VI. BONFIRE SHARING
As being the last interviewees, Lori and Leni head straight to the yard for the last activity, as per instructions from Dr. Renzetti. There, they see their siblings, including Lily being held by Luan, gathered around in a circle, with a bonfire lit in the middle. The two sisters are still recovering from their interview a while ago; thus, they turn to their seats without uttering a word. Everyone is pretty much at the same position, as each went through the same procedure and had the same emotional effect that really changed their elementary views. This can only prove that the pediatric therapist's procedure is effective in lifting up the siblings out of their feuding circumstances.
Minutes go by, silent treatment is still upon them, and Dr. Renzetti finally arrives with a box full of white T-shirts, markers, stationery paper and a guitar.
"Uhmm doc, what's that stuff for?" Lincoln inquires from him.
"You'll see, my dear boy," Dr. Renzetti answers, and then instructs the children, "Now, I have here pieces of parchment paper (they're assorted colors) and color markers here. Get one paper and any marker you like. Pass them all." So, they do what the therapist instructed them to do. Each one, of course, claims a color marker that best represented them; pale blue for Lori; seafoam green for Leni, purple for Luna, yellow for Luan, red for Lynn, orange for Lincoln, black for Lucy, navy blue for Lana, magenta for Lola and green for Lisa. Dr. Renzetti also gives a pink marker for Lily for fun.
"Okay, everyone has?" the therapist asks. "Good, now, you all have your fair share of moments as pairs in our interview segments. Now, I want you to write in that paper what you want to say to your siblings. Think about this. What if the end of the world will happen tomorrow? What are the last things you want to say to your fellow brother and sisters?"
"The end of the world is tomorrow?" Leni hysterically wails.
"No, Leni, I said 'what if'," Dr. Renzetti corrects her. "Now, I will give an hour to write down your message. For those who need more light, there are candles here. Learn to appreciate natural light, for now. In the meantime, take this moment to share out your love for each other." He then brings out his iPod and plays the ideal song for the activity, a violin rendition of "Everything" by Lifehouse and walks back inside to let a moment of intimacy sweep within the Loud children.
It is never easy for the siblings to write down their messages. Every one of them is struggling to think of the perfect or adequate words to say. While each have their moments of frustration, from Lola laying the paper to her face while lying down on the grass to Luna tapping the marker like a drumstick, Lincoln keeps writing his message down. As a person who tries to keep his moral standards and cope with his emotional understanding, the 11-year-old has no hard time sharing his sentiments. Easily, his inspiration is right in front of him but this only means that the emotional carriage will get heavier.
An hour has passed, and Dr. Renzetti comes out with a tissue box for "emergency".
"Okay kids, are you done?" he asks.
"Wait, I'm only half way there," Lola mentions.
"Not need to bother. You can write down your messages while you listen to the one who will their message," Dr. Renzetti assures, "Now, who wants to go first?" But no one answers him back or takes the initiative to go first. It is either the siblings are shy or undeterred or not yet finished. "Anyone? Or anyone who is done, can you volunteer to speak first for us? Please?"
Then suddenly, Lincoln raises his hand and calls out to the doctor, "Ooohoooh, can I be first?"
"Why sure, Lincoln. Why don't you come here and stand up and share your message to your siblings?" he insists, as half of the sisters direct their attention to him while the others finish their messages.
With that, Lincoln starts reading his message for his dear sisters:
"Dear sisters, I have to confess. You're the worst sisters ever…"
Upon hearing that, of course the sisters berate on him for such an offending remark. But Lincoln politely halts them, "Let me finish, please."
"Yes, indeed you're the worst sisters a brother could ever have. From Lori being bossy…"
Hearing this, Lori frowns at him. "…to Leni being carelessly happy-go-lucky…"
Leni, meanwhile, tries to absorb what Lincoln just said. "Huh?" she utters, "Wait, do I have a new name? Happy Go Lucky?"
"…From Luna and her LOUD guitar jams to Luan and her lame puns…"
The two react the same way Lori reacted, through Luna is milder.
"…From Lynn knocking every part of my body to Lucy tugging her gloominess on every emotion in my body…"
As she hears this, Lynn raises her fist in anger. "I thought we're through this, brother!"
But Lucy remains blunt in the proceedings, knowing that Lincoln is being sincere as possible. "I would have confessed the same thing to you," she utters to Lynn.
"…From Lana's mud-filled escapades and Lola's pink-glittered schemes, to both of their nasty antics…"
Both of the twins get angered on Lincoln's statement, but Lola reacts harshly as she tries to control her temper.
"…From Lisa blowing the house down to Lily blowing blueberries at my face…"
Having heard this, Lisa and Lily take a deathly glare to their brother. Regardless of the sister's disdain of the first words of Lincoln's message, Lincoln continues reading.
"…it is no denying that I lived in a house full of loud sisters. Everyday feels like a battlefield, for I have to cross enemy territory to get to victory. But even with all the meddling, all the fighting and all the annoying, I still love you all. I love you all for who you are. That is why I am trying my best to be the best brother you ever have. But I failed. But I will keep trying, not because of me (although I have my own reasons why), but because of you, my sisters. For a great guy once said that we need love one another, as if our lives depended on it. For that, I would never trade anything from the world for you, guys, the worst and best sisters ever."
As he finishes, Lincoln starts to cry in front of them. He has cried many times before, but never does he cried this much before. Seeing this, Luna catches up to her brother and hugs her brother. She tries to comfort him, especially as he wails loudly. "There, there, it's okay bro," the rocker sister empathizes, and then offers Lincoln the box of tissue paper that Dr. Renzetti had at hand. Later on, the tissues run out.
Sooner, Leni feels the weight of the Lincoln's emotions; thus, she rushes to join them in their embrace. And as part of sibling sympathy, Lana, Lily, Luan, Lucy, Lola, Lynn and Lisa follow to comfort their brother. Lori is the last one to join in, due to the fact she went upstairs to get a face towel for Lincoln to wipe his tears at.
"Lincoln, you're the worst and best brother we ever have," Lori sincerely admits, in behalf of her sisters, "We're all sorry, bro. We're literally sorry."
As soon as he hears those affirming words from the sister he has the hardest time with, Lincoln takes delight on it and slowly recedes from crying.
Continuing the activity, Luna initiates by sharing her message to her siblings, "Well, might as well get the steam running. I have a message for you too:"
"I have to admit, dudes. I am not the sister who you think I am. I go home late at nights, just for me to rock. I live it, breathe it and feel it. But I feel empty inside. I know sometimes quiet is violent. But I feel more violent when I'm not around with you, guys. I never get to feel each of you, and I am sorry. Luna's out."
With that, Lincoln embraces her, carrying the weights of her emotions, alongside her. Just like him, Luna sheds tears, a first for the rocker in front of the faces of her sisters. "I'm sorry guys. I'm cool now," Luna assures in tears.
"Well, if she's sharing, I must as well," Lynn says. "If there is one thing I want to do before the world ends, it is to play football with someone. That is the one thing I'm having a hard time with. I really want rough play. Sports is who I am. But I do realize. Not everyone is good at sports. So, might as well be a good sport about it."
"I wanna play with you," Lana says.
"Really Lana? You wanna play with me?" Lynn asks.
"Mhmmm. I think you playing sports are kind of awesome. I think I wanna be like you," the 6-year-old expresses her praises. In response, Lynn rubs her hair in admiration, and then embraces her tenderly. Never does Lana feel an embrace like this.
Flip to next chapter…