent handle on this whole parenting thing; you mind if the state of Michigan drops this little guy off with you!? You always said you wanted a big family, think of this as a chance of getting a new member while skipping past those long nine months of waiting beforehand!'"
He threw his arms over the arms of his recliner with a groan. "It's just crazy…I gotta think of something else. Anything else…"
But there isn't much else you can think of, Reggie, His thoughts told him. Time is running out! And if you don't think of something, then Lincoln will—
He cringed when he pictured the boy again, currently lying in a sleep-induced state in his hospital bed a few miles away from Reggie's apartment; lest he have to suffer the terror that came with being confined in a strange and frightening place.
He was right. Lincoln needed a solution, and fast! And considering the near miraculous nature of his stumbling upon Lynn Sr.'s profile page at that exact moment; perhaps it was a sign of a new direction to go through.
He certainly had few others.
I—I guess there wouldn't be any harm in asking, He thought, bringing his hand beneath his chin. Maybe if I explain the situation, they'll warm up to it and offer at least temporary care. There might be some certifications to worry about, but with my help, I should be able to expedite that decently enough.
He gulped and looked down at his phone, now leaning against his side. It's…It's worth a shot. For the little guy.
He took his phone into his hand, opening it back up and moving from the social media app to his phone contacts. He then scrolled down to where Lynn Sr.'s name was, and with a shaky thumb, he pressed it and brought the phone to his ear, waiting as it rung.
"Reggie?" Lynn Sr.'s voice came after three rings.
Reggie smiled, "Hey, Lynzilla!"
"What an awesome surprise!" Lynn Sr. said. "Whatcha calling for?"
Reggie brought a finger to scratch the side of his head, "Eh, y'know? Just calling to catch up with a friend." He sat up, "Specifically, I wanted to ask you something. Any chance we could meet up sometime soon? Preferably this weekend? I'd be more than happy to make the trip to Royal Woods?"
"Sure!" Lynn Sr. replied with gusto. "How's this Saturday sound? We could drop the girls off with their grandfather and meet up with you around noon!"
Reggie smiled, "That sounds great! Saturday at noon?"
"Saturday at noon!" Lynn Sr. replied. "But I don't wanna wait until then to get a little bit of catch up done. What's goin' on, Reginator?"
And Reggie spoke with his friend, not about Lincoln, that could wait; but just on the daily minutia of life in the big city.
From there, Reggie's luck improved. That Saturday, he met up with Rita and Lynn Sr., and following pleasantries, he gathered the courage to tell them of Lincoln, and the trials life had inflicted upon him.
The two parents were horrified to hear about what had befallen Lincoln. Rita turned positively red with maternal fury when she heard what Lincoln's mother had done to him, and Lynn Sr. had to blow his nose and wipe the tears from his eyes when he heard the extent of Lincoln's injuries.
They all but charged into Reggie's request, stating that they would be more than happy to not only take Lincoln into their care not just on a temporary basis, but that they would be delighted to bestow full family-ship upon the waylaid lad.
And the rest was a blur of history; a long journey of Reggie aiding Lincoln in the duration of his hospital stay, filling him in on where his life was going. He would not be going back to his mother, he would be going to another family, one with both a mother and a father, and five older sisters that Reggie assured were ecstatic about his forthcoming arrival.
It was a difficult process, with Lincoln refusing to sleep thanks to his nightmares, making himself sicker with voracious eating thanks to his malnourishment, and worst of all…
The belief that he HAD to get back to his mother; lest he incur her wrath for making her wait for him. He truly believed that if he didn't get back to her, she would come get him herself, with a thousand painful reasons to not make her do so again.
It was a struggle getting Lincoln to believe that she was no danger to him anymore. Reggie had spent hours upon hours convincing the boy who hid beneath the hospital covers in a little bundle of quivering fear that he was safe and that he had a loving family waiting for him.
That difficulty proceeded for most of their time spent together. Thankfully, Reggie didn't hold it against Lincoln. He knew the little one was contending with trauma that would make even grown adults regress much the same way. He just patiently reassured Lincoln over and over again that he was safe and that he was on his way to greener pastures.
Alongside that herculean endeavor, Reggie also set to the task of getting Lynn Sr. and Rita ready for their new son, helping them with their certifications and expediting all the paperwork to the utmost of his ability.
After what felt both like an eternity, and the blink of an eye, the day for Lincoln to meet his family had arrived, and together, he and Reggie made the three hour long journey to the small town of Royal Woods.
From there, things couldn't have gone any better in Reggie's opinion. The girls that would be Lincoln's sisters took to the boy like bees to flowers, doting on the scared little one and doing their absolute best to make him feel welcome.
