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dcbbw · 4 months

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Single Mom

This story is born of this week’s @choicesflashfics prompt #3 (which will appear in bold). It’s not the story I had in mind but was able to explore Riley as a mother, along with her fears and hopes for the lives she has brought into the world.

THANK YOU to all who will read this story; I hope you enjoy it. Please excuse and all typos, missing/extraneous words, and/or grammatical errors. I was fast and loose with editing and revisions, but MS Editor has this rated as 99% error-free.

The song inspiration has absolutely nothing to do with parenthood or jellybeans; rather, it was chosen because of it’s fun, relaxed vibe which I feel captures Riley as a parent and her relationship with her sons.

Song Inspo: Recess, Eli “Paperboy” Reed

Pairing: Riam and family

Word Count: 2500ish

Rating: T for Teen

The royal family stood inside the private terminal at Cordonian International Airport; through the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows one of the airliners in the Crown’s fleet sits on the tarmac, waiting for its most important passenger to board.

The King holds his youngest son, Theodore, in his arms feeling the toddler’s tears dampen his shirt collar. His oldest sons, Francis and Jonathan, cling and pull at his pant legs demanding Dada come home with them.

His wife, his Queen, just stares at him. Her eyes are shiny but remain dry. Her husband, along with Rashad Domvallier and Kiara Theron, is going to Sweden for an international conference on linguistic resources to aid the immigration crisis.

Riley realizes that travel is a large part of being ruler: networking, being seen places other than thrones and golf courses, sitting on international boards and committees.

It doesn’t mean she likes it.

“It’s only three days, and I’ll call often,” Liam reassures his family to no avail.

“We’ll be fine,” Riley says as she pries six-year-old fists from his clothing.

She holds her arms out for Theodore as Fric and Frac wrap their arms around her legs, their own tears beginning to fall.

“Hey!” she says brightly. “We’ll go to McDonald’s on the way home, and NO SCHOOL until Dada returns,” she promises.

The twins immediately stopped crying, speaking excitedly to each other in their secret language.

Liam’s look is stern as he double-takes at Riley’s words.

“Oh, NO! There will be school! The boys need structure and to continue their educational routine.”

Riley frowns at her husband over her baby’s head full of black, curly hair.

“And I told YOU, MY children will NOT be attending a school that changes its name from La Petite Academy to The School for Spoiled Kids after our sons enrolled! I will be getting them transferred to a public, Crown-sponsored school while you’re away.”

“The security issues with that …”

“Are NO different than with that private school you insisted on! In fact, aren’t many of the Safety Resource Officers in the public schools members of the King’s Guard?”

Liam rubbed his palm over his face. “We’ll discuss this when I return.”

He held his arms out to embrace his family once again before boarding the plane. He kissed all of his sons on the tops of their heads before his lips lingered over Riley’s.

“I’ll miss you,” he whispered.

“You’d better!” she retorted, her palm cupping his cheek.

With a sigh, the King grabbed the handle of his rolling suitcase and began the walk to the plane. He looked back once; his family was still there. They were waving and blowing kisses and wiping tears from their eyes.

He did the same.

Day 1

It was 8am when Duchess Joelle Theron tucked her large, brown-paper wrapped package underneath her arm and smiled in greeting to Mara as she entered the royal family’s quarters. And stopped in her tracks.

The Crown Prince and the second-born were fist-fighting; Grunts, yells, and cries of “STOP THAT!” were uttered by both parties as well as their mother. The sounds of hands slapping skin ended once Riley was firmly in between the children.

The baby sat on the floor, eating dry cereal out of a bowl as he watched it all unfold. Occasionally Baby Theodore took a sip of juice from his sippy cup.

“Your Majesty?” Joelle asked hesitantly.

Riley turned, a confused smile on her face at hearing her moniker; she had made sure to clear her calendar while Liam was away.

“Joelle! What a surprise.”

The Duchess’ eyes took in the situation: Six-year-old boys in dinosaur-emblazoned pajamas with mussed hair, scratched cheeks, and angry splotches along their forearms; they glowered at each other with mistrustful eyes as their chests heaved. The Queen’s natural hair was an unkempt afro and she wore a too-big chenille robe with frayed sleeves, deep purple in color. A television blared the theme song to a children’s show. The kitchen counters were filled with dirty dishes and cut fruit.

“Is everything okay here?” Joelle asked in genuine concern. There was nothing noble or royal about any of this.

