Rags to Riches. Really? (1st book of Really? Series)

Chapter 8

Ramont stood when we walked into the house, relief filling his eyes. "You are alive," he said, and she nodded. He walked over to her and placed the blanket he had around him over her shoulders.

I watched as he guided her over to the sofa and made sure that she was "comfortable" before standing behind her. I bit back a sigh and walked more into the room, and my siblings looked at me. "Did she ever come down?" I asked, looking at the third oldest.

My eight-year-old sister, River, shook her head. "No, she didn't," she said. She looked behind me and frowned when she didn't see Georgie and Tony. "Where are Georgie and Tony? Don't tell me that you left them out in the snow," she asked, looking back at me.

I scowled at her and moved a hand through her hair when I walked by, and she groaned and moved her hand back through her hair. "If I wanted to be rude, then I would have left them," I said. "However, I am sure that Tony had something planned and would have known that I wouldn't take whatever he coughed up if I was out there."

"But if Georgie was the one that brings in whatever Tony has..." River said, catching on to what I said. She had an excited smile on her face, and I scowled.

"Then, there is a chance that I will not be locked outside," Tony said, coming into the house with Georgie. He held a box of stuff and Georgie had another one. "Mom was cleaning and sewing stuff again," he said, catching the scowl that I had sent his way.

Excitement filled the room and the kids moved over to Tony while I made my way to the fire.

I poured some hot chocolate into a mug for my... grandmother, knowing full well that she would need it. "Here," I said, handing it to her. "This should help warm you up some."

A look of disgust flashed on her face before she cleared her throat. "Um... thank you," she said, taking the mug from me. "May I ask what is it?"

"Hot chocolate," River said. She handed a fluffy blanket to Ramont. "It is good." She shrugged her shoulder and handed over some gloves and thick socks to both of them. "You should put those on. It is cold."

"And, why is it so cold?" my grandmother asked, raising an eyebrow. "Why don't you turn on the heater?"

"Power is turned off," I replied. "Fire and the generator are the only sources of heat."

"And, Tony brought some flashlights," River said. "And batteries."

I nodded my head. "Can you get the stuff unpacked for me, please?" I asked, looking at my sister.

River nodded her head and walked towards Tony and the rest of the kids.

My "grandmother" leaned back on the couch and cleared her throat. "So, why is the power off?" she asked, gesturing for me to sit down beside her. "Doesn't your mother pay the bills?"

I shook my head no. "She doesn't do anything," I said. "Except for drinking beers and stuff."

"Does she go out?"

I shook my head no. "Not unless she gets a call from a man named Navonod. However, he hasn't called in... two or three years." I furrowed my brows, trying to figure out how old the youngest was. "Jenny, how old are you again?" I asked, watching as she skipped over to me.

"Four," she replied, hopping into my lap. "You are wet," she said, hopping off of me. "You should get changed into some other clothes." She hopped back into my lap, and I could tell that she didn't care.

I bit back a grumble and moved a hand through her hair. "Ya, whatever," I said. "But, ya, when a man named Navonod called her, that was the only time that she left."

The queen frowned and took a sip of her hot cocoa. "I think that she was meeting your father," she said, looking at me. "His name was actually Donovan."

"Who's name was Donovan?" Georgie asked, walking over to us. He sat down on the pillows with the rest of the motley crew.

"Your father's name," she replied, looking at him. "What are your names?" she asked.

"This is Jenny. She is the youngest," I said. I pointed to Georgie. "That is Georgie. You have met him. Next to him is River, and then it is Micah and Eliza."

They waved when I pointed them out, and she nodded as if to say, "hello."

"Are you really our grandmother?" River asked, narrowing her eyes at her. "If so, why are you here now?"

"Yes, I am," she replied. "And, your sister is the rightful heir to the throne," she added. "I am wanting to retire soon."

I bit my lip and fiddled with Jenny's hair, looking down at her.

"That doesn't mean why you came now and not earlier," Micah said. "I mean, you could've saved Mira a lot of stress." He caught my warning look and clamped up.

"What are you stressed about?" she asked, looking at me.

"Bills, keeping this family together, and school," I said. "And now, I am being told that I am supposed to be this Princess and running a country."

She nodded her head, and I could see a bit of guilt flash before her eyes. "I only knew about you," she said, looking at me. "Your father had told me that he had met a woman and had impregnated her."

"And married and divorced her?" I asked, and she nodded. "Then, why did he keep coming back to her?"

She cleared her throat and took a sip of her drink. "Well, I assume because he loved her," she replied.

"And, you didn't like it," I said. My whole body grew tense, and I knew that I had to choose my words carefully. "Is... there a reason for it?"

"Well, he was betrothed to someone else," my grandmother. She noticed us growing tense and sighed, taking another sip of the drink. She pursed her lips, and I could tell that it was cold.

"Here, I can take that," River said, standing. She held her hand out for the cup, and my grandmother smiled and handed it over. "I am going to get this washed. There is other stuff that needs to be washed too. Jenny, can you help?"

"Ok," Jenny exclaimed, hopping off of my lap. She grabbed Eliza's hand. "Come on; we can make some snow cones too."

"Wha- ah-" my grandmother said, perplexed. She watched as the kids got up. "Where are you going?"

"Garage," Micah said. "We have to do the washing there because we have no running water."

"And why not?"

"Bills and no money," Tony said. He stuffed some bread into his mouth. "What?" he asked, catching my look. "I was hungry and enjoying the show."

I frowned and widened my eyes, giving him a look that said, "leave."

"I beg your pardon?" my grandmother asked, perplexed.

He groaned and got up. "Fine, I will go help. I am sure that Georgie needs help with doing a fire.

"Hey," Georgie groaned. "It was just one time."

And everyone left except for me, Ramont, and my grandmother.