Delilah had set an alarm so that they could get up and shower before heading into the house to deal with the insanity that was Jake’s family. They’d only taken a three hour nap, but three hours was better than nothing as far as Jake was concerned. Once they’d showered and gotten dressed, they went into the house to spend a little time with his brothers and sisters. No sooner than they walked into the living room they heard Malachai and Mandy arguing. “You know, Amanda, you enjoy the limelight as much as I do. You’re just too fucking chicken shit to admit it”, Malachai nearly yelled.
“I just wish you would stop running off every time a fan recognizes you so that you can sign autographs. I enjoy the stability financially that your career offers, but I don’t like the glitz and glitter.”
“You’re such a fucking liar, Mandy. Sometimes I wonder if you married me because you love me or because of the fact that we were on the verge of a record deal.”
“Would you two give it the fuck UP already?” Jake asked as he sat down on the love seat. Delilah sat next to him and put her feet in his lap. It was just something they did.
“What crawled up your ass and died, Jacob?” Malachai asked.
“I’m in here to have a family dinner with you jokers after only having gotten three hours of sleep in the last 36 mother fucking hours and I have to come in for said family dinner to hear YOU TWO fucking FIGHTING as always. When are you two going to realize that the only way to be Mom and Dad is to literally BE Mom and Dad? You two look so fucking perfect when you’re on the red carpet together. Mom and Dad are perfect together all the fucking time. You two really need to stop trying to mimic everything that Mom and Dad do because you’re NOT our parents. Be fucking individuals and NOT clones of David and Brie Draiman. Have a relationship based on Malachai and Amanda, not Mom and Dad. Yes, Amanda, much like Dad did with Mom, Malachai LITERALLY saved your life. That’s really the ONLY parallel between the two relationships. Mom and Dad balance and support each other. Mom and Dad know when to joke and play and when shit is supposed to be serious. That’s how they work so fucking well. Mom keeps Dad in check and Dad does the same. Mom doesn’t think I know, but when Delilah first moved out here, I knew she was spying. And Dad told her that I was a grown man and needed my privacy. Mom has been Dad’s strength and inspiration for YEARS! Dad has been the Rock of fucking Gibraltar for Mom for YEARS! How they’ve always been perfect for each other since the beginning, I don’t know. I know that they don’t fight NEARLY as much as the two of you do. If you want to be like Mom and Dad and be perfect, then do your own thing and stop trying to be them!”
Malachai and Amanda stared at him in shock as he leaned back against the back cushions of the love seat and tried to close his eyes for a couple of minutes, his hands covering his face. Delilah reached out and rubbed his arm, then pulled him into her body so that he was laying sideways in her arms. “Calm down baby. It will be ok.” He groaned, but didn’t say another word.
“Wow, Jake. I didn’t know you saw things with your brother and sister in law that way”, David said from near the kitchen door. He looked at Malachai. “Aaron, what have I always said concerning why there isn’t a David Draiman Jr.?”
“’The world only has room for ONE David Michael Draiman and they don’t even know what to do with the one they have.’”
“So, here’s what I’m trying to understand, and have been for the past several years. WHY in the HELL do you and your wife INSIST on trying to be like ME and MINE? Yes, son, you and I have a LOT in common as far as our personalities go, but you and I are really NOTHING alike. Amanda, you and your mother in law are also very similar in personality, but other than that there’s NOTHING in common. Brie hates the lime light and hates to be in it. She goes to the award shows with me because I ask her to. She’d much rather be here at home with the children remaining here. After they all move out and start doing their own thing, she still won’t give a damn about the lime light. She just wants to travel with me. And we’re already planning the first trip we’re going to take. But, Malachai and Amanda, you need to figure out who the two of you are as individuals before you can find your identity as a couple. Stop trying to be your mother and me. You’ll never succeed. Now, where are my grandchildren? It’s time for them to wash up for dinner.”
“They’re upstairs playing video games with the quads”, Jordan said for her older brother and sister in law, who were dumb struck by what her father and twin brother had said.
When David walked off, he stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “By the way, you two, those kids are staying here tonight and for the rest of the week. You two need to take that time to figure out who the fuck you are and what you want out of your marriage. This is NOT to be questioned. As the ‘patriarch’- although I hate that word, I’m just using it to pull rank- I’ve made an executive decision and it stands.”
“What about clothes and shoes for them, Dad?” Malachai asked.