“Oh yeah. Just that Mr. Frac here woke up choosing violence,” Riley clarified as she glared at her oldest. “What brings you to the Palace?”

“I painted a portrait of the heirs. It’s not a traditional painting as I’m dabbling with abstracts now. I’m headed to Krona for lunch with Adelaide, and thought I’d drop it off.”

“Let’s see it!” Riley exclaimed as she led the twins to separate corners, sitting them in chairs facing a wall; their backs were to each other and the room itself.

“Mommy?” Frac’s querulous voice called out softly.

Fric heaved a laborious sigh and placed his face in his palms.

Riley whirled. “It’s QUIET time, young man! Unless you want a spank-spank, which you may get anyway, keep those lips zipped!”

She shook her head. “Puttin’ hands on folks first thing in the morning,” she muttered as she watched Joelle unwrap the painting.

The Duchess Theron arched her eyebrow slightly, giving the Queen a nervous glance. “Is Liam aware of your parenting style, Riley?”

Riley’s face hardened imperceptibly; when she spoke, her tone was tight. “My husband and I are in agreement as to how to raise our children, Duchess.”

"No judgment, it’s just not an approach seen before in Court,” Joelle murmured with a nod of acknowledgement and an apologetic smile before proudly displaying her portrait.

Riley was rendered speechless. And not in a good way.

Against a background of thick, layered cream-colored paint were three-eyed penguin heads with bright orange beaks interspersed with what were either Fred Flintstone’s big toes or inflamed nipples. Top hats and brown leaves completed the portrait.

Abstract, my ass. THIS is indescribable.

“Can you see them in the painting? Is it obvious what I was going for?” Joelle asked eagerly.

The Queen quickly morphed her expression into one of pleasant surprise.

“It looks just like them!”

Day 2

The Rys boys were seated at the dining room table, coloring and drawing. It was the art portion of their homeschooling day, which was a one-off project Riley pulled out of her ass while waiting to hear back from the Prime Minister of Education.

She agreed with Liam that their sons’ education shouldn’t suffer, and that structure and routine were important. She enlisted Annabelle Parsons, and the women came up with a lesson plan: Science, which was focused on the solar system with particular interest on the sun. Math, where the boys reinforced their counting skills; Fric and Frac could count to 100. Their younger brother made it to 20 before getting confused. After playtime and lunch, they would have their weekly self-defense class with Mara.

Riley and Annabelle were seated in the living room, enjoying a quiet conversation.

“I’m worried about Frac,” the mother confessed. “He’s taking these separations from Liam harder than the others. I don’t want to punish him for having emotions, but he can’t run around beating up his brothers and calling his mother a heathen!”

Annabelle Parsons carefully sipped her sparkling cider as she considered her friend’s plight. Normally, Annabelle tended to imbibe harder drinks but whenever she visited the Queen, she partook of alcohol-free beverages out of respect for the children.

“Francis loves his father deeply, there’s no doubt about that. Perhaps you and Liam could make a game of it? Maybe a week-long countdown until the day of the trip? And you could have another countdown until his return? Like Christmas, but instead of Santa, it’s Daddy.”

Riley drank sparkling water and lemon. “That’s an excellent suggestion, but how to get my child … all of my children … to express themselves in healthier ways?”

The Queen adjusted her wig before letting out a heavy breath.

“I want them to be well-adjusted and social, not cooped up in palaces and estates with only adults for socialization. Not saying that being exposed to different levels of experience and maturity isn’t good for them, but they also need time with children their own age, doing regular kid things. They need playmates. They need friends! That’s why I want them in a public school. They can’t rule if they can’t relate!”

“There’s that Beaumont child,” Annabelle reminded her.

Riley looked at her friend in shock. “OH NO! HELLLLL NO! That child is half Walker, half Beaumont and ALL creepy!”

Annabelle snickered. “Well, he is a member of the next generation of Court. Perhaps you can start now sowing goodwill.”

Riley rolled her eyes before laying her head back against the cushion. “I’m going to speak with Liam about a therapist for the twins. Everything about their lifestyle is so … unorthodox, or maybe it’s me that’s not used to it. But thinking counseling can help us help them navigate.”

“I think that’s a brilliant idea,” Miss Parsons encouraged.

“Mommy, I finish!” Fric half-hollered.

A smile came easily to his mother’s lips. “Well, let me come see what masterpiece you’ve created!”

