An ear piercing scream was heard from a semi-detached home.

An older woman sat on a stool at the front door of the neighbouring house winced into her book "Five minutes Karman" she uttered.

"Hello, Jane Hewitt" a woman greeted as she rose from her desk and approached the pair entering.

"Kali" Kali quickly responded with an extending hand, she held onto the other woman's palm as she spoke again.

"And this is my partner Rick ....." she claimed as the lady awkwardly shook Rick's hand with her free one.

"So I'm guessing this is little Karman" the lady holding Kali hand greeted as she extended the free hand to a young girl barely visible behind Rick's legs; the child failed to return the gesture.

Sometime later, the women spoke as the little girl clung tight to Rick in his lap. Rick was busy playing with the child's platted hair whilst whispering some sort of nursery rhyme.

"I can honestly tell you now, we can help; we've had very severe cases come in here and within months, they've made the leap to high function" Jane claimed.

"That's what we need" Kali stated as she looked towards Rick, who was still busy playing with Karman's hair "isn't it Rick" Kali repeated loudly, capturing Rick's attention....

"What?" he asked.

"You see, this dominates our whole lives, we really need the help" Kali claimed as she looked back towards Jane who nodded.

"Children are suppose to be centre of attention" Rick claimed as he briefly glanced at Kali.

"He thinks I'm exaggerating" Kali said to Jane.

"It wouldn't be the first time" he responded.

"He always accuses me of being a drama queen; spends hours out the house, comes home to play the fun dad" Kali said.

"I spend hours working to support our family whilst you; sit off, ignore her, don't clear up and hardly cook" Rick claimed.

"She's not interested in me, she goes mad if I move anything and she's going through a sandwich phase" Kali yelled at Rick before turning back to Jane "you see!?"

"Stress is a matter fact in these cases" Jane stated as she looked equally between the feuding pair.

"This has nothing to do with Karman, we had problems before she was born" Rick stated.

Kali narrowed her eyes "You mean when I dared have a horrible pregnancy?"

"It was as soon as you moved in" Rick claimed.

"I was pregnant 5 minutes later! Bed bound 5 minutes after that" Kali yelled before turning to Jane "I was in a medically induced coma when Karma was removed from me! Guess where he was? Holiday!"

"7 weeks early and it's Karman" Rick claimed as he looked to Jane "she nicknames her Karma, moaning that we must have done something to deserve her.

Kali raised one eyebrow and looked to her side.

Jane looked uncomfortably away from the family before speaking...
"Are... Shall we move on to the tour?" she tentatively asked.

Back at the house, Kali threw the door open and charged through the seating room...
"Her dinner and desert sandwiches' are in the fridge" Kali shouted as Rick and Karman strolled in.

Rick set Karman down on rug and told her to...
"Close her eyes and count to 30"
As Karma began counting, Rick rushed to the fridge, pulled out a small platter of sandwiches' cut into triangles on one side and squares on the other. He grasped a pair bamboo mat rolled up on the counter top and a hastily returned to his daughter; laying the mat and placing the sandwiches' on either side - just as Karman hit 30.

"Picnic" he cheered as Karman opened her eyes and grew exceptionally excited.

Rick backed up and looked down the short hallway towards the bedroom at the end whilst Karman bit onto her first sandwich.
He watched as Kali flickered out of sight.
"I'm just going to get us some special drinks" he claimed as he got up and headed to the bedroom.

"You having a joke?" Kali snapped as she pointed to a castle made of colourful building blocks beside a cupboard.

"Rick looked towards the open wardrobe, scattered clothing and an open suitcase on his bed, filled with petite shoes.

"I wish you'd keep her out our... never mind" Kali stated as she shook her head and dragged the bottom draw open; demolishing the castle in the process.

"No!" Rick yelled as turned in time to witness the structure scatter "can't believe you did that, she'll be devastated"

"Well I won't be around to witness it" Kali said as she threw clothes on top of the shoes.

"Why, where are you off?" he asked.

"My mum's" she claimed before she seized tidying up the case content and faced Rick "or maybe abroad to visit a friend? Or maybe.. I'll go and 'see the world', just like you promised"

"Grow up" he claimed.

"Oh I have! I had to learn the hard way" she ranted as she continued packing "hope you enjoy her meltdowns in the middle of shops, train stations and busy roads. Passerby's telling you off allowing your spoilt brat carry on, or telling you off for dragging her"

The next morning...
The older lady sat on her stool, closed a completed book as she let out a content exhale.

She looked to her side, gazing at the house beside hers.

The older woman stood, approached the neighbour's door and knocked.

Soon enough, the neighbour answered; it was Rick.

"Morning Rick" she pleasantly said.

"Morning" he replied, looking and sounding drained.

"I heard raised voices last night, I just came to check, see if everything was OK" she stated.

"Kali left last night" he abruptly informed.

"I'm so sorry" the woman offered.

"Don't be" he replied.

"You'll have to sort out child care arrangements soon, you know, with Karman's age" the woman advised.

"Kali aint interested" he said as he crossed his arms.

"Well, you can't let her keep you away from your own child" the woman stated.

"Karman's right here" he said as he moved backwards and allowed a view of his daughter, who was busy watching something on the television "she's as content as ever"