I am a nurse and have been all my adult life. My little sister, at 19 joined a 'house' where there was a 'father' and three other 'sisters'. At the time she joined she was the youngest, there were already several young children and two of the sisters were pregnant. My little sister became pregnant almost immediately after joining the house.
Our mother was of course concerned, but she was legally an adult and there was little we could do except express our concerns. After repeated requests by my mother, I agreed to go see her, so I booked a flight and went to where they were living. They had a farm house some 3 miles from the city limits, on a largish parcel of land, with a small retention pond and a grove of trees. Very peaceful, and to my surprise very neat and kept.
I walked into the house, where I excepted to find helter skelter only to find that the house was orderly, and clean, all the beds were made, the kitchen clean, the bathrooms clean and orderly. Other than the number of people, the house could have been my mother's. Because I was coming to see my sister, they planned a meal to welcome me. The kitchen had that air of cooking.
My sister introduced me to her 'sisters' and told me that their 'father' would be there around 6:30, and then they introduced the half dozen kids, one by one. My sister was going on seven months, but in that house she just looked like she was part of the background. Everyone was polite and nice, very nice. And to my surprise they were all well educated, and the children were well behaved. Only my sister was not college educated. There was nothing in that house that made you feel uncomfortable, except that it was too well organized.
When their 'father' came, he was a man in his mid thirties, unexceptional in his looks, a kind man and very warm. He kissed each of the 'sisters', and then received each and everyone of his children and asked them how their day had gone. He sat in the only large chair, and soon had three little ones on his lap. One of the sisters came in with a glass of lemonade, and we all sat down to talk. He asked me many questions, nice questions, about who I was, what I did, and if I was ok with my life. After a bit I was totally at ease with him, I found out that he had a business in town, a lab which analyzed materials for industry. He employed a dozen people. He told me I could call him 'father'.
At dinner we all sat at this large table, it was a very large piece of wood plank that had been put together for the room, with a series of chairs and benches, the food was plentiful, and very good, the seating arrangements were chaotic with mothers and children mixed in no particular order, except for me as I was asked to sit to his left so we could talk. The table conversations were random, from town business, to world politics, to lessons on history. Everyone participated, and when you spoke everyone listened. During the meal, several children walked up to him, and would wait for their turn to talk, say their piece and return to sit by their mother.
I was placed in the room for the 'girls' and the girls were put to bed in a camp out in the game room. The main room where the father slept, included anyone or however many of the sisters wanted to join him, otherwise they slept in the mother's room.
I spent three days with my sister, three very fulfilling days, there was no religion or politics, only a large home with overwhelming warmth. My sister was the youngest, and she was surrounded by an acceptance that I had not experienced. When it was time to leave, I hugged and hugged my sister, something I had not done for a very long time. I hugged the other 'sisters' and each of the children. I even hugged the 'father' of this wonderful house.
My sister went on to have four children of her own, all in all there were more than a dozen children born to that house. In her late twenties, my sister went to the local college and got a degree in sociology. All the children are grown up now, and there are many grandchildren. And although he was not my 'father', he came to fill much of that role in my life, and I came to call him 'father' as he had asked of me that first day we met.
I am retired now and have moved to live close to my sister and her family.