Following a further debriefing on what Lincoln would need to Lynn Sr. and Rita, as well as what they could expect moving forward, Reggie left Lincoln with his new family, confident that he was in the safe and loving environment every child deserved.
Before he knew it, four weeks had passed since that day, bringing them from September 25th to October 23rd, and Reggie was getting ready to make another trip to Royal Woods to check on the family.
That's why he had stepped into the office that day, to grab Lincoln's file to take along with him. That and to review it.
In the month since he had dropped Lincoln off, Reggie and the Loud parents kept a constant correspondence with one another. Shuffling through the various papers, he scanned through the various forms and new records Lynn Sr. and Rita had sent him.
Vaccinations, dental and medical forms, even a few papers showing that Lincoln had been learning some very basic math and academic principles during his days at his parents' respective places of employment. According to a happy little note from Rita, Lincoln could already recite the alphabet with little assistance, tripping up occasionally on J and G, but showing great promise.
You're a smart little guy, aren't ya, Lincoln? He thought to himself with a smile.
Probably best of all to Reggie, was a picture of Lincoln and his sisters sitting on the front steps of the porch. Lincoln sat on the bottom step, with his sisters sitting around him with Lynn and Luan on the step above him, Leni and Luna on the step above them, and Lori on the top.
All six children looked happy as could be, already not discernible in being either blood related or otherwise.
The detail that Reggie zeroed in on with the biggest grin however? Lincoln's arms, both unencumbered and raised skyward, the cast completely absent.
Physical proof that the boy was doing better; and Reggie couldn't wait to see for himself when he visited that night.
…
"I'm not hurting you, right, Linky?" Leni looked at Lincoln in the mirror, tenderly bringing the brush in her hand through his white locks with the utmost care.
"Uh-uh!" Lincoln replied in a mumble, shaking his head in conjunction with the toothbrush in his mouth.
Leni smiled and continued brushing. "Oh, you are gonna be like, the most handsome little thing ever tonight!" She gushed. She giggled and leaned forward, tilting her gaze so she could look at Lincoln face to face, "Not that you aren't handsome all the time, Linky!"
Lincoln blushed, the left portion of his forehead growing inexplicably warm, "Thank you, Leni."
"Oh, hey there you two." Luna announced herself as she walked into the bathroom to join them.
"Hey, Luna!" Leni greeted cheerily. "You look nice!"
"Thanks," Luna replied, turning a little pink as well.
With Reggie arriving for dinner that night, the Loud family had decided that dressing up would be a good way to both mark the occasion of having a guest, and to celebrate Lincoln having lived with them for a whole month.
As such, each member was donning different outfits from their usual day to day attire.
Luna truthfully had the least change to make, given her rather prim and proper wardrobe choices on most other days. Today, she was wearing a dark violet dress with a smattering of little silvery music notes on the front. Complimenting that was a pair of lavender stockings and a bright green headband resting upon her dark brown curls.
As for Leni, she wore a teal green sundress, with two pink stripes streaking just above the hem, matching with her white dress-shoes and her pink ankle socks. Her light blonde hair was decorated with a green and white polka-dotted bow, giving her an extra jolt of color.
Lincoln, who was still in his typical sweater and cloth pants, couldn't help but think they looked really pretty.
"How's getting ready going for you guys?" Luna asked, stepping up to the sink and grabbing her toothbrush.
"I'm just brushing Linky's hair," Leni said. She smirked and flicked Lincoln's turkey tail. "Well, I'm trying to, at least. No matter what I do, Linkey's little turkey tail refuses to stay down."
"Sorry, Leni…" Lincoln said, looking down.
"Oh, don't worry, I'm only playing," Leni cooed, ruffling Lincoln's hair and undoing all her work up to that point.
DING! At that moment, the little egg timer beneath the mirror rang.
"Oh, that's two minutes!" Leni announced, grabbing the timer and bopping the top of it. She then set it down and grabbed the cup of water next to it. "All done, Linky. Time to rinse!" She said, handing him the cup.
Lincoln brought the water to his lips, swishing it around in his mouth and dispelling the strawberry flavor of his toothpaste. While he did that, Leni grabbed the mouthwash, unscrewing the top and filling it with a little puddle of the stingy blue liquid.
"Now I know you don't like it, but remember that ya gotta take your mouthwash next," Leni declared.
Lincoln frowned, but did as Leni said, lowering the cup, spitting the water into the sink (thankfully not imitating Lynn in doing so), and took the lid with his other hand, now able to hold onto things as well.
Just do it quick, Lincoln, He thought, tossing the tiny dollop back.
