A/N: PLEASE READ BEFORE CHAPTER! So I am gonna be jumping through time a lot in this chapter in an attempt to get rid of fluff chapter and get to the good parts! So please be aware of the dates listed to keep track of them. ALSO, I have been writing and getting lost a lot with the ages and birthdays of the characters, so I will have a birthday and age chart listed at the end of this chapter because if I am getting confused, I can only imagine yall are too, and I'm sorry for that!
Lynn
"Maaaaa-maaaaaa," I accentuate to my daughter. She sits on the bed, staring at me with the biggest eyes, full of curiosity. I had just finished getting ready for the birthday party we were invited to and was now waiting on Lincoln.
"na poopoo na" she babbled.
"mAAA. MAAAAA" I slowly say back at her.
"TITITITITITITITI" she repeats, clapping and kicking her feet with a smile. I sigh in defeat.
"Lacy. Come on baby! You got this! MAAAAAA. MAAAAAAAAA"
"Maaaa. Titittitit!" My smile dropped as she almost had it.
"Lacyyy~ Say daadaa!" Lincoln smiled, coming into the room, drying his hair with a towel.
"Daaaaaaa titi!" She laughed.
"I hope you know had she said it, I would've beat you up." I glare with a smile.
"Oh yeah, I'm well aware!" he laughed. He threw the towel onto the bed and swung up Lacy, placing her on his hip. "Ready to go my two pretty girls?"
"You really are such a dork, you know that?" I smile off.
"And you love it!" He finishes, kissing my temple.
The Uber pulls up to the house and we step out. We can hear commotion coming from the backyard and we see a yellow, red, and blue bounce house moving back and forth- probably from kids inside jumping around.
"Okay. So Alador is really cool and easygoing. His daughter's name is Sarah, and she is turning three. I don't know his wife's name, but I guess we are gonna find out? I don't know, I don't want to seem like I don't know of her whereabouts as if he doesn't talk about her, because that'll look bad on him, but also this is our first time meeting, so it's natural that I don't know about her. Her? Does he even have a wife? What if he has a husband or is a single father?! That would explain why he never really talks about his spouse! But what if-" He starts, blocking my path, as to stop me from getting to the door. I give him a look and sigh with a small smile.
"Linc, It's a party. Don't be so uptight and stressed about it. Just. chill~" I motion with my hand flatly, gliding in front of me. He takes a deep breath and shakes his free hand- the one not holding the car seat.
"Yeah! Yeah, you're right! Let's go!" He shakes off, walking ahead of me to the door. He rings the doorbell and waits for an answer. A tall man with messy ginger hair and dark eyes opens the door, still laughing from something inside. He then sees Lincoln and smiles wide.
"Lincoln! You made it! Good to have you here man! Come on in!" He chuckles, widening the entrance to allow space for us to pass. Lincoln goes in first with Lacy and I follow. As I pass Alador, he puts out his hand and I turn to face him. "You must be Lynn! Nice to finally meet you! I'm Alador! This one talks a whole lot about you, let me say!" He grinned. I took his hand smiling, before I looked back in the house at Lincoln, slyly grinning.
"Oh, is that so?" I ask. I can see his cheeks slightly glow a red tint as he laughs it off.
"I mean I guess you do come up sometimes or something…"
"Yeah, okay bud!" Alador laughs, playfully pushing Linc by his shoulder. He goes ahead of the both of us, leading the way. "Let me show you guys around and introduce you to everyone!"
We followed him around the house as he showed us where each of the rooms was and, on the way, introduced us to people as we passed them. We eventually made our way to the kitchen where stood the door to the backyard. It was wide open, and kids were running in and out.
"This is my husband, Darius! Darius, this is Lincoln, the coworker I was telling you about, his wife, Lynn, and their daughter Lacy," he smiled.
"Wife?!" I question, looking at him with the biggest smile.
"Yeah! My wife! Is that not what you are?" he smiles, grabbing my hand. He's such a dork, and I love him so much.
Suddenly a little girl came running in towards the two dads, tapping Alador's leg aggressively to get his attention.
"Daddy! Daddy daddy daddydaddy! Juice!" She spoke out of breath. Her hair was messy with flyaways, her cheeks red from running outside, and her forehead was beaded with sweat.
