Friday 11:00 pm

The doorbell kept ringing. Lincoln's curiosity peaked, wondering just who would need to see him at this hour and when he opened the door he saw…nobody. He checked around. There was a car without occupants parked right at his garage door ,and he entered the house again cursing whomever played this prank on him.

He was going through the hallway when he noticed the light on the answering machine. That piece of junk got stuck and didn't show him another message he had gotten besides Luna's and Leni's. He was about to press play but was stopped by the doorbell again. Clenching his teeth, he ran towards the door.

This time he did it. A little boy with shorts was about to jump the shrub fence in his garden to run to the street, but Lincoln was quick enough on his feet to catch him, managing to grab his leg. He brought him down and managed to pin him.

"Got you now, you littl-!"

He froze up. An embarrassed and nervous little girl that couldn't have been older than 12 gave him a weak, shaky smile. Despite the circumstances, her expression showed some amusement over the situation.

"It wasn't me, dad!"

The memories of him and his sister Lynn sneaking out to cuddle behind the bushes, hit his head like a lighting strike. And his common sense came back a few seconds later.

"Lacy?"

He let go of her, and at that moment the preteen threw herself to the albino's torso to grab on with both her arms and legs getting him into a hug, then planted a long and loud kiss on his cheek that had Lincoln's ears ringing for a sec. Someone else that appeared to be inspecting the scene got close.

"Lacy? Where are you?"

Lincoln got up with the young girl still clinging to him, Lincoln grabbed hold of her and her long, light-brown pony tail blinded him for a bit as it hit him on the face. The woman in front of him looked so much as the girl that the only possibility was that she was her mother.

The woman was barely older than Lincoln, but her brown hair was way darker and shorter than the girl's, her chiseled arms and abs were uncovered because of her cropped tank top.

"Hey! There you are, here with your dad! Hi, Lincoln!"

Amused, she saw how her brother was trying to process the situation. Without giving him a chance to think she jumped the shrub fence and with the girl still being held by Lincoln, the woman without a sign of hesitation or shame planted an even longer and louder kiss on the albino's lips.

"Mom, I'm still here!"

She feigned disgust but was actually giddy at seeing her parents reunited, the girl let go to allow the pair to hug.

"Lynn, Lacy. I can't believe this, what brings you here?"

"Well, you know… I gave some thought about what we talked about last time, Lincoln. I mean it."

Lincoln's smile began trembling with nerves. A month ago he went on a visit to his sister in order to check on her after her divorce, partly because he was elated with the fact that she had left that professor she worked with at the university, the most he remembered about the man was his constant complains about his sister, how he couldn't follow her rhythm, asking her to only train her own team, her table manners, and how awkward it was to hear her talk constantly about her brother even more so than sports or that she went to visit Lincoln with Lacy every other week. He wasn't about to rub it on the guy's face, after all Lacy was his.

His relationship with Lynn has been downright peculiar since day one, so much so that when the news of her pregnancy at twenty five broke to their family, nobody batted an eye, if anything they were surprised that it took so long after all he had already impregnated Lori, and Leni, and Luna, and… whatever.

Lincoln at twenty three was barely beginning to live as an adult, he wanted to take responsibility, But Lynn turned him down because she still was gunning for a sportsman career and what Lincoln was offering was just a scandal waiting to happen so she opted for the path of a single mother. He met the man three years ago and this whole ordeal had just ended. A few days after they broke up, Lincoln had proposed to her to move in together.

There weren't going to be a lot of prying eyes with the alibi of a worried brother giving her sister and "niece" a place to stay after a divorce, and no one had to know about the real circumstances of the matter.

"I appreciate it, Lincoln-" Then she continued "But the answer is no."

If it wasn't for the fact that he was used to it, the heartbreak would have really gotten to him, fortunately he already expected that answer, so it only hurt like half as much as he originally expected it would. Lacy for her part grabbed his hand and rested her head on his torso, trying to bear how awkward the situation was becoming. Her father petted her head in order to calm and comfort her.

"Did you really just drive all the way here with our daughter, only to say that?"

"Lincoln, there is still much that I have to sort out. Also, what we have is still a very strange situation. Maybe if it was only the three of us… but there is just too much stuff that I just can't turn a blind eye to. And no. So that you wouldn't feel bad and because Lacy insisted I brought them so that they can spend the weekend with you. That we can't be together doesn't mean that I want Lacy to be away from you."

Lincoln lowered his head. Lacy turned to him with a smile, but there was a hint of hurt in her eyes. Without a doubt this was the worst time to tell them that he was expecting a few more of his daughters to come to visit tomorrow, but even in these dire circumstances, this was about Lynn and Lacy. How can he reject anything they asked of him?

