Chapter Thirty-one.
Lina's abrupt departure from the dining table was followed by a palpable silence, which Natalie's sudden and explosive outburst shattered.
'So you knew she was depressed, all these while?' She directed at Christopher, whose feet was still stuck to the floor, gazing at the stairs, much later after Lina already disappeared into her room.
'Being able to handle the situation doesn't mean anything, mom.' Christopher turned to his mother, as he proclaimed.
'Christopher?!' Natalie spat.
'Just tell us the truth.' She rose from her chair, taking one step at a time.
'Let it go, hon.' Nathan chipped in, from his side of the table.
'No,' Natalie retorted, giving him a brief stare.
Then returned her eyes back to her son, who already moved back to his side of the table.
'Christopher needs to let us in on all of the information that we need to help our daughter.' She fired, with her eyes fixed on her son, as he took a seat.
'I honestly have nothing to say to you, mom.' Christopher spoke after a short while.
'What reason could I possibly have to withhold any information about my sister?' He threw a rhetoric, hoping to be free from his mother's claws.
While he already registered in his mind that, he was not going to let out any information Lina has confided in him with.
No matter what he may have to go through, or how ever his family pressured him to speak.
He was never going to let them get to know Lina secrets through him.
He owed her that much, at least.
He is the person he is now because of her.
Lina was the one brave enough to go against their own father, when he insisted that he was not going to let Christopher pursue a career as a chef.
Nathan had proclaimed that he wanted his children to have a proper education instead, but Lina believed in Christopher's dreams.
She decided to go on a strike, and even managed to recruit Catherine, their father's favourite, to their scheme.
They left the house, refusing to go to school or return home, until Nathan changed his mind.
Christopher's mind still vividly recalled the last phone call Nathan had made to their grandmother's house before he finally gave in to his children's request.
He was coming down the stairs when he heard the phone ring that day.
Before he reached the bottom, he heard his sister answer.
'Hello, Melina's resident. Can I take a message.' He heard Lina say to the person on the other side, noting their grandmother's name, as they hardly expected any personal phone calls for themselves.
'Crystalina?!' He heard his father exclaim from the other side.
'Dad?!' Lina voiced out too.
'If you're calling to convince us to come back home, then you're just wasting your time.' Christopher heard his sister talk back, and he chuckled.
'So, you all refused to go to school because I insisted Christopher must get an education?' Nathan rejoined.
'Yes, dad.' Lina answered firmly.
'Let him do what he wants and we shall all return home.' She added.
'And what has your grandmother got to say about this?' Nathan queried from the other side.
'She already decided to register Christopher at a culinary school here in Bentonville.' Lina responded with a lie, which left a smirk on Christopher's face, as he listened.
'But for now, we all just follow her to the farm every other day, until we grow up and take over her plantation.' She added.
'So, you are going to give up your dream to be a lawyer just to prove a point?' Nathan posed a question.
'And you are going to lose all your children just to prove a point?' Lina fired back.
'Lina?!' Nathan blared from the other side, and Christopher's stomach knotted in anxiety.
'Yes, daddy.' Lina retorted in a sing song, trying to make light of the situation as it unfolds.
'Come home with your siblings, dear.' Nathan countered.
'We will discuss this properly when you all get back.' He added, calmly.
'Dad, the only reason we shall return is if you come get us, with the Christopher's admission letter signed by you.' Lina protested.
'Then, we will do as you say.' She remarked.
'For goodness sakes, Lina. You are going to start your externship in a few days.' The phone conveyed Nathan's voice.
'Come home and we can make some kind of arrangement for Christopher.' He added.
'No, dad.' Lina refused bluntly.
'Why are you so stubborn, child?' Christopher recalled himself feeling queasy, almost throwing up, as the argument between his father and Lina escalated.
'What if he gets upset and decides to let them do whatever they wanted?' He recalled asking himself.
'What if Lina's plan doesn't go according to how they had envisioned?' His mind wandered, when Lina's voice came up again.
'I guess I got that from you.'
'Crystalina...' Nathan attempted to speak, but was abruptly interrupted.
'Do not force all of your kids to become drop outs, in your quest of trying to get just one of us to bend to your rules.' Lina commented.
'Just because we are your children doesn't mean we don't know what we want in life.' She went on.
'I trust that you will have a rethink and come get us soon, dad.' Christopher leaned closer as Lina spoke.
'If not, then good bye forever. I love you.' She concluded, picking up the receiver from the telephone.
Nathan's voice, trying to protest faltered, when Lina pushed the receiver back into the cradle, hanging up on him.
She stood by the phone for a moment, before turning back to leave for the stairs.
Her feet stuck to the floor on sighting her brother already on the stairs.
'Have you been there for a while?' Lina asked calmly.
'I've been here long enough to hear the phone ring.' Christopher retorted, and Lina's jaw dropped.
'That was dad.' Lina chortled awkwardly.
'I noticed.' Christopher retorted in a neutral tone.
Oooo.....kay.' Lina hesitated.
'I'd just return to my room.' She said, heading for the stairs also.
'What if this doesn't go according to our plans?' Christopher asked, as Lina barely walked past him.
'What if dad decides not to sign the admission letter, and leaves us out here until we come back to our senses.' He pointed out.
'We are in our right senses, Christopher.' Lina had countered that night.
'And I trust dad enough to know, that he will not let his ego get in the way of getting back to his children.' She added.
'But what if his ego gets in the way, sis.' Christopher feared.
'Then, we will have nana sign you up at a culinary school nearby, and we will send Catherine back home, so she can return to school.' Lina replied.
'And you?' Christopher pointed out.
'You still have to go to law school, remember.' He further explained.
'You think if we bend to dad's rules eventually, it'd be that easy.' Lina replied.
'My ego wouldn't let me returned home, so I'd just stay her and farm with nana, while you go to culinary school. So, our only option is to hope that he comes around.' She added.
'So, you are willing to give up your dreams for my sake.' Christopher asked, and Lina's response that night is something he will forever remember.
'I will give up anything for my siblings, Christopher.' Lina had said to him.
'I will do everything in my power to make you both happy, even if it means not being a lawyer like I have always wanted.' Her voice echoed in his head.
'If you accomplish your own dreams, then that will be more than enough for me. If I can't achieve my dreams, at least I helped you achieve yours.'
Christopher smiled, recalling the event that had earned his deep respect for Lina.
'What is funny?' Natalie's voice brought him back to reality.
'Why are you smiling?' She went on asking.
'Do you not care about your sister's condition?' She fired, and Christopher took offence.
'No one.' He breathed unsteadily.
'No one on this table cares for Lina like I do.' He shot back.
'Neither of you was able to get her to come home back then, for Christmas, until I spoke to her.' He pointed her.
'And when she got offended again, seven years ago, and left until now.' He went on, shooting his father a stare.
'I got her to answer your calls, or return them at least.' He said reaching for his son from Vivienne.
'I have admitted to all of these which is true, but I can not admit to something I don't know, just to make you all hear what you want to.' He reached for Vivienne hands also, pulling her up from her seat, as he got up.
'If you want to get information about Lina's health or how to help her. The person you should be talking to is Lina herself. Not me.' He concluded, walking out of the dining room with his wife and kid.
'Good night everyone.' Vivienne voiced out, taking two steps at a time, in order to meet up with her husband's pace.
'Good night, Viv.' Natalie muttered in response.
Christopher also bade his family good night with the slam of the front door.