"This is Sarah," He chuckled as he grabbed a Capri Sun from a cooler nearby. She was a small girl with straight black hair, held in two pigtails, sticking out from the top of her head. She had round cheeks and a sweet smile. As she chugged her juice, she suddenly noticed us standing there.
"Baby!" She squealed at the sight of Lacy. She tried to go straight towards her, but Darius stopped her with an arm out in front of her.
"You have stinky hands! We'll look at the baby later! Go out and jump some more, hmm?" He told her. Her eyes lit up at the sound of jumping and she ran back out the door. "She has the energy of the energizer bunny man!"
"Yes, but right now, like the energizer bunny on CRACK, since you thought it'd be fun to load her up with sugar and sweets. Tonight, she's yours." Alador laughed off, hitting the other man's shoulder.
We eventually found our way outside and helped ourselves to some of the food that was displayed and set on a table there. We spoke and ate some pizza as we watched kids run and throw themselves in the bounce house. It reminds me of when I was a kid and we'd get invited over to birthday parties where there were bouncy houses! I was always the one to try to bring down the whole thing with all the kids inside, or even better, as I got older, I was the one that would go and turn the bounce house off with everyone inside! Good times man. Lacy is too small to go in now obviously, so she can remain bouncing on her father's lap, as she is now, but when she gets older, best believe I'm gonna make sure she is the bounce house taker downer or kid smasher and NOT the one being smashed! No kid of mine will be the one being smushed or brought down in a bounce house! Wait! She's also Lincoln's kid… Yeah, I got some work to do.
We leave the party 3 hours later and start to head home. Being at a party like that was fun and all, but it honestly made me forget that I was only 16. Well, 16, about to be 17. I get so tuned in to the ambiance and vibes of it all, that I only realize my age when something gets said that I don't understand because I am too young to get the reference. I appreciate though that I was treated no different than every other mother there. Maybe because they couldn't tell my age, but either way, it was always a plus to not be alienated because of something so minor. (Pun intended)
At home, Luna came into our room and hung out with us some. Ever since she got pregnant, she has gotten a whole lot closer to us. I'm not too sure if it's the fact that we also have a kid and she feels less judged or more at ease with us, but we were glad to have her as a friend! And of course, Lacy always loved being around her.
October 31st, 2016
It was Halloween! My favorite holiday! And I have been looking forward to dressing Lacy up for it since she was born! Now it took a lot of thinking and consideration when it came to her costume, but I finally decided on something that we could all do together and that was The Tune Squad! It has always been one of my favorite movies, so now, I finally get to do something with it! I got Lincoln, Lacy, and I the outfits and got bunny ears for us all too! It was just all too perfect!
Before we could get to Trick-or-Treating though, we always made sure to celebrate Lucy's birthday! She never liked anything too big, but a small cake was enough to give her little face a small smile.
I had gone out to get her a dark chocolate ganache cake- her favorite- while she stayed home without a clue. The household had come together, as they usually did on birthdays, and we gathered around the table to sing and wish her a good year. She blew out the candle and that was the end of that because now, it was time for Halloween! And that's just the way she preferred it too. Instead of going Trick-or-Treating with us though, she had plans with some friends to go to a haunted house. I guess turning 12 really marked the end of her childhood and she now thought she was too old for Trick-or-Treating. Meanwhile, Luna and I were acting like 7-year-olds, getting dressed up and getting all into it! We knew we'd have the chance to go Trick-or-Treating for another few years with our kids and we were absolutely looking forward to that!
When we went out at night, it was Lincoln, Lacy, Luna, Lola, Lana, and I together, while Mom went with Lily and Lisa. Luan had gone out to some party and Lori, God knows where she's at- per usual.
We went around nice neighborhoods- in hopes of full-sized bars-and went door to door asking for candy. Apparently, having a cute baby with you gets you A LOT of the good stuff! We got lots of pictures with Lacy and eventually went back home. Lacy couldn't stay out too late as the weather was really starting to cool down and she was only little after all! You could see her excitement about being out, but her little eyes started to grow heavy as she rested her head on her dad's shoulder.
At home, we all got out of our costumes and put on some warm PJs. Lincoln, Lacy, and I then made our way to Luna and Luan's room, where we watched the movie Corpse Bride together. Lacy was out before the movie even began! I guess being out had really exhausted her! This is one of those few moments in my life, in this household, that I feel at home and at ease with it all.
