Pt 2 of them (continued ver)

Chapter 202

The day started calmly enough, with everyone settled at home. Carter was playing quietly in his room with his favorite dinosaur toys, while Malia kept an eye on the girls in the living room. Colby was in his office taking work calls, and Liam, as usual, was looking for ways to stir up trouble.

It wasn't long before Liam made his way into Carter's room. He had his mischievous look on, the one that meant trouble was coming. Carter, engrossed in his toys, didn't notice Liam until it was too late. Liam grabbed one of Carter's favorite dinosaurs—a bright green one Carter never let out of his sight—and ran out of the room laughing.

Carter froze for a moment, processing what had just happened. Then, his face twisted in anger. He let out a loud, frustrated cry and bolted after Liam, who was already halfway down the hallway.

"Liam, give it back!" Carter shouted, his little voice trembling with rage and hurt.

But Liam, being stubborn as ever, held the toy high above his head, taunting Carter. "Come and get it!" he said, laughing as he darted into the living room.

The commotion caught Malia's attention immediately. She turned just in time to see Carter lunging at Liam, his small fists flying. Carter was beyond reasoning, his emotions completely overwhelming him. He was tired, still recovering from a cold, and now furious at Liam for taking his toy.

"Carter, stop!" Malia called, rushing over to separate the boys. But Carter was too far gone. He managed to land a punch on Liam's arm, and Liam, startled, dropped the toy.

"Mom! Carter hit me!" Liam yelled, clutching his arm dramatically, though he wasn't really hurt.

Malia gently but firmly scooped Carter up, holding him away from Liam. "Carter, no hitting," she said, her voice calm but firm. Carter, however, wasn't ready to calm down. He squirmed in her arms, tears streaming down his face as he screamed and kicked, his little fists flailing in the air.

Colby, hearing the chaos from his office, quickly came out to see what was happening. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

"Liam took Carter's toy, and now Carter's having a meltdown," Malia explained, struggling to keep hold of a writhing Carter.

Colby stepped in, taking Carter from Malia's arms. "I've got him," he said softly. "Liam, go to your room for now."

"But Dad—" Liam started to protest.

"Now," Colby said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. Liam huffed but stomped off to his room, muttering under his breath.

Meanwhile, Carter was still crying, his face red and tear-streaked. Colby held him close, rubbing his back gently. "It's okay, buddy," he said soothingly. "I know you're upset. Let's take a deep breath, okay?"

Carter wasn't ready to listen. He buried his face in Colby's shoulder, his little body shaking with sobs. Colby carried him to the master bedroom, where it was quieter and more calming. He sat down on the bed with Carter still in his arms, rocking him gently.

After a few minutes, Carter's cries started to soften, though his sniffles continued. Colby handed him his favorite blanket, which Malia had brought in, and Carter clutched it tightly.

"Do you want your dinosaur back?" Colby asked softly. Carter nodded, his bottom lip quivering. "Okay, I'll get it for you. But first, we need to calm down, okay? Deep breaths."

Colby demonstrated, taking a slow, deep breath, and Carter, still hiccuping, tried to copy him. It wasn't perfect, but it was enough to help him settle a little more.

Once Carter was calmer, Colby retrieved the green dinosaur from the living room and handed it back to him. "Here you go, buddy. No one's going to take it from you again."

Carter clutched the toy to his chest, his small voice barely a whisper. "Thank you, Daddy."

Colby kissed the top of his head. "You're welcome, bud. But remember, no hitting, okay? If someone takes something, you tell me or Mommy."

Carter nodded, still sniffling. Colby stayed with him until he fell asleep, exhausted from the meltdown. Meanwhile, Malia had a talk with Liam about his behavior, making it clear that teasing Carter wasn't acceptable.

By the end of the day, peace had been restored, but it was a reminder of how much patience and understanding Carter needed, especially when his emotions ran high. For Colby and Malia, it was just another moment in the journey of parenting their spirited, sensitive little boy.