Lynn Sr. and Rita Loud thought many things were odd about their children over the last few years. They had been happy for them and the success they had managed to achieve. Yet, there had been something bothering them that had gone unsaid out of the dread that there was even a chance those concerns were true.
For one thing, the fact that most of their children had willingly decided to be single mothers. Then there was Lieonardo and Lupa. Whatever strange science that Lisa had performed to have her son, her parents could overlook as they were quite aware that despite her expertise and refinement of her skills over the years she wasn't immune from oddities manifesting in her experiments. It was whether Lucy's child would still have white hair even through artificial insemination that they were unsure about. Not to mention they were both white haired, but not albino, creating another oddity in the mix.
By then they had ignored the situation with Loan for quite a long time. By all reasonable circumstances she ought to have looked a little more like her older sister than her mother, no matter how much they tried to ignore that fact. It was certainly staring them in the face more when Reina and Luis were born. The twins looked much more like Laura, taking after the Santiago side after a Loud and a Santiago having children together.
It was why they had invited Maria to their home to talk about what was on her mind as they had noticed she had unspoken concerns as well from the day that Loan was born, and the small expressions of discomfort she demonstrated whenever Bobby called her his daughter.
"Hi Maria. How are you? Can we get you anything to drink?" Rita said.
"I'm doing alright. Some water would be fine," Maria said.
Rita went ahead and got her friend a glass of water. Setting it down at the dining table in front of her. The three of them had experienced going to the same Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations, not to mention attending countless birthdays of their grandchildren among other celebrations, that coupled with Maria's children marrying two of Lynn Sr.'s and Rita's, they very much considered one another family. Helped by the fact that they had seen each other age, becoming steadily more weathered down by the passing of time.
Maria had appreciated the invitation to spend time with her friends, she had been slowing down when it came to her work hours. She was only a few years away from retirement. Lynn Sr. and Rita had been living comfortably by then. Rita had still been earning plenty of royalties from her published work while her husband made plenty from Lynn's Table. By then a fixture within Royal Woods where members of the town toasted to the health of the Louds. Each of the Loud children, once a nuisance to the people of the town were now celebrated as each was photographed in demonstration of their achievements and shown off by their father on a picture wall dedicated to them. Each of them from famous rock star, athlete, to author with the family excited for how Lola and Luan would soon be recognized too.
Rita, Lynn Sr. and Maria settled into a bit of small talk. All the while, Maria was just waiting for the couple to break the ice on what was really on their minds. She had known them long enough to know when they were making polite conversation in order to lead up to something big that was really on their minds.
"So, Maria. You being a doctor. How do you make sense of our grandchildren?" Lynn Sr. said.
"It's stayed on your mind too then?" Maria said after taking a drink from her water.
The Loud parents braced themselves, they knew they were heading head first into addressing the subject they had allowed to go unsaid.
"Yes, it seemed to never really make sense the way that Loan looks a lot more. Like Lori," Rita said.
Having kept their thoughts private with one another, Rita and Lynn Sr. felt awkward even still approaching the subject with someone who was having similar thoughts. Unable to say it in plain language how long it didn't make sense to them for their granddaughter to look so much more, whiter.
"The truth is I was suspicious when Loan was born and I saw her. I didn't want to think the worst of Lori. I even had a friend of mine do a DNA test for me and it showed without a doubt she's Bobby's daughter. My instincts were just wrong, I wouldn't want to think any different when they've been married for almost ten years now," Maria said.
"Sure, that might be what the DNA test said but reasonably does it make sense. You've seen our other grandchildren. Lieo and Lupa," Lynn Sr. said.
Maria leaned back, her face visibly concentrating in thought as she tried to reason that out. Having just the white hair with no other signs of albinism.
"You've said it before, albinism runs in Rita's side of the family," Maria said.
"We always thought it skipped generations, or at least didn't show up that frequently. Like Lucy getting her hair from her great grandmother Harriett," Rita said.
Maria massaged her temples, taking in a deep breath feeling much like she did when dealing with an ailment that had no clear cause she had to consult the family about to inform them what was in the realm of possibilities to do.
"There is, something else that could be happening. It's rare, but it is known to happen and could be the source of oddities. Especially with a family as big as yours. Genetic mutations," Maria said.
