Drago
I already knew I would be in shit for this stunt, but people kept asking to hold the girls, and Ria always says no. I know it's only because she is prejudiced against people from town, not because they will actually hurt them. She doesn't like them
So I set up with Officer Roman and the guards to help hold her and keep her from flying across the café and ripping the girls away from the people in town who have gathered for just this occasion. We let everyone know we would allow people to hold the girls for a few moments each.
I knew she would be angry and upset. I guess I didn't account for exactly how upset she would get. To hear her screaming at me, and see the tears and the utter devastation showing on her face, was not what I expected. I just expected some yelling, huffing, and hands-on-the-hips type of thing, not an absolute epic meltdown.
I have committed to this, however, so I can't just stop and say, "Sorry, you don't get a turn" after we sent out the message to everyone. The girls are starting to get fussy, too. They are not used to being passed around to this many people, and they can hear their mother losing her shit.
So, yeah, now they are going to start screaming their heads off in a minute. People all around me are watching what's happening, and I am seeing rising amounts of distress the longer she is distressed. Their dragons are reacting to her level of fear and anxiety.
So, yeah, this has gone to hell in a handbasket, and I know this will be a bigger issue when we get home than I initially thought it would be. Natalia is trying to hold it together, but she is even having trouble holding back the tears as Ria utterly melts down.
Then the worst thing happens, Officer Roman and the guards yell for me. I turn and see Ria bent over and clutching her stomach, and I see pain radiating out from her face.
Oh fuck, I didn't think she would get this upset, and with her being pregnant, and I didn't think about this harming her pregnancy. So I gather the girls up and get them into the stroller with Natalia's help.
Then the guards and I get Ria and the girls into the car as quickly as possible. I ask Natalia to call the guys, and I call Dr. Surenka about what's happening, and to get to the clinic at the house as quickly as possible.
"Cole is prepping the room and will meet you in the clinic room as soon as you get there. I will follow so I can help take care of the girls while you get Ria to Cole." Natalia tells me.
I nod and get into the SUV so we can leave. "Just hang on, Ria, we will be home in a moment, and Cole will be ready as soon as we get there."
She doesn't say anything to me, but breathes through the pain and keeps clutching her stomach. I watch the sweat bead on her forehead, and that's how I know she is really in pain.
"Five more minutes, sir." Comes from Nathaniel.
"Thanks, Nathaniel. Can you guys help Natalia get the girls out of the carseats and into the stroller, and make sure they get safely in the house, please?" I ask them for a favor, as they don't usually do that type of thing.
Nathaniel looks at me, "Sure, sir, we will help her." That's all he says, and I'm grateful.
We reach the house rather quickly. I rush around the car, lift Ria out of the seat, and run into the house with her. She isn't saying anything, just concentrating on breathing, and she has ahold of one of my shoulders to balance herself.
"We'll be there in just a second, baby, just hang on," I whisper to her.
As soon as I get to the room, I lay her on the hospital bed, and Cole gets to work hooking her up to the equipment.
"What happened?" Cole asked me while hooking her up.
"She had an even stronger negative reaction to today than we thought she might. So I think the emotional distress caused this." I confess.
His face goes pale as he stares at me in shock; he also didn't think her reaction would be this dramatic.
We purchased a sonogram machine for down here while Ria was pregnant with the girls, so Cole wheels it close to her and starts taking off her clothes. She helps him some, but she is really struggling.
Just then, Dr. Surenka flies into the room and starts helping Cole. She doesn't really ask too many questions right now, but I know she will.
"Cole, I can prep an IV of medication to stop the contractions. Do you think we should go ahead and get that going?" Surenka asks.
"That's actually a good idea. She seems like she's in quite a bit of pain, so that gives me the idea that the contractions are already pretty strong, give her something for pain at the same time." Cole tells her.
She starts working with different things around the room, mixing this and that, then puts it into an IV bag and attaches the tubing and needle. Then she gets it hooked up to Ria, then she administers pain medication through the IV.
The medicine is running, and Cole has just picked up the sonagram paddle and started to run it over Ria's gel-covered abdomen.
We all hear the fast heartbeat of a baby."Thank God," Cole mumbles, "Everything looks good from this end, so now we just need to get her contractions stopped, and we should be in the clear. We will keep monitoring it." He looks at me as he says it.
Ria hasn't said a thing; she is just lying there with her eyes closed, like she is trying to relax. I walk over and take her hand.
"Everything will be fine, baby, you just relax and let them take care of you. The baby is just fine, and Natalia, Cinder, and Ash have the girls, so they are just fine. I will bring them to you in a bit so they can see you; they are all getting fed right now."
She nods her head, but doesn't hold my hand back or open her eyes. I am happy that she acknowledged me, though, so I am thinking maybe she is calming down now that she knows the baby is okay.
I honestly should have known better, and that the storm was coming.