For as much as he hated it, Luna and Leni couldn't help but find the way he scowled as he swished it around a little bit on the adorable side.
"Okay, you're good to spit it out, Linky!" Leni said after the allotted time passed.
Lincoln lurched forward on his little stepping stool, spitting the mouthwash into the sink in a much mistier fashion, thankfully not getting any on his sisters in the process.
"Good job, Lincoln," Luna said with a nod of approval, reaching out to pat him on the back as he rinsed with the rest of his water.
"Yeah, Linky!" Leni said. "Now your teeth are gonna be all sparkly clean when Mr. Reggie gets here!"
Lincoln supposed that in of itself was worth the task.
Especially with the worries that had been clinging to his mind with the arrival of Reggie's visit.
"Now just lemme fix up your hair a little more and I'll let you go, okay?" Leni said, placing Lincoln's toothbrush alongside the others after rinsing it.
"Mmhmm," Lincoln hummed, taking his spot back in front of Leni.
"Are you excited about tonight, Little one?" Luna asked, spreading her own toothpaste on her toothbrush.
"Uh-huh," Lincoln replied, biting his cheek and looking down a little.
One of Luna's eyebrows rose in response to Lincoln's somewhat dour reply, "Are you sure? You sound a little down about it."
Lincoln bit his lip, mulling over his options.
Their time spent together thus far had given the girls a keener sense for Lincoln's more evasive behaviors, cluing them into when he was trying to hold some anxiety or fear within him.
And with that developing sense, came a little more courage for the girls to pry into what was obviously ailing him, in turn letting Lincoln know that they were looking out for him, and that it was probably best to just tell them ahead of time instead of making them worry.
Sometimes a little meddling, when coming from the right place, could do wonders.
"You won't get mad, will you?" Still, Lincoln liked to play it careful.
"As long as you didn't break Luna's headphones, I think we should be fine," Leni joked.
Luna gave Leni a quick sideways glare before softening her expression for Lincoln again. "I'm sure it's nothing, Lincoln," She said, crouching down to his level. "Go ahead and tell us, it'll be okay."
Lincoln bit his lip, trying to find calm in the repetitive sensation of Leni bringing the brush bristles through his hair. "Well…" He said, bringing his hands, both gratefully available to their full use to him, together. "It's about before I came to live here." His shoulders bunched up, "About how I was scared."
"Scared in what way?" Luna asked.
Lincoln took a breath, "I was scared you guys would be mean. That you would—" He gulped and brought his hand to his chest, "That you would hurt me like—like—"
"Lincoln." Luna brought a hand to his shoulder, easing it back down with a gentle rub. "Lincoln, it's okay, you're here with us, you're safe," She said.
Lincoln looked to Luna, blinking several times and dispelling the shadows creeping around his vision. "I—" He shook his head, jostling Leni off of him for a moment and bringing him back into the Loud house. "Sorry…"
"It's okay," Leni whispered, bringing the brush back to Lincoln's hair, shushing him comfortably as she resumed brushing. "Is that why you're scared today? Have we done anything to scare you?"
"No," Lincoln replied, shaking his head again, unknowingly shrugging Leni off once more (Much to Leni's amusement). "I'm scared because I told Mr. Reggie that I was scared about you being mean to me the day he was driving me here." He tensed up, prompting Luna to bring her hand to his back, "And to make me feel better, he said that if anything like that happened, he would find me a new family."
A frown crossed his expression and he wrapped his arms around himself. "That's why I'm nervous about him coming today," He admitted with a tremble. "What if I say something wrong and he takes me away? I don't wanna be taken away from you!"
"Whoa, Linky, it's okay!" Leni moved in front of Lincoln, kneeling down to him alongside Luna, "There's no way that'll happen!"
Lincoln blinked, summoning the water a little further into his eyes, "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely!" Luna said with gusto. She rubbed his back further, "Lincoln, Mr. Reggie is coming just to check on what's been going on since you got here, and considering how great the last couple of weeks have gone, there's nothing that'll make him think you need to go somewhere else." She offered Lincoln a comforting smile, "After all, haven't you enjoyed your time here with us?"
Lincoln didn't need to think of a response for even a second. "Yeah!" He proclaimed with an emphatic nod. "I've had the best time here! With all of you!" He blushed and brought his gaze down a smidge, smiling bashfully as he spoke on, "You all make me feel safe. Safe and happy."
"Aww, Linky!" Just as usual, the two sisters had to resist the urge to hug their little brother then and there.