"It's strange, but it could. Hold on," Lynn Sr. said, and looking over at his wife he could tell something else was on her mind that made something like the suggestion of mutation come up as another possibility.
"What if, someone was smart enough to alter the DNA results as they were found?" Rita said, sharing her same thought out loud.
"Someone like that, they'd have to be capable of tampering with the database filled with millions of samples and avoid national law. Why would they do that for the sake of hiding a personal secret?" Maria said.
"If that was the case, would there be a way to find out?" Lynn Sr. said.
By then Maria was really at a loss, if there was such a hypothetical person who existed that could alter DNA results to such a thorough degree she had no idea where to start on how they could be investigated. Or if there was someone that could investigate them.
It was a similar train of thought that Lynn Sr. and Rita followed. Even if they didn't want to think about the smartest of their children in such a light. Especially with the influence she had over the years over Lily who would be graduating to leave for college in Great Lakes City in just a few months.
Despite the concerns of the Loud Parents, life continued on. The end of May had come around bringing about the end of Lily's time in High School as well as the college graduation of Lana and Lola. Now it was just Lily who had long since applied to study for Video Game Graphic Design.
After the Graduation Ceremony, Lynn Sr. and Rita had noticed Lily sticking much more closely to Lincoln. Finding the excuse to take a look at her now two year old niece and nephew, talk with Ronnie-Anne and her older brother much more than her friends. A habit they hadn't paid much mind to in the last few years, but was now more noticeable when it was too late to look out for it.
They hadn't even noticed the little wave she had given to her older sisters when Lily had noticed them trying to crowd her.
As much as Lily's older sisters may have agreed with their parents doing so in the past, or even by then, they had settled fair was fair under the circumstances. Especially with how fast Lisa was to get some time alone with her older brother back during her graduation.
"Hey mom. Hey dad. How are you feeling? I mean it's literally crazy how all of us are graduates now, huh?" Lori said.
"A grad, ulations are in order for you two," Luan said, getting in a double pun with a small proud grin.
Rita and Lynn Sr. tried to quickly address their older daughters with quick appraisals and attention. A challenging task, simply by sheer fact that they had so many.
"Lily, since you're graduating. This is the first time your parents are going to have a house without any kids for the first time in. How many years?" Ronnie-Anne said, looking to her husband and his sister now that she was considering the question.
"It'd be about-" Lincoln started.
"It's been-" Lily said, starting to figure out the number.
"Thirty Four years," Lincoln and Lily answered at about the same time.
"Wow, that's awhile. No wonder they're not ready to let you go. That'd be a completely emptied out nest," Ronnie-Anne said.
"Tell me about it, I love Mom and Dad but they are cramping my style a bit. I'm thinking about moving in with one of my sisters while I figure out how to get my own place. Mom and Dad might start smothering if I stay for the Summer," Lily said.
"Well, you might be able to stay with us for a bit sometimes," Lincoln said while looking over at Ronnie-Anne giving her an opening to override it if she wasn't on board with the idea.
"Yeah, you can stay at our place for a few days too. As long as you don't mind the extra guests," Ronnie-Anne said, looking at her twins first before looking at Lincoln. Teasing him with a knowing look over how full their home tended to get as he enjoyed playing babysitter.
Lincoln had no choice but to look guilty as charged.
"Thanks! It'll be nice to spend a few days with you two," Lily said, leaning in to hug the couple and to give her older brother a quick wink that only he would notice.
Once Lily had figured out her arrangements, getting the all clear on living with her siblings over the summer bouncing around their homes starting with Lincoln she let her parents stand close. Enjoying their company before she would find herself falling into infrequent visits just as all her siblings had.
All in wanting to establish her own piece of the Loud legacy, no longer living in their shadow even as she would relish in their romantic and intimate attentions.
Whereas many well known fashion houses had established their main storefronts in the midst of large cities putting them within the bounds of showing off their flare on banners and store signs within the buildings they had first taken up residence in, the House of Loud had no such limitations.
Lori had involved Leni and Carlota in the selection of a final design for the appearance of their first and primary fashion house. That which had involved the consultation of a handful of architects.
