Loud Visions

Chapter 15

When Lincoln returned home from school, he had dinner with his family like usual, except their father wasn't there. Lincoln and Luan volunteered to cook dinner and made spaghetti aglio e olio. Everyone found their pasta meal absolutely delicious, and Luan was so proud.

"This is delicious! Whose idea was it to make this?" Lori asked.

"It was Lincoln's. He showed me how and we made it together," Luan answered.

"Wow, dude, this is amazing! Where did you learn to make this?" Luna asked.

"I've watched cooking shows with Clyde, and I learned a thing or two," Lincoln answered, "Where's Dad?"

Rita hesitated before answering, "Your father is . . . very upset with himself, kids. He feels he failed you. He's in our bedroom right now. I'll bring him his dinner later, but kids, you need to listen to me. Your father and I, we love all of you very much. So, it hurts when we feel that you don't love us back."

Lincoln looked away, thinking, 'How do you think I feel? Sometimes it feels like I don't even know you two, especially Dad. He's my father, and I can't remember the last time we had a father/son bonding time if we ever at all.'

Rita continued, "I know most of you are angry at your father right now for what happened with Lana, but please give him another chance. That's all we're asking. Please, don't shut him out."

It took every ounce in Lincoln's will not to scoff a laugh at those words. 'Don't shut him out?' Are you serious? You don't want us to shut him out, but in the near future, that's exactly what you're gonna do to me! And all based on a stupid made-up reason like bad luck! Why should I care about someone who doesn't care about me? You want us to be there for him? Where was he when I needed him? Where will he be when I need him? I'll tell you where Mom — behind some window telling me to back away from the house! After you board up my room, sell my furniture, and lock me out of my house! Out of my home!

Lincoln's eye twitched out of anger, and his fists slowly clenched. Lynn didn't see Lincoln giving her a death glare as he was thinking about the visions showing her calling Lincoln bad luck and relentlessly poisoning the others with that lie. His eyes slowly shifted to his other sisters, and he saw it all – all the bad things they said and did to him and possibly will do in the future.

Then Lincoln stopped. He remembered how he was in bed crying, wishing his family loved him. He remembered all his sisters around him showering him with love and comfort even though they didn't know the reason for his sorrow. Lincoln realized his family was capable of being bad . . . but also good.
'The world and people aren't black and white. It's just whether people are mostly good or mostly bad,' Lincoln thought, then his eyes went back to his family, 'Are they all mostly bad?'

His future visions answered that question. His eyes fell upon Lucy, who was sitting right across from him. Even though her eyes were hidden behind her bangs, he knew she was staring right back at him. He knew that she was still waiting for him to keep his promise to tell her. Lincoln thought back and noticed that Lucy doesn't really have a huge role in the bad luck incident. She didn't say anything. However, that's what she's also guilty of – she didn't say anything. Still, though, maybe he can trust her with his secret. Maybe he can get her to see the light, which was ironic for such a dark gothic girl.

Rita finished, "So, can I count on you to be less harsh and a little more sincere toward your father?"

The older sisters groaned a sigh while the younger sisters grumbled under their breath.