Unfortunately for the whole family, Lincoln still hadn't overcome his aversion to hugs, shrinking into himself whenever one of the family members looked ready to give him one. Fortunately, though, his family was understanding and it was accepted throughout the house that if Lincoln were to ever ask for a hug, he would get one, no questions asked.
There was even a pool amongst the sisters on who would be the one to get the honor of being the first to hug Lincoln.
"Now why would Mr. Reggie wanna take you away if you tell him things like that?" Luna asked. She smiled at Lincoln and gave him a gentle poke in the chest, "Hearing stuff like that's only gonna show him how happy we all are with you here, no doubt about it!"
Lincoln giggled from the poke and looked up at Luna and Leni. "You promise?" He asked, his voice lighter.
"We promise!" Both girls replied just as cheerily.
The tension in Lincoln's body receded, leaving him feeling significantly lighter there with his sisters. "Then I feel better," He declared.
Luna smiled and stood up to her full height. "That's good," She said, bringing her toothbrush to pour a little water on the toothpaste. "That means we can just enjoy dinner tonight."
"Speaking of which," Leni said, bringing the brush away from Lincoln's head. "You're all good to go, Linky! Just as handsome as I thought you'd be!"
Lincoln jolted and turned towards the mirror.
Leni had finished with his hair in a sort of medium ground between neat and shaggy, moving his lengthening little white tips to curl against his cheeks, around the shells of his ears. Up top, Leni had done her best to layer the hair to have it work in harmony with his oh-so rebellious turkey tail (Leni knew a losing battle when she saw one)
"Mr. Reggie's gonna be so impressed when he sees you," Leni declared, looking over Lincoln's shoulder.
Lincoln smiled and brought his hand to rest on Leni's atop his shoulder. "Thank you, Leni," He hummed.
Leni grinned and stood back up, "Anytime, Linky." She gently turned Lincoln around and ushered him off the stepping stool with a pat on the back. "Now, go keep getting ready, okay? Mom probably has an outfit all set up for you."
"Okay," Lincoln said, trotting his way out the bathroom and into the hallway.
Leni watched Lincoln go, smiling to herself for a moment before she turned around to get her own toothbrush.
"You don't think that might happen, do you?" Luna asked suddenly. "You don't think there's a chance of Lincoln being taken away, right?"
Leni shook her head. "No way, never ever!" She brought the toothpaste onto the toothbrush and began brushing alongside Luna.
No one could ever take our Linky away, She mentally added.
…
I wonder where Missus Mommy is, Lincoln thought as he trotted down the hallway. He turned his head as he passed each of his sister's rooms, taking a cursory glance for his mother in each one only to find them empty.
"Lynn Loud Jr., I am not going to argue with you, put this dress on right now!"
That was until he got to Lynn's room.
"No! I'll look dumb in it!" Lynn cried in protest.
Lincoln jumped slightly in response to the heated exchange he happened to walk into, freezing in the doorway out of fright.
Inside Lynn's room, the diminutive girl was locked in a harsh staring contest with her mother, her fists on her hips and her lower lip jutted out in a rebellious scowl.
Rita glowered at her youngest daughter in return, her eyes narrowed as she held a sparkly red dress with puffy sleeves in her hands.
Lincoln took a step back to try and slink away—
"Oh, hello Lincoln, sweetheart." But Rita saw him just before he could edge out of frame. "It's alright, sweetie, you can come in."
Lincoln froze again for a split second, but listened to his mother and eked his way into the sportsy room, carefully avoiding tripping over any of Lynn's various balls in the process.
"I was just trying to get your sister ready for tonight's dinner," Rita explained. She looked back at Lynn, "But someone is being stubborn."
Lynn fumed and stood on her tiptoes, trying in vain to make herself look more authoritative with the illusion of height. "Why do I have to wear a dress?!" She barked.
Rita sighed and brought her hand to pinch the bridge of her nose, "Lynn, we are having a nice formal dinner tonight when Mr. Reggie gets here. That means dressing nice and being on our best behavior. Don't you wanna show Mr. Reggie what a good family Lincoln is living with?"
Both Lincoln and Lynn jolted at that. Lincoln at the implication of their behavior being a part of appealing to Reggie that he could stay; Lynn at the implication that her stubbornness could be a detriment to that appeal.
"But…" Still, the thought of wearing that puffy and sparkly garment made the seven-year-old feel extremely self-conscious. "I'll look ugly…"
Lincoln snapped out of his thoughts at those words and looked to Lynn. She thought she was ugly? How could she think that? All of his sisters were really pretty! No doubt about it!
"Oh, sweetpea…" Rita's face softened and she got down on her knees in front of Lynn. "Now why would you think that?"
