Ello, my wonderful readers! Here I am, returning to this story with another chapter to spare! I'm afraid with college and moving on my hands, this chapter isn't as detailed as the others but I am hoping that y'all get a joy out of it. And as always; Read, Review and Enjoy!
The schools of Royal Woods were a bustling place of productivity as per usual. But today, there was a different circumstance at hand. Our white haired adult, Lincoln Loud, strolled down the halls wearing his usual attire. The school had done some renovating since his day, so it took him awhile to hunt down the principal's office. Though he wasn't a student here anymore, his heart was beating faster than a hummingbird's wings as he approached the door to said office.
'Just get through it!' Lincoln mentally scolded himself, 'You're not a child in trouble this time! You're an adult, meeting as a parent!'
Exhaling calmly as he psyched himself up, he entered the room. He was met with quite a sight. Sitting at the central desk was an elderly woman, wearing a plaid dress with a blazer atop it and brown slacks below it. Towering beyond all of which was a beehive hair-do of brown hair that leans slightly to the left as if it were a wig. Her aged face looked sour, burning holes into Lincoln's soul with a small glare. Her name was Dr. Abernathy. Next to her were Lemy, Lupa and Lacy. All of which were looking down, being being able to look their father in the eye.
If I were them I'd feel embarrassed too, Lincoln thought as a certain scents hit his nose coming straight from each of them. Lacy smelled like a bizarre combination of boy's cologne and vinegar, a smell almost as bad as the shiner on her left eye. I can't wait to hear the story behind this. Lupa and Lemy smelled like burned fabric and smoke, he could only take a lucky guess as to what was the source.
"Ah, Mr. Lincoln Loud." The dear Doctor greeted, "Why is that you and I meet regarding your nieces and nephew, whenever I ask for their parents?"
Lincoln and the children each feel a bit of saliva summon within their throats and remain frozen in place. This often was their reaction whenever those of the outside world ask that very question. They know that Lincoln is their father, but everyone else doesn't. Lincoln swallowed the wad of spittle before responding to the administrator.
"Their mothers work long hours. And their fathers left the picture ages ago." Lincoln explained with his charming smile displayed, "With myself being the caring uncle, I help their mothers whenever I can."
"Hmm, I see." Hummed the principal, "Shall we begin with the meeting, Mr. Loud?"
"Of course, lets." Lincoln said pulling up a chair and sitting next to his children.
"Mr. Loud, did my secretary inform you as to why your nieces and nephew were in trouble?" Dr. Abernathy questioned with a stern frown.
"No, not really." Lincoln said sternly without letting his inner shame leak through. He looked totally unprofessional right now!
"Mr. Loud, all three of them were caught skipping class.' Said the Doctor with a nasty scowl of disapproval.
"Oh really?" Lincoln said with disapproval of his own, glaring at his children. They simply looked down in shame.
"Indeed and in most peculiar fashion." Said Dr. Abernathy, "For they were divided in two groups, found at two different hours indulging in separate activities."
These words got a raised eyebrow out of Lincoln, "Not that it matters, but care to elaborate."
Dr. Abernathy understanding what he meant, divulged the details; "We found Lupa and Lemy camping out in the boys' bathroom, smoking cigarettes."
That explains one...Lincoln thought, glaring at the two out of the corner of his eye.
"And Lacy?" Lincoln asked for her to continue.
Dr. Abernathy nodded as she did so, "Another teacher found her and another student in the girls bathroom. They were found in a physical tangle of one another, hands on one's person, bruises and shiners and such. It can only be assumed that they were fighting and your niece hasn't spoken a word since we brought her in."
"I see..." Lincoln looked at Lacy, the Man with a Plan from the past starting to put pieces together.
"With all said and done, a suitable punishment would be a four day suspension for all three of them." Dr. Abernathy said in a matter of fact tone as if there was nothing wrong with the idea.
"I take it you've already questioned the other student for Lacy's situation?" Lincoln asked, not wanting Lacy punished on a whim. He knew that the other two were a sure fire, but Lacy still had some room for debate.
"Indeed we have." said the doctor, "she is the child we have sitting out in the hall."
She pointed outside the door, not too far from the doorway being a girl of Lacy's age sitting in a seat. Though a girl of her size and age, this was a girl of elder built. Muscles like a sixth grader, looks like she could run miles around the school track. She wore ripped blue jeans, leather vest, red t-shirt, finger-less gloves and completed with her brunette hair put back in a ponytail. Similar to Lacy's, she had a shiner mirroring on her right eye. And the similarities didn't end there. Lincoln's nose twitched as he caught whiff of a similar scent, this time coming from the other girl...
"You're right." Lincoln said, having came to agreement. "Four days of suspension sounds about right for all of them."
"What?!" Lemy and Lupa both flabbergasted, while Lacy just kept looking down at the floor.
"I"m glad you think so, Mr. Loud." Dr. Abernathy extended her hand, "Please do inform the children's parents of the news."
"Indeed I will." Lincoln assured the school administrator, much to the disbelief of two out of three children. "Come on kids, lets go home."
"Dammit!" Lemy and Lupa mutter underneath their breaths, although failing to hide it from the principal.
As they made their way to the exit, Lacy gave a dishearten look to the other child out in the hallway...a look that didn't go unnoticed by her father. For after Lemy and Lupa were placed and secured in the family van, Lincoln had a few words with his daughter.
"You might hide it from the school, Lacy, but not from me." Lincoln said to her, " With how often me, your mother and your aunts do it, I recognize that smell anywhere."
"You do?" Lacy squeaked nervously.
"Yep." Lincoln assured her, "So, what's the girl's name?"
"Melanie." Lacy said as she opened up the van door, "But she prefers to be called Moose."
"Huh, interesting." Lincoln said as he adjusted the rear-view mirror, "Speaking of interesting, your Aunt Lily is coming over tomorrow. And you guys can inform her why you're in trouble."
"WHAT?!" All of three of the children panicked in the backseat. None of them would want to see poor Aunt Lily's face to frown in disappointment towards their actions.
"Yep." Lincoln guaranteed them on their punishment.
"Dammit." All three cursed underneath their breaths as they slumped in the backseat during the ride back home.
The End.