December 19th, 2016
Luna
I walk down the aisles of the diner with plates in my hand, passing them out to the tables as they chatted amongst themselves. This job never offered me a paid maternity leave like Lynn's did, so I stayed working. I work almost every day, and let me tell you, it hasn't been easy in the slightest bit! I move slower than everyone else, but even with that, they won't let me stay home until I've had this kid! I guess it's kinda worked in my favor though because my tips have been off the charts! I'm talking $50+ each table! I mean of course not ALL of them are that high but the majority of them are! Anyway, Christmas is coming around the corner and I still need to go out and get gifts for everyone! It's not like I don't have the means to do it, it's just that it's been too cold to take the bus and I can't always get the car to go out. I am working on getting my own car, but everything is just so expensive- especially with my new guest coming soon. Again, I ask myself, how on earth did Lynn do this at 15? This is by far the scariest thing I have ever gone through, and I doubt myself every day, questioning my every decision, wondering of the dire consequences I'd face by making the wrong one.
I walk out of the diner at 4:00 p.m., finishing off my morning shift. Luan managed to steal the van and pick me up as we had plans to go out and buy presents today at the mall. When I got in the car, the smell of stinky socks, slightly masked by her vanilla perfume flooded my nose but was somewhat comforting as they meant home to me. I breathe in heavily, taking in the heat compared to the cold outdoors.
"Hey, Luan. Thanks for getting here so quickly! Let's get going and get this over with so I can take a nap, please!" I laugh off, putting on my seatbelt. She laughs too and we take off.
"How about this for Lana?" Luan asks me, showing me a remote-controlled spider toy.
"Yeah! If she was still 6!"
"Ugh! Okay so what? Socks?" She rolls her eyes, putting it back on the shelf. We go back and forth like this for what feels like hours, making me come to the realization that we no longer know our siblings as well as we used to and this is gonna be hard.
After 4 hours, we finally settled on the bare minimum of what we thought they might like and started heading back to the van. But right as there was a light at the end of the tunnel and it seemed like I would finally be able to go home to rest, turns out, we lost the car.
"How do you not remember where you parked?!" I anguished with a grunt at her.
"It's packed and we have been shopping for hours, Luna! People forget things! Why didn't you remember where we parked?!"
"I have pregnancy brain! I don't count! Ugh! Okay, umm… I think it was down that way?" I question as I start walking to our left. I heard Luan groan loudly before she shrugged her feet, following me suit. It was windy and cold, and I was shivering and sweating all at once. My feet were swollen, and I felt like a pinata! I was in no condition to be out like this in the cold and especially not for so long as I'm actually a few days over my due date and bound to have this baby any day, any second now!
We eventually found the car and we jumped in, both shivering. Luan turned on the car and put the heater on. It takes a minute to kick in but once it does, we immediately feel relief! Well, up until I got too hot and started sweating like a pig. Gross.
At home, we both went to our room and started wrapping the gifts to put under the tree. I did mine as quickly as possible, and probably as crappy as possible so that I could nap! Well, at this time, it was more like sleep since it was already edging 9:30 pm. I was still tired from work and now from shopping. Thankfully, Luan understood that and left me alone to sleep in the room. I didn't even bother to go looking for something to eat for dinner. All that was on my brain was rest!
I woke up at 4 a.m., scavenging for food like a rat. Walking down the stairs and into the kitchen proved to be extremely difficult as I could no longer see where my feet were stepping.
Once in the kitchen, I stumbled upon an orange that we had on the counter and started to peel it and eat it on the couch. I had my feet stretched out on top of the coffee table and turned on the TV as I ate the fruit. As I took another slice to my mouth, I felt something tight in my stomach.
"oof- mm, what is going on little one?" I breathe at the sensation. I brush it off as nothing and keep eating the fruit. Little to find out, the feeling didn't really stop and kept getting a bit more intense. I tried my best to ignore them though as I was quiet used to feelings like this from false contractions, so didn't bother to get my hopes up, but I'm not gonna lie, something about this time just felt different.