"Because I would," Lynn sadly insisted.
"No you wouldn't!" Lincoln shook his head and leapt into the center of the room, moving alongside Rita and Lynn. When the two of them turned to him, he brought his fists up and hardened his face in determination (still looking rather endearing to the two of them). "Lynn, all the girls look really pretty in their dresses! That means you will too, because you're always pretty! Just like them!"
Lynn appeared completely dumbstruck for a good while after that, her deep green eyes widening and dilating into little dots of shock. Then, like someone had flipped a switch in her heart, her eyes began to gleam with water and her lips began to tremble.
Lincoln's own heart skipped a beat and a small panic surged through him. "Lynn? Are you okay?" He asked, stepping forward.
"I—I—Do you—" Lynn really wanted to hug Lincoln at that moment, to break that agreement to let him come to them so she could express her gratitude towards her little brother. But since she couldn't do that, she could only sniffle, let the tears fall, and run towards her mother instead.
Rita read Lynn's movements in a millisecond and immediately opened her arms to take her trembling little girl into her embrace, letting her nestle against her chest to cry in her maternal comfort.
"Aww, there, there, sweetie," She cooed, bringing a hand to rub Lynn's back. She tilted her cheek to nuzzle the top of Lynn's head, providing just a little more comfort.
"Did I do something bad?!" Lincoln quailed, his own eyes beginning to water.
Rita smiled at Lincoln, continuing to rub Lynn's back as she spoke, "No, you didn't do anything wrong, Lincoln. Lynn's just a little…taken aback. Don't worry, she's fine." She chanced a quick glance back down to Lynn. "Right, sweetie? You're okay, aren't you?" She asked sweetly.
Lynn nodded against her mother, still keeping her face hidden, but responding with a watery and somewhat choked up, "Uh-huh."
"See?" Rita said, looking back at Lincoln. "She just needs a moment." She then noticed Lincoln still in his casual wear. "Oh, that's right, you probably came to ask me for help getting you dressed, didn't you?"
Lincoln bit his cheek, nodding nervously in reply. He really didn't feel comfortable asking for help at such a tender and delicate moment.
"Aww, sorry, sweetheart, I'm gonna be a little busy with Lynn for a while," Rita said, offering a sympathetic smile to both Lincoln and Lynn. "Why don't you ask Lori? She's probably just about done getting ready. I'm sure she'd be willing to help you."
Lincoln tensed a little further, but nodded in return. Lynn deserved to have her mother's undivided attention there in that unspeakably vulnerable moment. "O-Okay," He said. He turned around and made his way back out into the hallway, only stopping to glance back at Lynn within their mother's arms, "See you later, Lynn. I hope you feel better."
Lynn sniffled and gripped her mother's shirt with her hands, "T-Thank you, Lincoln."
Lincoln's heart gave a little pang in response, but with nary an idea of what to do to help Lynn get better any quicker, chose to leave it in Rita's capable hands.
"Is he gone?" Lynn asked when Lincoln disappeared from the door's frame.
Rita looked down at Lynn's thatch of messy brown locks. "He is. Why? Are you embarrassed?" She asked.
Lynn shook her head, "No, I just—" She sniffled and tilted her watery green gaze back up to her mother. "Do you think he meant it?" She asked. "That he thinks I'm as pretty as the other girls?"
"Of course he meant it," Rita said, backing away from Lynn so she could cup her cheeks in her hands. "Lynn, sweetie, you are so beautiful, you know that? Not just in comparison to your sisters, but in general."
Lynn closed her eyes, allowing two more large tears to descend down her face. "But I see myself in pictures…all the other girls look so pretty compared to me."
Rita chuckled and leaned down to kiss Lynn on the spots beneath her eyes, stopping anymore tears from surfacing. "Sweetie, that's just your perception," She assured. "Trust me, you are a beauty just the same."
Lynn sniffled and brought her hands to wipe her eyes. "R-R-Really?" She asked in a trembling vibrato.
Rita smirked and brought a hand to ruffle Lynn's hair. "Really," She affirmed.
Lynn took a few more sniffly breaths, wiping her eyes and nose and smearing her arms in the process. Rita would have to add a generous hand wash to the getting ready list.
"O-Okay," Lynn said, looking up at her mother. She gulped and twiddled her fingers nervously, "I'll wear the dress. Just…Can you help me look nice in it?"
Rita beamed at her daughter, her heart swelling in the face of her adorable gaze as she requested her assistance. "What are mommy's for?" She laughed, bringing the dress forward.
…
I hope Lynn's gonna be okay, Lincoln thought, looking back at her retreating door as he made his way down the hallway.