A building that stood out and made an impression within an American city as it resembled a French Chateau in design albeit in a more compact home that was still reminiscent of actual such residences. On its roof situated from the edges were frames on which cloth coverings could be placed for providing shade to pedestrians.
The floor plan itself consisted of three levels. On the first main floor was where the merchandise itself was displayed and sold. At the very front on the glass displays the shelves were displayed in sectioned levels meant to display the newest clothes and accessories made by Leni and Carlota. The area itself was always handled by a staff of retail workers hired by Lori.
The first level also had additional space behind the sales floor itself for storage. The second floor was where Leni and Carlota each had their respective office as well as their area properly dedicated to brainstorming and designing new clothes. Where all their equipment, mannequins and the like were located. The third top most level was their attic where they still kept the original designs and prototypes as a sort of archive as they rotated the material on display during each fashion season.
It had taken the last few years for Carlota to feel like she was really a partner in the business. Mostly by virtue of the name on the fashion house, but also from how closely Lori had managed things at the start. It was really Leni's sincerity and her encouragement that made her feel like she was contributing to the success. The pretty penny that they were making when it came time to review profits. It made it sting a little less when Leni would be called for fashion shows, galas and interviews because Leni would insist on trying to bring her along as well. All because Leni really thought people wanted to see the both of them, and not just her.
All that resentment started to resurface when Lola joined the fashion house.
Lori had certainly done her best to smooth the matter over, helping Lola demonstrate the make up products and perfume prototypes she could made. As well as offered to pay Lola's salary through her own earnings when Leni was just about ready to offer her an equal share in the profits. Not that Carlota blamed Leni, she would have welcomed any of her sisters with open arms if they showed interest in the business.
Even with all that, Carlota felt she was simply being outnumbered by the Loud sisters. The second floor space had been renovated to make room for Lola's chemistry station where she had been making the first batch of makeup and perfumes before testing them. Now in their storage space Leni and Lola had moved the merchandise around to create a space for photo shoots.
For many brands, to have a Miss America Pageant winner as their top model would certainly be lucrative. To Carlota, it was Lori blatantly encouraging nepotism and a bit on the nose for their first Loud Girl to literally be one of the Loud girls.
Lola herself knew how to play to the camera. While wearing one of Leni's newest dresses she placed her right arm behind her head holding her chin up and chest out lifting up her left leg through the slit the dress was designed with. She needed little prompting from the photographer she had hired besides the signal to strike a new pose.
"O. ! Lola you are so beautiful and I'm so taken with how you look in the dress!" Leni said with palpable excitement.
"Sweetie, no need to shower me with flattery so much. You designed it to look stunning," Lola said, holding out her hand imparting flattery of her own towards her big sister.
Carlota held back from rolling her eyes until after Lola had left to change back into her loose pink shirt and skinny jeans. She had long since stopped bothering asking Lola if she would model the clothes that she designed. According to her there was only ever time to model the clothes that Leni designed before she had to get back to creating new makeup and perfume.
It made her wonder if Lola insisted on using money from her own salary to hire the photographers, and not accept money from Carlota's allocated advertising budget so that she could continue elevating her sister's designs alone.
"Let me know when you have your next collection ready, Leni. A nice break from work in the lab is always nice," Lola said while readjusting her diamond tiara.
"I will, Lola! Please let me take a look when you have your new stuff ready too! I'm hoping for another hit with everyone who bought your things last time," Leni said.
Carlota exhaled, looking through the pictures of Lola to pick the best ones for their advertising campaign. She had considered on more than one occasion hiding the little diamond tiara. She could still remember when Lola was just a little girl and she wore a small cheap version of a tiara all the time. Now with a proper diamond tiara on her head all the time it became permanently associated with her. Like any monarch to their crown, even granting her the nickname 'Princess of the House of Loud' whenever she took the lead on the runway showing off their newest collections at fashion shows.
It was those little annoyances that Carlota felt the need to bury down especially with no substantial complaints to be made of Lola coupled with how her working with them had led to being able to sell a line of makeup and perfume now also heavily tied to the name of Lola Loud. So much were the sales that Carlota herself had also seen an increase in earnings raising the value of her shares as well. To say nothing of the profit she gained as a result. Encouraging her to use the advantage Lola brought to the advertising campaign which made it even more part of the buzz that the House of Loud was building up the momentum to be competitive with the long standing major brands.
