Raising Laila

Chapter 8 - Phone

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She was brave and strong and broken all at once.

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November 22, 2017: 11.21am. 

"Laila! Come on, we're not going to be long, we just need to go!" Shireen said desperately. All they were trying to do was visit Laila's previous school and discuss her returning in the next couple of weeks, but it appeared to be far to much for the six year old who had been refusing to move from the bottom stairs for about half an hour now. 

"No! I don't want to go! Please!" Laila shouted as Shireen passed her shoes over, determined that they were going to go whether she liked it or not. 

"No, Laila. We've talked about this, you've got to go back to school. You will be fine, you're going to see your friends and your teachers, we're just going to have a chat today you don't have to stay the whole day just for a little bit," Shireen explained, not allowing Laila to get out of it this time.

"But please!"

"Nope, you're not going to get away with it this time, you are going to school, all six year old little girls go to school and you are too," Shireen said while Laila pulled on the black shoes reluctantly. "Good girl, thank you. I'm really proud of you," she overly praised Laila hoping it would starve off any possible meltdowns by making her feel good.

"Okay, ready?" Karl said coming in to the hallway, he had decided to take the day off work to come to the school too knowing that a meltdown was highly likely. 

"Yep, I think so, ready Laila?" Shireen said. 

"I DON'T WANNA GO!" She screamed holding on to the bannister tightly.

"Come on Laila, we're going to school. Stop with the screaming please," Shireen said determined to be firm this time.

"NO! I'M NOT GOING! I HATE YOU!" she continued to scream.

"Laila, I'm going to count to five and by the time I have stopped, I would like you to stop screaming," Shireen warned, "One... Two..."

Laila stopped for a moment, almost shocked at Shireen's sternness and the look on Karl's face before deciding that they couldn't really do anything so carried on to kick and scream hanging desperately on to the bannister.

"Three... Four... Five..." Shireen finished, looking to Karl not really expecting to get to five without Laila having stopped.

"Fine, if your going to keep throwing this silly little fit then you can sit in the corner and do it," Karl said, lifting Laila by the arms and placing her facing the wall in the corner of the hallway. Still continuing to kick and scream Laila wasn't particularly fazed.

Deciding to leave her for a few minutes, Karl and Shireen decided to go and sit in the kitchen and let her hopefully calm down. 

"Laila, stop and calm down," Shireen said when Laila's meltdown had continued in the corner for about five minutes coming out of the kitchen and standing far enough away from her to avoid kicking feet but close enough for her to be heard. "Stop kicking, young lady, this is your last warning to calm down and get in the car on your own," she said kneeling in front of her.

"NO! I'M NOT GOING!" Laila screamed, Karl coming out immediately having heard his wife struggle.

"Can we go without her?" Shireen suggested, she didn't want Laila to throw a complete tantrum at the school so Karl staying at home with her while Shireen went to the school. 

"Yeah, but then she wins doesn't she..." Karl hesitated. 

"I don't know, what do we do-" Shireen started before whipping her head around hearing Laila cough choking on her sobs, it only took seconds before she coughed heaved forwards and threw up her breakfast.