Unfortunately for him, that focus on what was behind him didn't do much to warn him of what was in front of him.
"Oh, hi Linc—Oof!"
Little squeaks of shock came from both Lincoln and Luan, leaving them to fall backwards into sitting across one another.
"Yeesh, you're getting tough there, Linky," Luan giggled, pushing herself into standing back up. "A month ago, you would have been sent rolling back."
That was another pleasant result of Lincoln's time with them thus far. Thanks to a month of scrumptious meals and secret treats shared between siblings, Lincoln had grown significantly less haggard looking. Yes, he was still a tiny little thing that was now only a little less skinny than a broom, but it hadn't escaped the notice of anyone that the grayness that had painted his entire being had been replaced by a healthy pallor more akin to that of a well-cared for child, complete with actual rosy cheeks perfect for the family to pinch.
"Oh, hi, Luan," Lincoln said, taking her hand and allowing her to pull him up. On his left cheek, he began to feel a spot of warmth appear. "I'm sorry for bumping into you. Are you mad?" He asked.
Luan shook her head. "No! Not at all, Linky!" She said, bringing a hand down to brush against her dress, smoothing out any possible wrinkles before they could form.
For dinner that night, Luan had dressed in a golden colored dress, with little blue lace spirals decorating the edges of the sleeves and hem, accompanied with white dress shoes and a pair of periwinkle socks. In addition to that, Luan also wore a bright yellow scrunchy that glimmered within her puffy ponytail, a stylistic change she had taken over the past month.
"You look nice," Lincoln said, blushing a little.
"Aww, thanks!" Luan said, bringing a hand to rub the back of her head bashfully. "I tried to make myself look extra dazzling for Mr. Reggie tonight; can't have him think I'm not always stage ready."
She accentuated her statement by bringing a hand to swish her ponytail with the words "stage ready".
Lincoln giggled in response and stepped closer to Luan, "I don't know what that means, but you do look pretty!"
"You're such a sweet little guy," Luan declared, rubbing his head with her hand. She stepped back and looked over Lincoln, "I see you're still working with your pre-show outfit though. What? You trying to go for a comfy-cozy look?"
Lincoln shook his head, "No, I was actually on my way to ask Lori to help me get dressed. Missus Mommy is helping Lynn get ready."
Luan looked past Lincoln to Lynn's room. "Ooh, that cannot be easy for Mom," She said, biting her cheek. "Getting Lynn in a dress is like getting a kitty to bark."
Lincoln's head sank a little, "She was sad about wearing one. She said she would look dumb." He looked back up at Luan, "Why would she think that?"
Luan smiled somberly and reached out to put a hand on Lincoln's shoulder, "She just gets a little down on herself from time to time. Lynn acts tough, but she's really pretty mushy at the center. But she'll be fine, don't worry."
Lincoln's melancholic expression didn't lessen much, and in response, Luan widened her grin and leaned down towards him.
"So…Halloween is only about a week away," She chimed, "you excited? I heard Leni's just about finished with that Link costume for you."
That seemed to do the trick, as Lincoln perked up significantly when he was reminded that Leni only had the hat to finish. "Uh-huh!" He said, nodding excitedly. "And Lori says she's gonna make me a sword and shield out of some boxes in the garage!"
Luan giggled and took her hand off Lincoln's shoulder in favor of setting it on her hip. "Well then, looks like this Halloween will be quite a 'knight' to remember, get it?"
Lincoln didn't (probably for the best because Link technically wasn't a knight), but he still laughed out of politeness. "I can't wait," He said, looking up at Luan with sparkling eyes.
Luan beamed at her little brother and stood a little taller, "Me neither, Linky, me neither." She perked up and turned towards the direction of the stairs, down to where they both knew the front door to be, and beyond that, the street, and beyond that, another house. "Especially with those new neighbors across the street. They really seem to be getting into the spirit…"
"They're really nice though," Lincoln said, looking in the same direction as Luan. "Plus, they have a really cute baby!" He added with a giggle.
"Eh, I just wish she wasn't so blank-faced," Luan mumbled. She shrugged and shook off the little chill that came over her when imagining their new neighbors. "Still, I suppose if they give out decent candy, it won't matter how strange they are."
"The Mommy's nice, too," Lincoln added.
Luan nodded, chuckling to herself when she pictured the eclectic woman in question, "Yeah, though I wouldn't call her normal either." She looked back at Lincoln, smiling her crooked, but endearing smile, "But you're right. They are pretty good neighbors." She then straightened her posture and stepped past Lincoln. "Now, let's get back to focusing on tonight. You still need to get ready, doncha, Linky?"
