Meltdown

As Ashley walked through the front door, she felt a sense of relief wash over her. The day had been a long and emotional one, but she had finally found a sense of hope and support at the autism center. She was looking forward to a quiet evening at home, just the three of them. She smiled to herself as she thought about making Alex his favorite dinner, pasta with marinara sauce. As she began to cook, Alex sat at the table, his eyes fixed on her every move. He seemed calm and content, and Ashley breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe this evening would be a peaceful one after all. She served Alex his dinner, and he dug in eagerly. But as the minutes ticked by, Ashley noticed that Alex was becoming increasingly agitated. He was pushing the food around his plate, his face scrunched up in distaste. Ashley tried to reassure him, "It's okay, Alex, it's just pasta. You love pasta." But Alex was having none of it. He suddenly slammed his fist on the table, making Ashley jump. "I DON'T WANT IT!" he yelled, his face red with rage. Ashley tried to calm him down, "Okay, Alex, it's okay. Let's try something else." But Alex was beyond reason. He stood up, his chair scraping against the floor, and hurled his plate of pasta onto the floor. The food splattered everywhere, and Ashley gasped in shock. "Alex, no! Please don't do that," she pleaded, trying to grab him. But Alex was unstoppable. He kicked his legs and yelled at the top of his lungs, "I HATE PASTA! I HATE IT!" Ashley felt her heart racing as she tried to calm him down. She knelt down beside him, trying to hug him, but Alex pushed her away. Just as it seemed like things couldn't get any worse, the front door opened and Avan walked in. He was taken aback by the scene before him. The floor was covered in pasta sauce and noodles, and Alex was still yelling and kicking. Ashley looked up at him, her eyes pleading for help. Avan's face froze, and for a moment, he just stood there, unsure of what to do. Ashley felt a pang of frustration and sadness. Where was he when she needed him? Why was he always absent when Alex had a meltdown? She looked at Avan, her eyes searching for some sign of support, some sign that he was there for her and for Alex. But Avan just stood there, his face a mask of uncertainty.