"Rita? Rita? Rita are you still there?"
She was but with her mouth hung open and a stunned expression on her face. If she had had anything in her mouth she would have chocked on it. "Mum, could you repeat that ? I don't think I heard you right.”
“They propose–”
“No, not that. The last part.”
“Oh, I think I might be pregnant?”
Another moment of silence. “What do you mean think you might be pregnant?! You are fifty seven years old. How does one your age get pregnant?! What makes you think your pregnant in the first place?” She would have needed to sit down if she was nkt already lying in bed.
“Hold on, are you on something mother?! Did you open up one of Walik's cellar whiskies again? Or step into the smoking lounge again?” It had happened more than once and everytime her mum accidentally got high. And the first thing on her to do list was pick up the phone and start calling randos.
This was crazy. This was–This was just... Rita did not even have the words. She took in a deep breath to help her come to terms with what she was hearing. So now not only did her mother get more action than her. Four times the action and possibly even more if her mother's frequently sung praises were anything to go by. She got enough of it that she could possibly be pregnant.
Rita's internal rant was not nearly over when her mother continued talking like she just did not drop a bomb on her own child. “The problem isn't my possible pregnancy, sweetheart. It is the fact I don't know who the father is ." Rita's overactive imagination painted a sinful and downright uncomfortable picture. Rita cringed. Stupid Dirty mind.
"And if I'm to answer your questions, I think I'm pregnant because all the signs are there. I mean I was right when I thought I pregnant with you, so I know what I'm saying. Come now, don't tell me your so naive. But if you want us to have this talk, sure. It all starts when a girl decides to go out into the world and –”
"Mother!" Rita yelled. She was sure she was as red as a tomato. Redder even. And her imagination was not helping. Stupid hormones. She could practically see her mother smirking. "You don't want the talk? Fine. ”
Her mother's four boyfriends. Four dragon shifter boyfriends, Walik, Saviour, Dex and Gordon were anything if not explicitly rich, ranging ages two hundred and thirty, head to toe drop dead gorgeous, nice and *cough cough* well endowed. Rita had been so envious of her mother's luck when they started seeing her two years back. So much so it hurt.
Rita pinched the bridge of her nose. "Alright. Say I'm going along with this. Who were you with the last time? ” Rita did not know why she asked that question. It was like she was just begging to die from absolute cringe.
“All of them.” her mother answered.
Rita face palmed herself. “Before the proposal, mum.”
“We've all been having sex together for the last year and three months.”
For the last year and?! “So you haven't had any special one on ones with any of them?” Admittedly, this discussion would have been hot if one, period cramps were not a thing and two, if the person on the other end was NOT HER MOTHER!!
” Well, we had this thing four months back where we got turns with each other before finally doing it together.”
Oh God in heaven why? Just why?
“Who were you with first?” A totally normal question. “Saviour.” Taking out the youngest first huh? Her dirty mind was on a roll tonight. A cramp kicked in and Rita grimaced. “How far along do you think you are?” she ground out.
“Three months.”
“Have you tried a pregnancy test?”
“Yes. I tested with six, four were positive, the rest were negative.” Four came out positive?! Her mother was answering coherently for someone that was high or drunk . Maybe...she was not? Incredulous words and thoughts aside , she heard sadness in her mother's voice.
"You've booked an appointment with your Doctor, right?"
"I already did that before they proposed. I'm supposed to go tomorrow. I haven't told anyone, II just don't want to get their hopes up for nothing." Rita could almost see the tears in her eyes.
"Mum, listen. It's going to be okay no matter the outcome. They all freaking proposed which means they are okay with you and the outcomes whatever they are. No need to worry ok?" Her mother had been thinking about her relationship for sometime now. How everyone looked down at her and her relationship with the guys.
She was happy with them, really happy but what everyone else was saying also got to her. It was mostly religious asses, people being anti-supernatutal and envious bitches with nothing better to do.
“Ok.” Her mother replied silently.
They needed to switch topics. "Sooo? How's the ring?" Rita asked.
“There are four actually. Two on each.” Four rings! Four fucking rings! Rita groaned. In the short time she had known all four of her mother's boyfriends, now fiances she had learned they had a particular liking to different gems and metals . Of the eye watering, fainting dead away price kind. Her mother probably had four rocks the size of a ping pong ball on each hand. Things that could set Rita up for life. Excluding everything else in her mother's safe.
“Show me. Show me." Rita squeaked and her mother laughed. "You'll have to wait until I talk to Piper."
"Awww, ok. She is going to freak." A short moment of silence passed. Piper had not been specifically approving of their mother's relationship. Still was not, but maybe that would change. "In a good way, I mean."
Her mother gave a small uncertain laugh. “I hope so. I'll have to let you go honey, the chauffer is pulling up at the house. Love you.”
“Love you. Bye.”
Rita cut the call and dropped her phone on the bed. So her mother's engaged, to four hunky rich dragons and here she was, no love life, no action, no real friends and dealing with a practical slave contract to her ex who so far has turned out to be her boss . Twice. Plus now, she was on her period, extra horny and cringed out at the same time. Life was so not far. At all.
Hold on! So Walik, Saviour, Dex and Gordon were all going to become her stepdads!
Great. Just great.
Rita grabbed the packet of shortbread she had been eating before she called her mother and picked up where she left off. Having more than enough on her plate as food for thought.
******
Today was particularly rough. He was glad she was not there for it. No wonder Lupini was so quick to sell. She wanted out before anyone, mainly the authorities found out. Too bad her plan did not work. She was still getting the paranormal division on her back and unfortunately, so did he. With what happened at Deleze Inc a couple of months ago.
Unlike back then, they did this a lot more quietly. A simple in and out the back door. Xavier already took care of the replacements. Not all shifter though. That would be too entirely suspicious for anyone. And a prime target for nosy reporters .
Samuel's body ached. He had not shifted in a while and with the full moon so close he had to let the wolf out more frequently to avoid any mishaps. Purgatory could only do so much. At this point, he greatly missed home and the deep wide open forests that stretched on for miles and the mountain ranges. The parks nearby would have to do for now.
Samuel jogged all the way there after taking a shower and changing into some of lose clothes. Most of the people out tonight we're in sweaters and scarves, mostly humans, witches and faeries that were not used to the cold.
The park was welcoming, washing him in the scent of earth and trees. What was not was the number of people around. Mostly wolves. They cleared away from him after paying their due respects. There were too many in his space but this was the biggest park he could find. It would have to do. He went into the changing booth, took off his clothes and left his walkers on.
He could not fathom what the mage that made these things was thinking when he created them. They were basically sports wear that would not tear off when one shifted. They would disappear in animal form and be right on again when you turned back to your human one. Genius but with the name lacked a lot of creativity.
He put his things in a locker and once he was outside, he shifted and took off running. He came alive under the evening sky, the wind in his fur felt heavenly, everything was sharper and clearer as his paws met the earth. Zipping past trees and streetlights, legs pumping hard as he ran long into the night.