Lincoln jolted and looked down at himself, "Oh yeah! I was on my way to ask Lori for help!"
Luan giggled and turned on her heel to point dramatically down the hallway, "Then get going, Linky! We need you lookin' extra spiffy tonight!"
"Right!" Lincoln agreed with a strong nod. He then broke into a run, moving past Luan who laughed even more heartily in response. "See you later, Luan!"
Luan raised a hand to wave Lincoln off as she went back into her own room, "Bye, Linky! See you at dinner! Make sure you bring an empty tummy with you!"
…
Thunk-Thunk-Thunk!
The sound of a tiny fist gently tapping its knuckles on her door caught Lori's attention just as she finished tying her ribbon around her braid.
"Come in," She responded.
The click of the doorknob being twisted preceded the door's slow opening, revealing a cautious Lincoln treading into Lori's room.
"Hi, Lori," Lincoln greeted. "Did I knock right?"
"Yup!" Lori said, turning away from her vanity to face Lincoln, "That was very polite of you, Linc, good job!"
Lincoln smiled and closed the door behind him with both hands before moving across the room towards Lori. "Wow!" He said, stopping in front of Lori, eyes absolutely glittering. "Lori, you look beautiful!"
Being the eldest permitted Lori a few extra permissions in terms of getting ready for an occasion such as this one. For instance, she actually had earrings, not clip-ons, as evidenced by the sparkly blue star shaped pins shining amongst her golden tresses. For style, she had a fair portion of her hair tied into a plaited braid, with a white ribbon intertwined within it and tied into a bow at the crown of her head, complimenting her bangs framing her face. Her dress was white as well, with light blue straps adorning her shoulders and an alternating pattern of turquoise and sapphire-colored flowers lining the hem. Lastly, she wore a pair of sparkly light blue dress shoes.
Lori beamed at Lincoln, "Aww, you mean that, Linc?"
Lincoln nodded, "Uh-huh! You remind me of Cinderella!"
Lori laughed and reached forward to pinch Lincoln's cheeks, "That's so sweet of you to say, Lincoln! I certainly did my best to make myself look good for tonight." She stood up and did a little twirl, looking back in the mirror as she did so. "And if you're literally comparing me to a Disney Princess, that must mean I'm doing something at least semi-right."
She sighed and turned back to Lincoln, getting down to his level with a crouch. "Now, what brings you here?" She asked.
Lincoln jolted and brought his hand to his arm, rubbing it demurely. "Um, I went to Missus Mommy to ask for help getting ready," He began, "but she's busy with Lynn, so she told me I should come and see if you could help me." He bit his cheek and peered up at Lori timidly, "So, can you?"
Lori smirked and stood back up, "Of course! I'd be happy to lend you a hand, Linc. Long as you're not bashful, that is."
Lincoln pinkened a little, but shook his head, "I think I'll be okay."
"Cool," Lori said, extending her hand out to Lincoln. "Let's skedaddle then. We don't wanna risk not having you ready by the time Mr. Reggie gets here, right?"
Lincoln took Lori's hand in return, following her to the door and into the hallway. "Uh-uh," He agreed.
Together, the two of them made their way to Lincoln's room, with Lori stopping before the closed door to turn to him before they went in.
"You mind if I go in, Lincoln?" She asked. Ever since he arrived, Lori had tried to give him and her siblings the same politeness she wanted when it came to them going in her room. It was far from perfect (occasionally, the general chaos of the home caused one of the siblings to roll into someone else's room), but it was a step towards improvement.
Lincoln nodded, "Mmhmm."
Permission given, Lori opened the door and brought Lincoln into his room with her. "Alright, let's see…" She said, looking around the room. She smiled when she saw the outfit hanging from the wall that functioned as his closet within a closet. "Ah, that must be it," She said, releasing Lincoln's hand and reaching for the outfit. "Ah, how cute! Mom even got you a little bowtie!"
Lincoln's outfit was a relatively simple one, picked for both comfort and cuteness. It comprised of a bright orange button up shirt, similar in color to the many autumnal leaves that hung from the tree on the front lawn. At the edge of the shirt's sleeves, little red buttons were present for fastening them.
For the other part of the ensemble, a pair of dark brown slacks, ironed to creased perfection, yet still looking as comfortable as even the most casual of clothes. To go with that, a pair of brown leather shoes, cleaned to have a small shine to them.
And as Lori mentioned, a final little accessory to make the outfit complete, a little bright red bowtie, perfecting the clear autumnal vibe that Rita was going for.
