Life as Shania

Chapter 28: Dinner

"Naya, eat your dinner," Papa Lee told Shania who was just pushing her food around her plate.
"Naya, use both your fork and spoon to eat," Mama Lee pointed to Shania's left hand which was on her lap.

Shania picked up her fork with her left hand and pushed some rice to her spoon and took a tiny mouthful all while looking away from her parents.

"Okay Naya, that's it. Stop eating and face the wall at the corner," Papa Lee instructed Shania as he pointed to the corner of the dining room.

"But Pa," Shania looked at Papa Lee as she whined.

"Go. Raise your hands up above your head and stand still," Papa Lee said getting irritated.

Shania went to the corner and stifles her cries as she wiped her tears with the back of her palms.

"I said raise your hands up over your head," Papa Lee started to raise his voice as he instructed Shania.

Papa Lee, Mama Lee & Chris continued to eat their dinner. Small conversations were exchanged. Dinner was somewhat rushed because Chris and Mama Lee understood that they wanted Shania's punishment to end as soon as possible. Not long, Mama Lee and Chris excused themselves from the dining table and left Papa Lee to be alone in the dining room with Shania.

"Naya, come here," Papa Lee sighed as he called her over.

Naya meekly walked over to Papa Lee.

"Can you tell me what's going on?" Asked Papa Lee.

"I'm sorry," Shania cried.

"Hey Sweetie," Papa Lee grabbed Shania by her shoulders and rubbed her back as he hugged her.

"I couldn't hold my fork because Colin just hit my left palm 20 times earlier," Shania spoke up.

"And I didn't have much of an appetite because Chris said he's going to talk to me about what happened in class after dinner and I'm scared," Shania continued as she cried.

"All these because I didn't finish yesterday's homework and I came back to class late after my break," explained Shania.

"But I was late because I needed a power nap. I wake up at 4.45am and my day is so packed and long - I'm just so tired and I feel so cornered," now Shania is sobbing as she spoke.

Papa Lee embraced his crying daughter and waited till she was done. When Shania was starting to calm down, Papa Lee took a napkin and wiped her tears off her face.

"I'll talk to Chris about this later. But for now, I want you to eat some more," Papa Lee comforted Shania.

"Here, open your mouth," Papa Lee brought the spoon to Naya's mouth like it was a plane.

Shania giggled and she took the spoonful of rice and beef stew. Papa Lee continued to feed her the rest of the meal and she actually finished the entire serving that was put in her plate.