Chapter Thirty-three.

Lina shut the door to her room, leaning against it as if to barricade herself from the world outside.

The dinner table had been a minefield, her family's concerned glances and probing questions making her feel like she was suffocating. She had tried to hold it together, to pretend that everything was fine, but it was clear that they had seen right through her.

As she walked over to her bed, Lina's mind began to replay the events of the evening. Her mom's gentle but insistent questioning, Christopher's attempts to make light of the situation, the worried whispers as she walked away, and the outburst between Christopher and her mother, when she got to her bedroom door. It was all so overwhelming.

Lina flopped down onto her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Why did she have to pass out in front of her sister life that? Why did she have to be exposed to her mother like that?

She had been so careful to keep her emotions locked away, to pretend that everything was okay.

But now that they knew, she felt like she was losing control.

Her mind began to spiral, thoughts tumbling over each other in a chaotic jumble. What if they didn't understand? What if they tried to fix her, to make her into someone she wasn't? What if she couldn't escape the darkness that had been closing in on her for so long?

Lina's breath caught in her throat as she felt the familiar tug of anxiety. She tried to push the thoughts away, to distract herself with the familiar comforts of her room. But it was no use. The darkness had her in its grip, and it wasn't letting go.

Her phone beeped, but Lina didn't reached for it immediately. 

The sound of the beep was as vague as the hum of the cars driving past the street from a distance.

The phone continued to beep, eventually bringing Lina out of the darkness of her thoughts. 

She tilted her her to the side, trying the acertain where the sound came from before she got up from the bed.

Soon, she spotted her purse on the drawer beside her bed - the purse she went out with, the previous day.

Then she sat upright, and reached for it.

Opened her purse and took the phone out.

'Christopher?!!' She muttered lowly, after seeing who the caller was.

'Hey, Chris.' She whispered after answering.

'Lina?!' Christopher voiced from the other side.

'Are you okay?' His question followed.

'I guess I am.' Lina responded.

'Why did you take so long to answer?' Christopher asked.

'Sorry, I wasn't paying attention when my phone rang.' Lina replied. 

'You were thinking, weren't you?' Christopher fired.

'You know you shouldn't be doing that, right?' He added, slightly worried.

'I know.' Lina proclaimed.

'I will get over it, you have nothing to worry about.' She added.

'Should I come over to keep you company until you fall asleep?' Christopher asked in a tone laced with sheer concern.

'My mind is not at ease after what happened tonight.' He stated.

'I'm fine, Christopher. Trust me.' Lina insisted. 

'And judging by your alteration with mom tonight, I doubt you would want to come back.' She pointed out.

'It's not as bad as Vivienne's suspicions afterwards.' Christopher blurted. 

'So, you had a fight with your wife?' Lina queried. 

'Uhmmm hmmm.' Christopher hummed in affirmation.

'Because of me?' Lina's voice faltered. 

'I'm so sorry, Chris. I didn't mean for any of these to happen.' She apologised. 

'It's not your fault, Lina.' Christopher countered. 

'Vivienne is just inquisitive, that all.' He further explained. 

'Inquisitive about what?' Lina asked in a cautious, measured tone, as if fearful of the response. 

'About what I may be hiding from her, about you.' Christopher retorted, confirming her fears.

'You didn't tell her anything, did you?' Lina posed another question, hoping the answer would be no.

'Of course not, Lina. I am never telling anyone about that.' Christopher countered. 

'You will do that yourself when you're ready. But, I am taking this to my grave, I promise.' He added.

'Thank you, Christopher.' Lina heaved a sign of relief.

'You're sure you don't want me to tuck you in bed tonight.' Christopher joked, and Lina laughed. 

'Nice try, Chrisy. Stay with your wife and son.' Lina countered. 

'I haven't even got out of the car since we arrived home. I could just start the car and turn....' Christopher was speaking.

'Wait?! Why?!' Lina interjected. 

'Well,' Christopher started. 

'I may have gotten on Vivienne's neves, and told her to mind her own business.' He explained. 

'What?!' Lina exclaimed. 

'Why did you say that to her?' She questioned. 

'Because I couldn't tell her what she was asking, Lina.' Christopher retorted in a near-shout.

'Would you rather have me tell her about your ordeal?' He asked a rhetorical question. 

'That is not what I am saying.' Lina breathed unsteadily. 

'But, telling her to mind her business when she asked about your family, will make her feel like you don't see her worthy enough to share your problems or secrets with her. Or that you don't consider her a part of your family.' She pointed out.

'Oh!!' Christopher expressed in realisation. 

'No wonder, she mentioned something about knowing her place or sort of.' He voiced.

'You have to make this right, Christopher.' Lina advised.

'Sure. I will find a way.' Christopher replied. 

'Do that right now, okay. Don't go to bed mad at each other.' Lina blurted. 

'You seem to be a natural at giving relationship advices, is that not?' Christopher teased.

'Do not mess with me, Chrisy.' Lina protested. 

'It's glad to hear you sounding better after all that went down tonight.' Christopher stated. 

'Thanks. Have a good night rest, brother.' Lina said.

'Good night, sis.' Christopher responded, and blurted out of the blue, as Lina was about to take her phone off her earlobe. 

'Least I forgot, I may have slipped up and told Arnold that you were hospitalised.' 

'What?!' Lina exclaimed. 

'How!?' She queried. 

'He came by restaurant after getting his son from school, to collect his credit card. He left it at the table unknowingly last night.' Christopher explained. 

'What has that got to do with the reason you told him I was hospitalised?' Lina fired. 

'Actually, I was rushing out when he arrived, so I asked a waiter to attend to him. He may have noticed my unsettled demeanor, when he asked what the problem was.' Christopher further explained. 

'Then, I told him I needed to head out to make preparations for you, before returning home from the hospital.' He concluded. 

'Oh my Goodness, Christopher.' Lina lamented. 

'I'm sorry, sis. Sleep tight.' Christopher chickened out, and hung up abruptly. 

'You're so going to get it from me the next time I see you.' Lina fussed after the call ended.

Her phone beeped for the second time that night.

And she glanced at the screen to see it was Arnold calling her.