"Thanks, Lynn. I'm sorry that… well, I don't know what to say."

She affectionately hit him a few times on the shoulder. Lincoln saw her and thought that their body mass could not be all that different but of course she will always be stronger than him without a doubt.

"Two for…" Lynn looked at her daughter and gave her a smile and a wink "Precocious."

"Want to stay the night?"

"Sorry, the college team is having a regional tomorrow morning and I have to be there. I left the girls' luggage in your yard. Gotta go. Take care of them."

She kissed the albino again leaving him breathless, of course Lincoln was going to take care of the…

"Wait, them?"

"Yeah, that's the idea."

Lincoln looked at his daughter who was covering her mouth to stop herself from laughing. Lynn looked confused by his question, but before Lincoln could ask about it, behind him the doorbell rang again.

Turning around he saw another girl, taller than Lacy, her hair a yellowish brown and way longer than Lacy's. While Lacy's pony tail was on the back of her head, this other girl's was just keeping her flowing hair tied at neck length. Lacy was wearing sportswear, while the 14 year old had a long plaid yellow skirt that reached below her knees, a white sleeveless shirt and a dotted tie. But the newcomer's most striking feature and what Lincoln was focusing on was an orthodontal headgear.

"When I rang the bell, you never asked 'Who's there?' Dad."

Lincoln's jaw slacked so much he swore it touched the ground. Laughing as if she thought that was the joke and a pretty good one at that, Lynn reached out and closed her brother's mouth.

"I thought you had already seen her. Luan came to visit the other day. And I promised her I would take care of her daughter but then I got news about the match. Her boyfriend got her a stand up gig in the city or something like that. Don't worry, I already informed her of this and she was more than happy to let me bring her here along with Lacy."

"Hey, no. Wait… I can't."

"Come on, your house is big enough for three measly people."

"Also Loan, Liena and Lyra."

"What?"

"Your sisters had already put some other commitments on my lap four to be exact, and now with Lacy and Liby…"

"Did you just say four?"

"OH! I always forget about Lemy. The point is, I don't have enough space for another six people. Can you understand that?"

Lynn frowned.

"Of course I can understand. I understand that we're not important enough to you." She called the girls to her with scorn. "Girls, to the car. 'Uncle' Lincoln doesn't want you here."

The girls were holding each other's hand and looked at him with puppy eyes, an expression he thought they learned from Lynn. Old memories rushing through his head made him shiver.

"I didn't say that! it's gonna be inconvenient with so many people in the house and…"

"Oh! Sorry, did we inconvenience you when we lived together?" Lynn's accusation was laced with outrage "I can't believe you!"

She had already turned on her heel with a huf. Lincoln ran after her but when he had the girls beside him, he forgot about Lynn, crouched and grabbed their shoulders.

"I didn't say that! I love my daughters! Please let me have them here! Don't take them away!"

The girls shared little mischievous smiles, completely different to the one filled with malice that Lynn had and Lincoln had no way of seeing and it had completely been replaced by a sweet expression when she turned around.

"I know that in spite of it all, you really do try to be a responsible father, Lincoln." Another kiss on the lips. "One for being so cute. Ok, I'll allow you to take care of the girls now that you insist. I entrust them to you."

Lincoln sighed with satisfaction, and that bliss continued as he saw his sister driving away. He still had both girls grabbed by the shoulders but then a weird feeling took over and he looked over to the girls confused.

"What just happened?"

"Aunt Lynn made you beg to take care of us."

Liby began to cackle in a way that her mother would be proud of after she answered her father. Lacy on the other hand embraced her father again.

"Dad, don't be mad with mom. She always said that you have always needed a few nudges to be sincere with her."

That was true, Lincoln had to face it, otherwise Lacy wouldn't be alive today, but he wouldn't say a peep about that to her.

Liby, a bit more subtle with her affections, but no less heart felt, hugged her father's arm.

"Is it true that our 'cousins' are coming tomorrow, daddy?"

"Yep, they're all coming by their own means. Let 's go inside. You'll have to share the guest room today. Tomorrow I'll have to give some serious thought about how to manage the space."

After taking their luggage inside both girls stretched. Liby also began to inspect her surroundings with gusto.

"So what do we do now? Sleepover!"

Lacy yawned. Her stomach growled and groggily scratched her butt while her 'cousin' looked at her with a frown.

"Aren't you tired from the trip? I just want to call it a day." Her stomach growled again.

"Come on, don't be a party pooper. We have the whole house to ourselves."

"I'm still here Liby." Lincoln grumbled "There's some pizza in the fridge, Lacy. Take ONLY one slice and then go to bed. Sorry Liby, but we out-vote you, and the verdict is 'we are going to bed'. Want some pizza?" Liby, annoyed, shook her head. The headband moved along with her harsh movement so she stopped it with one hand and adjusted it back with the other. "What's with those things? Since when you need those?"