As Lola was experimenting with a few samples she received a text message. Noticing that it was from Lana she put the samples away closing up their containers in order to see what her twin was reaching out about.
"Aw! Leni, look at this. Lana is working with the most adorable little animals," Lola said entering Leni's office holding up her phone.
Leni looked away from her monitor, standing up in order to look at the picture of Lana.
"Awww! You're right! That baby elephant is so cute!" Leni fawned as she took a good look at the picture of Lana and her survey team holding up the baby elephants.
Hearing the fawning in the next room over, Carlota wanted to step over and join in the moment. She was unsure if she could get in between two sisters looking at the accomplishment of their own sister, but after reminding herself she was family too she got up and went over.
"Can I see the photo of Lana too?" Carlota said.
"Of course, Sweetie," Lola said moving over to hold up her phone and show Carlota the photo too.
"Aw, they really are cute," Carlota said.
"What are they holding the elephants for?" Carlota then asked.
"Documenting them, to get them ready for a microchip like a cat or dog to keep track of them over their life," Lola said.
"That is so cool how Lana works with animals," Leni said.
"Not just the animals, you wouldn't believe how often she's fixing the jeeps for their expeditions too," Lola said, starting to share more about the kind of work that Lana had been doing.
Soon enough the end of the workday had come, closing up shop on designing and cleaning up the sales floor for the retail workers who Leni had made sure to check in on just as she would every day.
"Carlota, do you want to come to my home this time? You should bring Paulo too so he can play with Liena," Leni said.
Carlota considered the offer then nodded, straightening up as she smiled in agreement.
"Thanks Linda. I'll go over to pick him up then come over," Carlota said.
From there, Carlota went to her home. A comfortable three bedroom apartment decorated with an indulgent extravagant style allowed from her share of the business in the fashion house.
"Hi Paulo. Hi Diana," Carlota said.
"Mamá!" Paulo said, rushing over to hug his mother.
Paulo was a seven year old boy with dark hair same as his mother with lighter skin by virtue of his father. Dressed in what would be thought as the old outfit of a cowboy. Button up red shirt with jeans frayed at the end and the boots to match.
"Did everything go well today?" Carlota said while looking at Diana.
"Everything was well. Paulo had some hard homework today he had to keep doing even after dinner so he hasn't had any time to be able to watch videos or play yet," Diana said.
The boy's nanny was kind but fair as she was an older woman with grandchildren of her own with plenty of experience and given a decent amount of liberty from Carlota to er on the side of discipline.
"Good, thank you Diana," Carlota said as she counted out the amount she owed and handed the payment over.
Once Diana left Paulo looked up at his mother.
"Can I go watch El Falcon?" he said.
Carlota smiled, amused by how shows not really changing and instead deciding to reboot the same old heroes made her son sound much like his uncle.
"Actually, mijo. Your Tía Leni invited us over. Wouldn't you like to come and play with Liena?" she said.
"Yes! I'm already ready," he said immediately, a twinkle in his eyes as he looked forward to going along for the visit.
While driving in the car, Carlota spaced out, her son watching the newest incarnation of El Falcon on his tablet having provided an effective enough source of white noise as she made the steady short drive to Leni's home. It let her contemplate where her family had found themselves over the last few years.
With her grandmother being entrusted with the temple passed down to her from Mama Lupe, and having taken her husband along as well as Sergio, her own mother Frida had been trusted with managing the apartment building who had enough connections by then in the art community to have a comfortable living through painting and management of the building. Her father, Carlos who she now teased relentlessly over being uncreative with her name and those of her siblings, was sitting comfortably with tenure at the university he taught at.
Her younger brother CJ, her whole family and she herself made the effort to check in on often. He had gone to Hollywood, quite renown for his skill in hair styling especially at his speed which made him valuable in being able to move from set to set for doing the hair on many movies. His career had been doing well so far, and they all continued to hope it would remain that way.
