46

Maisey was in meltdown mode, her screaming to the point where no sound was coming out and her hands were flying around her head like she was being attacked by a swarm of bees. Curt had it in hand, scooping her up under her arms and running for a quiet space as the other children continued their Easter egg decorating. They had learnt to move away and ignore her.

The bathroom. sterile. Quiet and clean. The child flopping to the floor to flail about like a mad thing, Curt stepping into the bath to save his shins as she went into total lunatic mode now, snarling and slamming her fists down.

The door opened and Walt peeked in "Babe? Problem?"

"Nope" Curt popped the P "Maisey got overwhelmed with everyone grabbing the colours at once. She wanted one but forgot how to ask, and then someone else got it. Instead of complaining she had a bit of a whoops. No harm done, just needed to vent."

Walt looked down as his daughter lay weeping softly, the bathmat clutched to her chest and he sighed, stepping into the room after glancing down the hall to see his father wandering about the kids, totally ignoring the madness.

Walt sat on the floor and looked at the lump of a child.

"Did you hurt yourself?" he asked softly "Your poor hands. Are they OK slamming the floor like that love?"

She opened them and held them up to look at them with surprise, like she hadn't known they had done that. Maybe she didn't, she had entered a manic moment after all. Walt reached out and dragged her into his lap, holding her gently as Curt got out of the bath and sat beside him, her legs into his lap as he sighed softly "Damn girl. You went full nuts there. Like … any spider would have been totally terrified."

She glared at him then snorted softly, her hand rubbing at her face. Curt reached or a facecloth, wet it and handed it to her, soft and soothingly cool. She sighed and flopped back.

"Maisey love. You forgot your book right? I don't see it. Love, it's OK to have a hiccup now and then. You have been trying so hard and I am so proud of you for trying to behave. I am not angry, just disappointed that this happened and all that work you put in has slid. Come on. Naughty step for a while and then when you are ready to talk with words, not actions … maybe the others will hear you and understand they are not sharing. Yeah?" Walt crooned.

"Sowwy."

"I know. We all make mistakes love. It's OK. We have to learn form them or we are doomed to repeat them. So … some time to calm down and feel calm, then we can finish that egg. I really like the bright yellow" Curt assured her. "You wanted the red?"

"Spots."

"Tell you what. You calm down and when you are done with your time out I will show you how to make flowers out of the spots. OK? No one else has flowers on their eggs ya know" Curt whispered and she smiled softly, handing back the flannel and heading to the step to calm down.

Curt went to find the book.