Treasure Of Dragons, Royal Dragons Book 1 Chapter 63

Ria

Today is the dreaded festival, and I’m trying to maintain my shit knowing they are going to be there, and I’ll probably see them. Yet with the kids, and now especially with the new babies, I pretty much have to go. When it’s a festival and not a cafe visit, it’s mandatory for me, I discovered that last time I balked. 

So, instead, I give Isobel the day off when we all take all the kids to a festival. She never gets time off, so that made sense, to let her have some time to herself without the kids and us underfoot. 

Natalia will be meeting the guys there, now that she lives in town, she meets us at places when we have the kids and go to town. I still absolutely hate everyone in town, well except Zoe, but I wouldn’t say we’re friends or anything. I respect that she’s never tried to imply I should be grateful to be here, and we speak about dresses, nothing else, and she doesn’t push. So I can at least respect her for all that. 

I have been dealing with more depression after this birth. Supposedly dragons don’t suffer from postpartum depression, so perhaps I am just depressed, period, that is always very possible. Any attempts I have continued to make regarding the standing agreement for my girls, have been shot down. 

Since I just gave birth I’ve had a break from the physical side of things with the guys, but I can feel that like a countdown in my head. They will only hold off for as long as Dr. Surenka specifies. The minute she lifts the restriction my dragon will jump in with both feet. 

We are in two vehicles heading to the fairgrounds. Ash, Cinder, and Cole are in the 2nd car with the girls, while Drago and I are in the 1st car with Brand and the new twins. So, I wonder if someday we’ll have to get a bus, God, that thought is again, depressing. 

“What are you thinking about?” Drago asks me probably seeing the sadness flit across my face.

“If someday we’ll need to get a bus.” He actually smiles, no doubt loving the idea of that. 

When we arrive we get the kids settled in the strollers, and start heading to the tables and everything that's already set up. As we get close enough a site greets me that stops me in my tracks. I already knew the Stoicas would be here, but what I didn’t know was that they would have a cherry stand set up to give out or sell cherries.

Drago stops next to me, “You knew they would be here baby, it’s going to be okay.” 

I give him a scathing look and he seems surprised, “Yes, I knew they would be here, but a fucking, god damn, cherry stand? They might as well be shoving it in my face and spitting on my family’s graves right now.”

I have to concentrate really hard not to lose my ever-loving shit, but I maintain, just barely. I see Natalia walking up to us followed by several townspeople. They all beam smiles at me and I just shake my head. 

For some reason, they just can’t seem to grasp the truth that I will never change my mind about them, not unless they do some huge fucking shit to change it for the positive, which I don’t ever see happening. No, it’s like any day now they expect the Stockholm syndrome to kick in and the happy happy joy joy bullshit, we’re all plastic people, psychosis that seems to be this town’s normal, to envelop me too. 

I would have thought that at some point over the last 3 years I have been here the guys or Natalia would have spelled it out for them about why that will never happen. Why I hate every god damn one of them, and what exactly they did to garner that hate in the first place. Maybe I’m reaching and not thinking cult-like enough to understand the mindset.

I take the 2nd stroller with Brand and the babies to a far table, as far from everyone as I can possibly get, and I park my ass. Cinder comes and gets Brand, and he looks longingly at me, and then he’s sad, but he goes with his brothers and Natalia as they wheel the girls in the other stroller to the crowd of people. The rule is that because I’m here, no townspeople will pick up or touch my children. Their fathers and Natalia are the only ones to hold or touch them. So far, they have kept to that rule. 

I can feel how tenuously I am holding onto my control and how easy it would be for me to just totally lose my shit today. However, I have two tiny babies that need me, and my other children would be extremely distressed at mommy having a meltdown. So I keep it together, but I do wonder how long it would take me to push this stroller back home.

I have managed to calm down some by just being with the twins who are at that newborn quiet stage where all they do is sleep, use up diapers, and eat, so Collette just ate and is now sleeping contentedly in the pram section of the stroller, and I just started nursing Drako. 

I hear something and look up suddenly and am gobsmacked by seeing the Stoicas standing a few feet away from me. I grit my teeth and look down at my little one in my arms. He’s covered by my nursing cover but I can see him, and I just watch his little face as he nurses. Several times today other people from town have come close like they wanted to see the new babies, but probably feeling the murderous vibes flowing off me today, decided to go away and not push me.

Unfortunately, it seems the Stoicas are not in the same boat. “Hello Ria, we’re so happy to see you today.” Mrs. Stoica calls out to me.

“The feeling is not mutual, so my advice is to leave me the fuck alone, and go away.” I glare at them. 

They seem to be struggling with wanting to come closer, and I look over my shoulder to see the guys, the kids, Natalia, and several people from town. They all have varying degrees of anxiety, sadness, fear, and hope painted on their faces.

“Drago, get them the fuck away from me before I lose my shit, I am hangin on by fingernails here,” I growl out. 

He actually does go and speak to them, he’s holding Brand while doing it and I hold my breath daring him to let the Stoicas touch him.

He doesn't, he just looks at me sadly as do the Stoicas, then everyone goes back to the celebration, and leaves me alone.

Will there be a day this damn bracelet doesn’t work?