Life as Shania

Chapter 33: Life is never fair

"How was tennis with Marcus?" Papa Lee asked Shania who sat herself down at the dinner table with her hair wet.

"I'm exhausted," replied Shania as she slumped her shoulders and started playing with the cutleries on the table. 

Chris walked in to the dining room and grabbed the fork and spoon from Shania's fidgety hands and placed them back on the placemats and patted her head. Shania looked at him and smiled sheepishly.

When everyone was seated, Armand and Tina served the family's dinner. They were having lasagna and salad topped with cubed chicken.

Shania dug into her lasagna while the rest of the family conversed about current affairs.

"I am going to Singapore tomorrow," Chris announced to the family.

"What?" Shania was surprised to hear the news.

"How long will you be there for?" Papa Lee asked.

"Depends on the results of the meeting. Probably about 3 to 5 days," Chris replied Papa Lee.

"Can I go with you?" Shania asked with puppy eyes. 

"You have school, piano and tennis, Naya," Papa Lee reminded her.

"But that's not fair," Shania argued.

"Nothing in the life is fair, get used to it," Chuckled Chris.

"But I also have friends I miss in Singapore!" Shania whined slightly raising her voice.

The Lees ignored Shania and continued eating and changed the conversation.

Feeling frustrated, Shania pouted and pushed her plate away stating that she's done with her meal. Chris ignored her and only pushed her plate back close to her and gave her nod to continue eating.

"I'm done. I'll be going to do my homework now," Shania said as she stood up to leave the dining table.

"Nay, come back and finish your meal before leaving," Mama Lee spoke up. 

Shania ignored her mother and continued walking. 

"Shania, listen to your mother," Papa Lee raised his voice from his seat not looking at her.

"None of you listen to me anyway, I'm done eating," Shania shouted as she stormed off.

"Shania Lauren Lee, come back here this instant!" Papa Lee's shout boomed through the dining room.

When Papa Lee calls her by her full name, Shania knows that she's in big trouble and she should obey him. Though she was too frustrated to go back to the dining room, she was more afraid of what would happen if she didn't return.

Shania stomped her feet as she returned to the dining room. "Sit. And eat," Papa Lee pointed to her seat and gave her a warning stare.

"I'm done eating! Let me go to Singapore, please," Shania stomped her feet and whined.

"I said sit. Even if you're done eating, you sit until everyone is done," scolded Papa Lee.

When Shania sat back on her seat. She continued to pout and whine showing her displeasure in being back in her seat and the fact that she's not going to Singapore.

Chris used his finger and thumb to lift Shania's chin and sternly warn his sister, "stop this tantrum before I give you a whoopin' with my belt". Shania shook her head away and sat up straight in her seat. She didn't continue eating, she just sat on her seat and stared at her hands on her lap.

"Naya, you barely ate anything and you've had a long day. You need to eat something so you can sleep well tonight. Can you please continue eating?" Mama Lee asked her daughter.