She rose, making her way to the kitchen with Annabelle Parsons close behind. Theodore glanced up and returned to his paper, drawing circles in red crayon. Frac raised his head from his drawing, his eyes meeting his mother’s.

“When is Dada coming home?” he asked sadly. “I want my Dada.”

Riley’s eyes locked with Annabelle’s before returning her gaze to her oldest son. “In two days!” she replied brightly. “And you know what? We can make a game out of it. Want to?”

Day 3

Riley was boiling hotdogs and heating canned barbecue beans for the boys’ lunch. Outside, rain fell steadily; she and the Princes had made it back inside just in time.

After breakfast, Riley had taken the boys to the hedge maze so they could run off excess energy and touch some grass. Until the dark clouds had rolled in and completely discombobulated her sons. All three children had a … thing about getting wet outside of a bathtub.

Her preschoolers were in her and Liam’s bedroom (where they had been since Liam’s departure), playing with blocks. Her toddler was hoisted up on her left hip, watching food cook. Both looked up hopefully when they heard the front door open.

It was Drake.

Both went back to watching hotdogs boil.

“THAT’S the greeting I get?” Drake demanded as he crossed the living room and settled at the kitchen island.

Theodore hugged his mother more tightly. “Hi,” he greeted shyly.

“He’s my moody child,” Riley explained as she used a fork to turn the pinkish meat.

“NO HOLES!” the toddler shrieked in her ear.

Drake looked around the otherwise empty room. “Liam not back yet?”

Riley shook her head. “Tomorrow.”

“Where’d he go again?”

“Dada make rain with skinny witches,” Theodore replied.

“Not what he’s doing, where he is,” Riley corrected. She looked over at her company. “Sweden. Conference on immigration and linguistics resources. We’ll hear all about it at the special Council meeting.”

Drake gave his friend a long, hard look. “You really told your KID that?”

Riley pointedly avoided Drake’s accusatory gaze. “I never said that.” A pause. “Around the boys.”

She set Theodore on the floor. “Go tell your brothers lunch soon, okay?”

Her son nodded his head vigorously as he ran down the hallway.

The Queen turned the burners off on the stove, and began draining boiling water down the drain, careful to keep the hotdogs from spilling out.

“I know you think I’m unconventional, but I’m a good mom. Well, as good as I can be given I was only supposed to be the cool aunt … the auntie mommy as they say in America.”

Drake looked at her thoughtfully; a pensive look shadowed her features.

“Hey, Brooks,” he said softly. “I see all mommy. No auntie.”

Surprised relief lit up her face. “Really?”

“Really. Parenting is always a hit or miss, and I guess it has to be. I mean, there isn’t enough training and skills and experience to raise human beings, right? All you can do is better than what you were taught and use the lessons you’ve learned. At the end of the day, good examples and bad examples can achieve the desired results. Although telling children their fathers are a fictional TV character and a Korean actor, neither who has no idea any of you exist may be pushing boundaries. But, I’m just the cool uncle talking.”

Riley smiled gratefully. “Thanks, Drake. That means a lot. And for the record, I don’t tell the children that anyone other than Liam is their father. No one has ever heard me tell them that. Liam … that’s a different story. And I did NOT tell the boys that Liam was making it rain with skinny bitches.”

“BB said it was ‘witches’, and you admitted to saying that.”

“SEMANTICS!”

They both turned at the sound of running footsteps.

“Hot dogs, hot dogs!” Fric chanted.

Frac held his stomach as if in pain. “I’m sooooooo hungry!”

As if all of them hadn’t had plates of apple slices and cheese crackers not an hour ago.

Theodore scrambled into his chair at the dining table. “BEANS!”

“Uncle Drake, did you bring us something?” Frac asked after determining his mother was fixing lunch plates.

Drake’s hand ruffled his godson’s hair. “You gotta share, big guy.”

Frac nodded in agreement. “What is it?”

Drake fished in his jean pocket, pulling out a sizable bag of jellybeans. “Here ya go.”

“Eat lunch with us,” Fric demanded as his mother slid a plate of plain, sliced hotdogs and a spoonful of beans in front of him.

Drake’s eyes met Riley’s; she nodded and smiled.

“Okay, deal!”

“And after lunch, you can play with us!” Fric chimed in.

Drake’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. Brooks’ children tended to not play fairly. He was still healing from the trauma of their last game of hide-and-seek in the hedge maze.

“Play what?”