"Oh, you are literally going to be adorable in this!" Lori gushed, taking the clothes and laying them on Lincoln's bed. She kept the shirt in her grasp, tossing aside the hanger and unbuttoning the single button at the top that held it closed. "C'mon," She said, placing the shirt down and crouching down to Lincoln, her arms out. "Let's get you dressed, arms up!"
Lincoln bit his lip nervously, but followed Lori's orders and lifted his arms, his nerves spiking when Lori pulled his shirt and sweater over his head.
Even though he knew Lori wouldn't be shocked at what she saw, Lincoln still folded his arms over the front of his torso, shrinking into himself to try and hide the marks decorating his body.
In the time that had transpired since his arrival with the Louds, their gentle care had permitted his battered body to heal by a significant amount. The bruises that had painted nearly every inch of him had dulled down to mere shadows of what they had been at the outset of his arrival, now really only a few stubborn patches of blue and yellow that clung to the spots above his ribs, his stomach, and the centermost point of his chest.
As for the scars, they remained, as scars did, but it seemed the love, care, and security he received was nothing to shake a stick at. What had once been a collection of angry lines grimacing at Lincoln every time he dared to look, were now smaller lines of apathetic whiteness, intent on staying forevermore, but resigning themselves to lessening their presence to the relief of Lincoln and everyone else who wished for him to heal.
Lincoln was doing better; the fading wounds were proof of that.
But he still felt ashamed that he had received them in the first place. That he would bear the scars forever as proof of his flaws as a son, eternally showing how ugly and imperfect he was.
And Lori noticed Lincoln shrink away from her in light of those thoughts, and she couldn't help but frown, both a little sadly and a little crossly in response.
"Lincoln…" She said, tossing the shirt over her shoulder. When Lincoln didn't respond, she spoke again, softening her tone further, "Lincoln, can you look at me, please?"
Lincoln gritted his teeth, but obeyed Lori again, tilting his stiff neck and opening his eyes to gaze at her ashamedly.
"Do you remember what I said about these?" She said, lifting up a finger to point at one of the remaining bruises above his ribs. "Remember what we all said?"
Lincoln bit his lip, already trembling as his eyes watered. "Mmhmm," He mumbled with a nod.
"Well it's still the truth," Lori said, bringing her hand back. "Whatever bad thoughts you're thinking about yourself, they're not true, okay?" She brought both her hands to cup Lincoln's cheeks so she could maintain eye contact with him. "Nothing about you is bad. You are such a sweet, awesome little guy, okay? Please tell me you understand that."
Lincoln sniffled and brought his hands to set them on Lori's wrists, blinking away the mistiness that had been coalescing in his eyes. "I understand, Lori," He said after a moment of breathing to calm down.
Lori smiled and took her hands off his cheeks so she could bring the shirt forward again. "Great," She said, doing her best to hide the tightness her own throat had come down with, "Let's get you ready then. I want Mr. Reggie to see you at your absolute cutest."
Neither of them said nothing more about the marks on Lincoln from then on, only laughing to themselves when Lincoln tried to button up the shirt himself and came out very uneven.
"And…Done!" Lori said, pulling on the bowtie to straighten it. She moved back from Lincoln and stood up to regard her handiwork. "Awww, look at you!" She cooed, curling her hands against her cheek.
Lincoln turned to the little hand mirror that sat on his desk.
He did look rather dapper, like a walking representation of autumn, with a fine layer of snow at the top of his head thanks to his white hair.
"I knew you'd look good," Lori said, poking her head over Lincoln's shoulder. "But even I'm a little surprised about how much this works for you. Why didn't you tell me I had the world's cutest little brother, Lincoln?"
Lincoln blushed and looked down at his shuffling feet with a bashful smile. "Thank you, Lori?" He said, turning around to beam at her. "For all the stuff you did. That was really nice of you."
Lori scoffed good-naturedly. "Hey, what are big sisters for?" She said with a smirk. She extended her hand down towards Lincoln again, "Now, if you ask me, we're about as ready as we can get. What say you and I head downstairs and catch a few cartoons before Mr. Reggie gets here? I may or may not have a candy bar I'd be willing to split."
Lincoln lit up and grabbed Lori's hand. "Yeah!" He cheered, raising his other fist in celebration of the prospect of a treat.
Lori laughed and squeezed Lincoln's hand in hers; the same hand that she was only able to hold the fingertips of a little while back because of a cast that was thankfully no longer there.
As they made their way downstairs, she thought about how far Lincoln had come in such a short time, and how happy, as well as the rest of her family was that they helped him get there.
She knew that night was going to go wonderfully, because she knew that for the CPS worker that was coming to visit, there would be quite a few heartwarming stories to tell.