I eventually went back to my room and tried to get some sleep, but I couldn't shake off the tightness I was feeling. At 8 a.m., I realized it was time and I went to the hospital with Luan and my parents. I now understand the frustration Lynn had gone through with them in the car when she was having Lacy. Speaking of Lynn, I had asked her to come to the hospital with me but she agreed to come a bit later as she was with Lacy.
Luan
… here we go again. Another sister, another baby, another labor I was dragged to endure. Now, I know Lynn's one of the strongest in our family, and not to doubt Luna's strength, but I just know somehow that this is gonna be worse and more agonizing than Lynn's birth. How do I manage to keep getting dragged into these things? At least it was morning time this time around and not the middle of the night like it was with Lynn.
At first, things seemed easygoing and slow, but as did every storm before they started. One minute, we were filling the room with mindless conversation, the next, Luna could be heard from the next town over. Again, I should've expected this, as she is one of the loudest sisters in the house, and once again, Lynn is the strongest and even she was well heard.
I just don't get what my sisters keep doing wrong, that they just keep winding up pregnant- one after another! Who's next? Leni? Lori? Because I know for damn sure it isn't gonna be me!
Mom and Dad flaked and wound up in the waiting room 3 hours In, but I stayed by her side the whole time, because no matter how much I complained about all of this, I still love Luna with all my being, and she is my sister. She deserves to have someone here to support her and show her that they love her- especially since she is a single mom and is doing this alone for the most part.
Luna
It's 1:15 pm and I'm holding my son close to me. He's small and looks slightly red. His face scrunches up in the light and his head is full of dark hair- almost black in color. The few times that he has opened his eyes, I can see them to be grey. He has warm olive skin that rolls over his legs and arms. He has a wide-set nose and faint eyebrows that sat peacefully- occasionally furrowing- as he slept. He is mine. I am his. I'm his mom, and he is my son. We have each other. Yet, he looks so much like him, it's cynical. It's cruel. It's vile. And yet, he is so beautiful, I can't keep my eyes off of him. Xavier Astron Loud was born December 20th, 2016 at 12:02 pm weighing at 6.7 lbs, 18.5 inches long. There were no complications. He came out completely perfect and healthy. He was just my small boy. That is all.
As the family started arriving to see him for the first time, it was evident that he wasn't what they expected him to be- I mean they have never seen his father, so how would they have known that he'd look so different from the rest of us? But still, he was precious and perfect! The first boy in our family since Lincoln. My mother fell in love with him instantly. She wanted to stay holding him the whole time, making it very obvious that she was very fond of him. It felt kind of awkward though as I know for a fact that all of this love wasn't given to Lacy when she was born. I don't need there to be drama or trouble starting, so I made sure to not put him on a pedestal so early on in life. But to me, he was the most beautiful baby in the world, and no one could ever come close!
BIRTHDAY CHART
Lori: May 21st, 1995. Age at the moment: 21
Leni: April 18th, 1996. Age ATM: 20
Luna: March 31st, 1997. Age ATM: 19
Luan: April 1st, 1998. Age ATM: 18
Lynn: October 12th, 1999. Age ATM: 17
Lincoln: February 16th, 2001. Age ATM: 15
Lucy: October 31st, 2004. Age ATM: 12
Lola and Lana: June 5th, 2006. Age ATM: 10
Lisa: July 10th, 2008. Age ATM: 8
Lily: August 4th, 2010. Age ATM: 6
Lacy: January 22nd, 2016. Age ATM: 11 months
Xavier: December 20th, 2016.
(I know Lily sounds a little too old, but I promise it makes sense. I think in a previous chapter she was turning 3? That was early in Lynn's pregnancy, she was 4 months at that point, so 5 months went by till she gave birth, and now Lacy is close to being 1 year old, so that rounding in at 2 years later after that chapter- so yes, I know that would put her at 5 years old right now and not 6, but I had to age everyone up a year for the story to keep making sense, so please bear with me! I'm so sorry for all of the confusion! Lincoln is turning 16 in two months so most of the year, him and Lynn seem to only be one year apart.)
I think that clears everything up a bit- at least I hope it did! I also hope You were able to keep up with all of the time skips. I made sure to put the dates before each part to make it easier. I'm so sorry about how slow updates are! I am well aware that they are slow and that can be frustrating, but I am trying my best to get things out soon! Thanks for reading and welcoming in a new Loud! I hope you enjoyed the chapter.