Like the thread of destiny you can't escape your fate

There was no fiber in her body that would let Matthew get close to Mila, even if he got his act together or wanted to convince her he had changed. Irina had seen too much to ever want Mila to go through that, but she also knew when she got old enough - Irina wouldn't be able to make that choice for her. "Yeah,"  she took a deeper breath in and exhaled a bit more deeply. It was never easy to suddenly play god and always have to know what was right and wrong for someone. There was always this one person who would seem you fit to know everything, even when you didn't. She turned her head back to Evelina when she told that her ex had cheated on her, more than once. It made her shake her head, she had never understood people who couldn't provide loyalty. Like, if you weren't interested anymore, leave instead of playing games. It wasn't hard convincing a mother that they were a bad mother, it was the easiest thing because they already doubted if everything they did was good enough. But someone who was supposed to have your back and help you, giving you shit about how you were a mom? That wasn't alright, far from. "That is terrible," she confessed on her next exhale, "but you are a great mom, never doubt that." Irina took a deeper breath in, it felt good getting all this off her chest. "If you ever doubt it, just look at them and you can tell they are absolutely wonderful - all because of you." It could sound cheesy, but it was nothing more than the truth. And from someone who overthought everything all the time, she knew it was hard not to doubt yourself or be self critical when something went wrong. "We should do this more often," she chuckled a bit and smiled at Evelina.

Irina hadn't been in the zoo here in Athena, so she had no idea what to expect. Finally they got out of the car and the children thrilled to get explore something new. Mila had always loved the outdoors, being in nature and around animals. One of the reasons Irina had thought about moving out of Sophia to the country side, Bulgaria did after all have some beautiful views. Build her own home, her own life - which gave her an idea, but the children screaming of joy got her attention. The kids ran to the entrance in excitement. Stopping up and turning around looking at their mothers almost not able to wait. Irina got her wallet out and walked to the entrance to pay and then walked into the park. "So what should we see first?" Irina folded out a map of the park and gave it to Mila as she pulled her hand out to get it. Mila then spun around to Theobald so they could figure out what to see first. "Those two are going to get into so much trouble together when they get older," she chuckled a bit and while speaking to Evelina. Oh, she could imagine them making the streets unsafe, ultimative partners in crime. "Give me a second, I just want to call Nigel and tell him we are here," she placed a hand on Evelina's arm and took a few steps back and pulled her phone up from her back pocket and dialed his number, "hey, no everything is fine. We met Evelina on the way - we made a trip to the zoo.. believe it or not, but I reckon me and Mila can bring some dinner with us home, sounds good?" She took a deeper breath in, folding her lips and massaged her forehead when she realized she had used the word home instead of just saying on their way back. She removed her hand from her forehead and moved her hand closer to her chin, and softly bit her thumb as she waited for a response, feeling her heart flutter a little bit.

How it was impossible to smile so much by the sound of someone's voice always caught her off guard. Home, ey? she rolled her eyes and shook her head still having that stupid big smile on her face. Irina listened to him and took a deeper breath in, he was right, she did deserve just a moment of normal and she would take it. Text me when you are about to drive home, she felt breathless for a second, seeing she wasn't the only one using home, she liked it, feeling the slight blush in her cheeks. "Yeah, that sounds good." She confirmed and folded her lips together in a soft chuckle. "You know, Mila made me promise to invite you next time we go," she added as she ran a hand over her hair, shortly looking over at Evelina and the kids getting a wagon and smiled. Her heart skipped a few beats ahead, "but yeah. I will text you when we are on our way." Mila came running towards her mother. "Is that Nigel, can I say hello?" Irina chuckled a bit. "You have someone who wants to say hello," she couldn't help but laugh a little bit and handed Mila the phone, "you will not believe it, they have black bears here - it's perfectly splendid," she told totally forgetting that she just wanted to say hello. "I already told mama that you need to come and see them next time, and they might be really scary," Irina looked up at Evelina for a second and tried to hold back her laughter just a little bit. "Mila, I'm sure Nigel has other things to do, and Theo is waiting for you," Mila looked up at her mother and then at the phone in her hands. Weighing her options. "Mama says it's time to go, bye." Mila handed the phone back to her mother before crawling up in the wagon to Theobald. Irina took the phone. "I'm sure you will get the full story when we get home, see you soon." After finishing the phonecall, she placed the phone back in her pocket.