Riely feigned hurt. “I can’t play?” she whined.

“YES! You know you always play with us, Mommy,” Fric replied as he warily inspected a circular piece of meat.

Homecoming

Riley treaded lightly down the hallway, careful not to wake her children. It was just past 7am, and she both wanted and needed the quiet time to at least get the night’s dinner prepared and in ovens and slow cookers.

Glazed lamb, Chicken Tagine, potatoes au gratin, curried rice, and a vegetable medley. Desserts would be baklava and banana cream pie.

Her husband was coming home today!

She set a bowl of jellybeans and her phone on the kitchen island before rummaging through the refrigerator; the chicken had been marinating overnight, and the lamb had thawed. She placed them both on the kitchen counter, then placed a pod of green tea in the beverage maker.

The machine hissed as it heated water to brew her morning drink. When she heard the door to the quarters open, she didn’t bother looking around. Given the hour, it was Mara.

“Ahem.”

Riley whirled at hearing the familiar baritone.

“LOOOVE!!!” she quietly yelled as she ran to Liam’s waiting arms.

The couple kissed passionately: tongues probing, hands feeling and groping, noses touching. When they finally released the other, both were breathless.

“You’re back early! I was expecting you at dinnertime.”

Liam smiled tenderly as his eyes gazed into hers. “I couldn’t stay away another second.”

He heard the quiet and asked an obvious question. “The children are sleeping?”

Riley nodded. “In our bed.”

“I trust all went well?” he asked as he placed his luggage and bags filled with presents for his family in one of the time-out corners.

His wife was placing a pod of his favorite coffee in the brewer. She nodded.

“You basically know everything. Joelle came over; we were unprepared.”

Liam chuckled. “Where is this portrait she gifted us?

Riley looked over her shoulder and rolled her eyes. “THAT is a drunk date night reveal. It’s the only way it’ll make sense.” She turned back around to grab Liam’s mug.

The King looked over the jellybeans in the bowl and popped one in his mouth.

“And I told you about the boys’ counting prowess, and excitement over the solar system.”

“Krona has a new planetarium opening soon; we should make it a weekend trip for all of us.”

Liam grabbed a handful of the jellybeans this time around; they were delicious, and he was hungry. He hadn’t eaten since dinner the night before.

Riley was blending sugar and sweet Italian cream in their beverages.

“Did you and the boys have fun?” he inquired.

“We need to have a husband/wife, mother/father talk. I’m worried about Frac’s separation anxiety.”

Liam nodded somberly. “I agree. I’ve been thinking about your suggestions; we can discuss now, or this weekend.”

“This weekend will be fine. I won’t have you to myself until then anyway. But we went to the hedge maze, had reading time, and today is facial masks and dance party day!”

“Oh, I came home just in time,” he joked.

“And we played bean butt.”

Liam’s chewing slowed. “What exactly is that?”

Riley slid his mug across the granite countertop; her eyes widened when she saw the candies in her husband’s palm. With her giddiness over Liam’s early return, she forgot to empty the dish's contents in the trash.

She slapped the side of his hand, causing him to spill them.

“DON’T EAT THAT!”

“What’d you do that for?” he demanded angrily, wincing at the stinging on his skin.

“Bean butt? Long story short, I put a whole bag of jellybeans up my ass. One at a time. And then pulled them out."

Liam frowned and looked askance at the bowl. His thoughts tumbled in his brain.

Riley was his wife. His loyal wife.

She was clean. THAT was important.

He had put his tongue in her forbidden places before.

He’d already eaten some!

The King would take the risk. He scooped more.

Riley had her back to him, pulling out breakfast meats and eggs for breakfast.

“Drake played bean butt with us too.”

Liam looked aghast at his palm, and poured his jellybeans back into the bowl as if they were live fire. He then threw the entire bowl in the garbage can.

Welcome home.

Tagging: @jared2612 @marietrinmimi @ao719 @indiacater @kingliam2019 @bebepac @liamxs-world @mom2000aggie @liamrhysstalker2020 @twinkleallnight @umccall71 @superharriet @busywoman @gabesmommie1130 @tessa-liam @beezm @gardeningourmet@lovingchoices14 @mainstreetreader @angelasscribbles @lady-calypso @emkay512 @princessleac1 @charlotteg234 @alj4890 @choicesficwriterscreations

#dcbbw writes #my riam #and the boys #choicesflashfics #writer on tumblr #trh fanfiction

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