The Birthday Party

"I admit, it was a bad choice on my part, but I couldn't resist. They were so perfect for a birthday party!"

Maddy wiped her eyes as her husband comforted her.

"What actually happened? The place is a disaster area. Or shouldn't I ask?" Her husband was surveying the devastation which spread from the dining room through to the living room.

Maddy had cried herself out but now hiccoughed.

"The little tarts are to blame. I never dreamed something so innocent looking..." She waved a hand in a gesture meant to finish her phrase.

Her husband gingerly stepped over a squashed sandwich as he pulled her into the kitchen, plopped her onto a chair and went over to put the kettle on.

Maddy sniffed and hic'd into a tissue but the worst was over.

"Where are the kids and the dog?"

The house seemed strangely silent.

"At the park. They couldn't wait to get away." She closed her eyes for a second.

"All the parents seemed pretty annoyed with the state their kids were in when they came for them. It is always someone else's fault if their child has misbehaved."

All right, now tell me what happened." He put a cup of instant coffee in front of her before sitting at the table across from her.

"I don't suppose our kids will ever receive another invitation after today, but it really wasn't their fault. Even Patty seemed to blame me for losing control, but I wasn't in the room when it began."

"Patty's your best friend, you'll be laughing about this by next week. Now, start from the beginning and tell me. Did the magician come as he was supposed to?"

Maddy nodded and perked up as she remember how well the party had begun.

"Yes, it all went as it should. All the kids arrived on time, the magician arrived in a puff of smoke. Don't ask me how he did it. The kids were impressed. In fact, the entertainment had them behaving themselves perfectly for an hour.

We then went out into the garden for the treasure hunt and when I felt they were all tired out, I brought them in to sit at the table. They each had the usual bag of goodies waiting for them to keep them busy as I brought in munchy things and sandwiches. I made sure that the drinks were low in sugar as I didn't want them hyper at the table but it was a vain attempt on my part."

She paused as tears began to form again. Her husband handed her a tissue.

"I should never have bought those tarts, but they really were so beautifully made."

"I don't suppose there is one left for me to see?" He saw her shake her head no.

"The dog got all the leftovers. That wasn't supposed to happen either."

"They really have to have been something to wreak such havoc."

"I now know why they were on sale." Maddy surmised.

"So tell me. What happened?"

"Well, they were individual tartlets covered in heaps of meringue and decorated along the edges with those colourful, edible sprinkly things and shapes, you know?"

The tears began to flow again.

"One of the kids must have remembered seeing a pie like that being pushed into someone's face, and so did it to the kid next to him. That is when all hell broke loose. They all began doing it to each other and the next thing I knew they were throwing food. Some tried to escape into the living room..." She wiped her eyes and in a brave attempt of humour added,

"I know they had a good time." She hiccoughed.

Her husband patted her hand.

"You would have forgotten it all by this time next year. Just make sure you book one of those kids' recreational places for next year's party. OK?"

"Yes, and I'll make sure that meringue isn't on the menu, too." She smiled weakly.