"Since last week. the simple braces didn't give the results it did with mom or aunt Lori."

"Woah. Sorry to hear that. Maybe we coul- I said only one slice!"

Lacy had taken the opportunity with them talking to raid the fridge, but Lincoln managed to catch from the corner of his eye Lacy putting three slices of pizza on the microwave.

"It's one for each of us."

"Neither your sister nor I want any. Just one and no soda. I have Orange Juice."

Lacy was not very pleased but complied nonetheless.

Lincoln, still carrying their luggage, took Liby to the guest room that she was already familiar with. Lacy joined them later and Lincoln gave them privacy so they could change and only came back to wish them good night.

The answering machine was still blinking, so Lincoln finally played that last message.

Message 3: "Dad, please I beg you call me the second you hear this message! It 's urgent!" Scared by the urgency of her tone, Lincoln quickly grabbed his cellphone, confused by the desperate and pleading petition. He opened his contact list and then took a step back. Was that little Lizy's voice? In his worry he began thinking the worst things that could have happened to her or her mother, but then the tone of voice on the message calmed down and revealed a slightly older voice than the one he was thinking of. "I almost forgot, it's me, your favorite daughter, but I know you already knew. I love you."

The white top let out a curse. It obviously wasn't Liena, also Lacy was already here with him. With a bad feeling about the situation he dialed for his sister's home.

"Loud residence. What can I help you with?"

He couldn't remember the name of the butler that answered.

"I want to speak with Lola Loud."

" is sleeping at the moment. It is very late if you haven't taken notice of that, sir…"

"I'm her brother, Lincoln."

"Francoise, Who's that?" Lincoln could recognise the voice of his sister at a distance.

"Sorry to bother madame. Hmmm…This man claims to be your brother, but he also said his name is Lincoln… Like your ex husband."

"Gimme! I got it!" The woman growled. "You are excused for the day" a small pause. "Lincoln? Is that you?"

"No, I'm not. I'm your ex husband. What was that all about?"

"Yeah, Leia keeps showing her "handsome father Lincoln"'s photos to her friends, so naturally I had to say you were my ex husband to…"

"I get the picture."

"Do you know what time it is?"

"Yes. And do you know why Leia sent me a pleading message to call her as quickly as humanly possible?"

His sister grumbled.

"Your daughter had a crisis. I sent some clothes to charity and because I confused the bags I sent in her laundry instead. I thought she had already gotten over that, but that's the biggest tantrum she's ever had. I promised to give her an entire new wardrobe as an apology, but that pig headed brat is still complaining about it and I'm sick of it."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I suppose you are right, it is too late. Want me to speak with her tomorrow?"

"Please, I'll be very grateful. I just barely calmed her down by giving in to another whim of hers."

Besides a new wardrobe, Lincoln could imagine how expensive that other whim would have been, but three rich ex husbands with barely thirty one years of age… and a fourth one on the way (fifth if Lincoln had the balls to count himself among the rich and powerful, but at least he was first), yeah, she could splurge a little.

Lola was a beautiful woman, she even represented her country in Miss universe. Quite known amongst men, so sexy and with such generous attributes that were so perky and firm that an 18 year old would be jealous and all of this in spite of having a six year old daughter. Daughter that was beginning to get her own victories in the child pageant circuit.

"Want me to talk with her about something in particular?"

"You'll know what to say. You've always had such a good sense Linky. I know you'll think of something when she arrives there tomorrow."

Lincoln could feel it. His eye twitching.

"What did you say? Arrive here tomorrow?"

"That's right. That's the whim of hers that I had to fulfill for her to forgive me."

Lincoln was dead wrong, it wasn't that hard for Lola to fulfill that whim, on the other hand it was going to be hell for him.

"Lola, now it's not a good time. Almost all of your nieces are going to come here to stay the weekend. Lacy and Liby are already here."

"Haven't you expanded your home yet? Didn't you ask for a raise as I told you to?"

"No. Have you ever looked for a real job like everyone has told you to?" Lincoln bit his tongue for a second.

"Lola, I know it's late but I'll speak with Leia right now and nip this thing in the bud. Please wake her up and pass her to me."

"Too late. She is on the plane right now. You can explain as much as you want when she arrives."

Lincoln was about to beat himself with the phone out of frustration, but then…

"You sent Leia here ALONE!?"

"Of course not. Do you think I'm that irresponsible? I called Lana and since she had nothing to do she agreed to take her."

He was imagining at least a four figure number for the first rate plane ticket so that Lana would agree to such a short notice favor. As someone that had already walked a few hours under the rain he decided that a car passing through a puddle beside him wasn't that big a deal.

