141. She's leaving home (3)

 We are drinking tea - again - when suddenly we can hear banging and thumping noises.

'What now?' My husband looks at me. Honestly! As if I can control things around here these days. I shrug. The thumping persists. It is coming - as always - from the top floor: the girls' floor. There's always some kind of trouble up there. I go up the two flights of stairs. I regret the move the minute I reach the landing: in the narrow corridor Baby is jumping up and down on a huge inflatable - and fully-inflated - mattress. This seems both a useless and a dangerous exercice. Her head misses the ancient beams by an inch every time she's up and every picture on the wall rattles every time she's down.

'Stop this! What on earth do you think you're doing!'

Still jumping, she points at her sister.

'Just checking ... for holes in it ... she asked me ... before ... she goes away ... ' Still jumping.

'So I ... blew it up ... and now ... I jump on ... specific ... areas ... to see ... if the air ... does ...'

I finally lose it.

'STOP!' I scream. These kids of mine are driving me crazy.

'I don't want to know why or how. Just stop! And put this thing away. Far away. NOW!'

It is good to see that I still get a prompt reaction from my youngest. She is now happily rolling around on the rapidly deflating mattress. Has Miss Organiser lost her organisational skills? Is she planning to take the inflatable mattress with her? In her suitcase? 

My world seems to be shifting. And my husband is drinking tea!