"Who is ready?" It wasn't even a question that needed to be answered the children almost screamed in excitement. And Irina grabbed the hold of the wagon willing to take the first walk around. "So the black bears first huh?" She turned her head back and asked the kids. "And you need to take pictures of them mama," Irina chuckled a bit and nodded. "I will."

Irina looked at Evelina shortly, it was only the comment that made her cheeks blush up and looked away for a second. She shook her head a little bit trying to get the grin to fade a little bit from her lips, but it was almost impossible to smile like that after. Irina placed her attention shortly at Cayden who would rather read in his book. Irina kept walking with the wagon and looked around, having the map in the other hand, so the was sure they walked to the right spot. The park was huge and so many people, almost overwhelmed by impressions of just different species, yet she focused on the task ahead - getting to the black bears. "So, Cayden, what about you choose what you want to see after the black bears?" Irina suggested and looking back at Cayden shortly with a comforting smile. Then she turned her eyes back to the road ahead to avoid walking into strangers. The weather was even good, they had picked the perfect day for an impulsive trip to the zoo. Her heart still singing feeling to warm in her chest, she almost couldn't wait to get home as well - which was new. She had never longed this much to get home to someone before.

Irina turned around the corner looking around, the nature was marvelous out here, taken out from some great story book, which made her wonder if there was supernatural creatures in here as well - were unicorns a real thing? "They should be right here," she stopped the wagon and looked up from the map. Mila crawled out the wagon and started running as close as she could, but the fence made of wood to make the whole setting more realistic, made it almost impossible for the short little girl to look, even as she was standing on her tiptoes. "Mama I can't see," she looked back at her mother with the most sad expression on her face. The days where this was the only thing that seemed like catastrophic in life, not being able to look over a fence. It was a long time since the werewolf's struggles had been that small. Irina chuckled a bit, "just hold on for a second dove," she walked closer after letting go of the wagon, so Theo could get out if he wanted. Then she walked over and picked Mila up, lifting her over her head so the young girl could sit on Irina's slim shoulders. Being a werewolf did have its perks, one of them were the strength. "   Theo, you have to see this. Doesn't they just look scary mama?" she made her best scared face, even if it wasn't really a scared face. "Do you think they are scary too?" Mila looked down at Evelina shortly with her big green eyes.

Irina looked shortly at Evelina as she placed Theo on her shoulders as well, also giving Mila and Theo a chance for a quick highfive. "This is so cool," expressed the little girl excited almost moving out of control, luckily Irina had a tight grip on her daughter. It was always like this when you had a child full of chaotic energy. Mila's eyes back on the big bears that walked around on the field. "Толкова са красиви.Това е страхотно." (They are so beautiful. This is so awesome.) Mila laughed out and normally Irina would have corrected her and reminded her daughter it was best they spoke in English while they were here, then again, Mila was so excited that right now she let her. "What do you say Cayden, aren't they pretty cool?" Irina asked Cayden looking over her shoulder shortly, wanting to make sure he enjoyed the experience as much. As they had watched the bears for a while, it was also time to move on to the next animals on the list. Luckily for Cayden, there was a snake den just close by. "Ready for some snakes?" Irina asked while lifting Mila down, who just clapped her hands. "Where Mama?" Mila looked around her and her body followed her head around, almost making the little girl dizzy if it hadn't been for Irina sitting down next to her and point in the direction of the smaller building. "We go through that door, and inside the snakes are, but don't worry, they are behind glass - but I'm sure Cayden will tell us everything he knows about them, I've heard he knows some very cool things he can share with us," Irina told Mila who looked exited at Cayden.  "Then lets go. Lets go," Mila grabbed her mother's hand and started dragging her mother towards the building, and it was a good thing Irina was so light on her feet.

As they made it to the door, she held it open for the others, while Mila almost stormed in and made it to the first glass. She placed both hands on the glass, standing so close to the glass that the tip of her nose touched the glass. "Mama, come and see! Theo -" she yelled after them to come and see one of the snakes. Irina took out her phone and snapped a few pictures, she wanted a few pictures, she had only just gotten her phone few weeks ago. Seeing it was much easier for people here coming into contact with her if she had an actual phone. Especially with Mila having started at the school in Aston.