"Ok. I'll see how to organize everyone here. But I have zero ideas about how to do it."

"You always find a way to prevail in even the worst situations. I know. That's what I love about you." Her voice had become breathy and lewd. "Maybe you can come for a visit and then I can thank you so so much for this, and then for all your efforts with our daughter, Linky."

Lola was a bit of an early bloomer when she was a teenager, but she was quite picky with whom she went with. Guys that were either the richest or best looking, and of course after a LOT of gifts and other favors, she always wanted them to pay her price, and never a cent less. She wasn't an easy girl, oh boy, she was quite expensive.

Lincoln always hated that side of her, but still he kept on helping her with her pageants, it was because he sent his job to the back burner one season to help her with her Miss universe pageant, that Lola tried to tease Lincoln with the ol' "want to come back to my place and really thank you" probably thinking he would reject her. He obviously didn't reject her, as if morals were something that could stop him at twenty nine years old. And nine months later he welcomed Leia into the world.

"That… that is…" Before he could reject her, he remembered the image of her sister in a swimsuit in last month's fashion magazine, and immediately hated himself. "Something I'll think about."

"That 's good. YOU'LL USE A CONDOM THIS TIME!"

Yeah, he didn't have to be told that twice.

After hanging up the phone he went to check in on the girls. Both girls were already in pajamas and had already figured out how they would sleep together.

"Thank you for letting us stay, dad. I love you."

Lincoln kissed Lacy's forehead and petted her hair once more. And she couldn't help herself and once again hugged him tightly. To Lincoln this girl was an angel, it made him happy to have her here with him. He also liked the idea of Liby being here, though the only thing he could think of when he looked at her was how uncomfortable those braces had to be for her. He also kissed Liby's forehead.

"Daddy. Mom asked me to thank you."

"With pleasure, dear. I'm so happy to have you two here."

"Do you love mom like you love aunt Lynn?"

Lacy after hearing that question curiosity beat her tiredness and looked at her dad expectantly. Obviously Liby even though she was very accepting of how peculiar her family was, she did feel envious of how obvious it was that aunt Lynn and "cousin" Lacy were his favorites.

Lincoln remembered a time when he was twenty one and going through college. In particular he remembered very well the day that Luan decided to visit her favorite brother exactly on April fool's day. Boy was that day hell, he was very beaten up and let's not even begin on how humiliated he was in front of everyone at school. He had been trying to hook up with a crush he found in the first semester and after Luan she didn't speak to him ever again.

After that he got drunk enough to curse his sister's name in every way he could think of, swearing up and down that he would never forgive her. That was Luan's wake up call, the day she finally realized she went too far, even worse than that time when her family made that prank about moving out because of her.

Down casted and ashamed she asked for forgiveness and started drinking with him. After that everything was a blur (though he always felt relaxed and happy whenever he thought of said blurr) till the next morning, and at the end of it all Lincoln did manage to hook up with someone. The couple of siblings couldn't talk with or see each other the whole day, but the day after Luan was back to being her normal jockey giggly self, and made sure to assure him that it was her fault.

He didn't hear about his older sister for months after that, until she announced to her family that she was engaged and pregnant, and the confession to her fiancee that the child might not be his was enough for him to break the engagement even before a paternity test made it undeniable.

"They are all precious to me."

He answered sincerely, because that and loving were quite different things.

Satisfied, he said his farewells and told them that they had to be asleep by now. It was really late. Maybe he would have trouble sleeping, he had so much to think about, and especially he had already kissed goodbye that relaxing weekend he wanted.

He entered his room so exhausted that he threw every piece of clothing he was removing to the ground in total darkness. Finally only in his undies he went to his bed and closed his eyes.

"Good night, daddy!" Someone screamed from another room

"Good night, Liby."

"Good night, dad!"

"Good night, Lacy."

"Good night, Father."

"Good night, dear."

Lincoln's eyes shot open. Looked to his side and made out a lump under the covers, a lump that suddenly sprouted arms that tried to embrace him. The albino jumped out of the bed in horror in order to turn on the lights.

It was a girl the same age as Lacy, had some (very few) similarities with her, but she actually looked so much more like him. An albino girl, with a snowy white hair that looked like his own, what was really striking was her choice of sleepwear: A black lacy gown that looked really familiar, and it was completely inappropriate for a brat her age… just like her mother Lucy when she wore it herself all those years ago, he didn't complain much about it at that time though.

Bewildered, his tongue got stuck, he berated himself on his insides because of the sensations this girl, a child, was causing him.

"Lu…Lupa?"

"Hello father. I did something very bad. Want to punish me?"

With a smile the girl playfully bit her finger.