Carl, she would never admit it out loud to him but her younger brother was a mess. He had dropped out of High School to pursue a career as a DJ that never came to be. Instead having spent the last few years being dragged from one scam to the next struggling to get by until he came back home. Were it not for Bobby giving him a job at the Mercado where he could earn a steady paycheck she wasn't sure where he would be.
Carlitos, or simply Carlos as she'd never dare call her father by his first name regardless of how old she got to be had what she considered to be the most prestigious life right after Ronnie-Anne. Having found a passionate interest in playing the Piano, he was by then pursuing becoming a professional pianist with great passion. Being quite passionate with the instrument, as she had even heard her little brother practicing a few pieces he had been working on of his own creation as well during her visits.
As for her cousins, where they were in life made her wonder if anyone who settled down with a Loud was destined to live in their shadow.
Bobby certainly did well for himself in Weatherton's Investment Management Group, but there was no doubt that Lori was much more elevated in the company and well connected. Earning a lot more from her outside investments than the salary paid to her by the company itself.
Ronnie-Anne was admired and respected by everyone in the family as she had managed to become a doctor. Something which ought to have overshadowed Lincoln's career as a comic book writer and illustrator. Yet he was rising within the company fast, rumored to be able to become the next Bill Buck.
Though Sam Sharp wasn't her cousin, the way she was considered more a support to Luna fell into that pattern. Though arguably the same could be said for all the Moon Goats besides Luna herself.
Then Carlota considered herself, she wasn't married to Leni, despite the association of partner as a euphemism. Yet, she had no real substance to argue when Lori pointed out Leni was the one with the reputation, the admiration, the actual person in the company that the fashion house could be centered around. Yet she merely in that association cast her own shadow.
One that her husband Miguel could never come out of, and could never cope with being there either. Though it was obvious to her, he would never admit it, and so had instead stayed overseas fighting America's territory skirmishes instead as he studied and fought to rise up the ranks. Coming back only a few days a year to see his son, leaving her to wonder what he was doing in his service that he would never admit to.
It was a pessimistic train of thought that arriving at Leni's home made her glad to snap out of. Making her happy to spend time there talking with Leni and Lola while Paulo happily spent time playing with Liena.
The doubts which continued to nag at Lynn Sr., Rita and Maria had lingered long enough that the three of them continued to speculate on what might be going on that was not so flattering to their impression of their children. Maria had studied and spoken to her colleagues about methods of performing a DNA test that didn't produce instant results. That would require comparing the results physically with a critical eye.
Much of the resulting work would be forensic in nature.
"There, now we'll just need to find the chance to collect samples," Maria said setting up the equipment in Rita and Lynn Sr.'s basement.
"Do you really want to do this?" Maria said.
"We have to know, don't we?" Rita said, pointing out that Maria wanted to know the answers too. She wouldn't have gone through all the effort to find out how to determine DNA results herself and collected all the equipment necessary to do just that.
"Yes," Maria said, nodding in fervent agreement.
"We can keep an eye on what Loan eats and drinks during her visits, but what about Lori and Bobby's DNA? They'll notice and wonder what we're doing," Lynn Sr. said.
"We'll keep a closer eye on their plates. Their silverware. Everyone sleeps while the dishes are still stacked during Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays," Rita said.
"Alright, now to settle on excuses for why the basement is closed off for awhile," Lynn Sr. said.
The three of them went upstairs to talk about just that during the course of dinner. It seemed that everything was set up and ready for them to finally settle their suspicions and to find out what the truth was.
At least, that would have been the case were it not for what the Loud siblings themselves often forgot about. Lisa's observation equipment. Keeping the cameras and audio recording devices in place had several advantages and useful purposes to them even when she no longer lived at the house. Keeping an eye on Lily after she had moved out, and for exactly the kind of event that was unfolding at that moment.
Lisa had worried over the possibility that her parents would catch wise to what had been happening between her siblings and herself. The mutations in their children she hadn't been able to account for coupled with the simple illogical result of what ought to have been Lori and Bobby's copulation certainly saw to that. Now Lisa had to figure out a way to ensure the on hands examination of the DNA didn't expose them all. Something that would be challenging as she was aware her parents already suspected her of doing exactly what she had done to rig the results of standard DNA tests.