“You mother and I will handle that. I told you not to question it, Malachai Aaron. When have your mother and I NOT taken care of those children when they’re here?”
“Well, never.”
“Exactly.” And with that, the “patriarch” of the Draiman family went up the stairs to find his grandchildren.
Malachai and Mandy looked at Jake. “Why haven’t you said anything before now, Jake?” Malachai asked.
“I have, you just didn’t want to listen until I was just too fucking tired to give a shit about hurting your feelings or not. I’ve gotten maybe three hours of sleep in the last 36 hours. I just don’t give a fuck right now, so I’m going to be a sledgehammer instead of a stiletto with my tact before of the sleep deprivation. I’ve tried to be nice, Malachai, but you just don’t listen to nice. Seeing as it takes being a bastard for you to listen to anything, I guess I’ll just do it that way from now on.”
Delilah just kissed the top of his head as she rubbed his back; not bothering to say a word.
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Malachai and Mandy weren’t the only ones arguing at dinner that night. Jordan and Sammi were at each other’s all night, even as the family ate their dinner. Their mother had made a delightful dinner, but no one’s attention was on the meal, it was on the two young women biting each other’s heads off. “The two of you could at least have the fucking courtesy to do that away from my table”, David said, trying to interrupt the argument.
Sammi didn’t care. Though Jordan tried to respect her parent’s and stop arguing long enough to finish her dinner, Sammi decided to push on David Draiman’s final nerve. “Just because you’re a rock star, Jordan, doesn’t mean you get to be a fucking whore and fuck whomever you chose. We’re supposed to be committed to each other, but you just go and screw whatever and whomever you want. It’s disgusting. You’re disgusting, Jordan. Nasty ass whore.”
David slammed his fork on the table and began to rant in Hebrew. All of the Draiman children set their forks down and just looked at their father. They all knew that when David Draiman was speaking in Hebrew, he was either trying to get someone’s attention or he was fed up. Brie had even set her fork down and listened to what her husband had to say. When his rant was finished, Brie nodded. “I would have to agree”, she said then turned her attention to Sammi. “Samantha, seeing as you refuse to respect our wishes and not continue this at our table, you can leave. We don’t argue at the dinner table, and certainly don’t speak like you were speaking at meal time.”
“You will NOT call my daughter a whore at my table, Samantha. You can leave my house if you’re going to act like you have no manners whatsoever. And if you don’t go willingly, I’m sure my wife would have no problem escorting you out”, David said. His voice had dropped down into a low and dangerous tone. He was on the verge of losing his temper himself.
Sammi didn’t want to see what would happen should David Draiman lose his temper. She quietly stood and left the table. Jordan, having had as much as she could take as well, yelled after her. “You can get your shit out of my house too. I want you out before I get back. Go back to that shit hole I found you in for all I care, I just want you gone.” She then turned to her parents. “Mama, Daddy, I’m really sorry about that. I tried to get her to wait until we got back to the house to have this discussion, but she wanted to put our business out there in front of the family so that she could embarrass me.”
“You’re not the one that owes us an apology, Jordan Hannah. You tried to put a stop to the argument so that we can eat in peace. Your now ex- girlfriend didn’t have the same courtesy or respect. I’m not upset with you, Jordan. I’m disgusted with Samantha’s behavior”, David said as he resumed eating his meal.
“I’m still really sorry, Daddy. That shouldn’t have happened.”
“Jordan, baby, stop apologizing to your father and I”, Brie stepped in. “You have nothing to be forgiven for. When your father said something, you tried to stop, then Samantha took it one step too far by calling you a whore at our table. That will not be tolerated, period. Not out of her, not out of any of your siblings’ significant others. You will respect our table or you can leave. It’s that simple”, Brie added when she took a drink of her wine. It was a rare occasion that Brie drank, but when she did, she wanted to enjoy it. For dinner, David had picked a nice Merlot from the wine cellar and she had always been a sucker for a good Merlot. And now that the arguing was over, she could actually savor the bitter sweetness.
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After his brothers and sisters left, Jake’s nephews climbed all over him for a few moments before he could go out and go back to sleep. “Isaiah, Eli, Uncle Jake is really tired”, Delilah told the excited little boys. “I need to take him back out to our little house so he can get some more sleep. You can play with him tomorrow morning after we come in for breakfast.”
“But, Aunt Lilah!” the boys whined.
“Isaiah David and Elijah Aaron, get off of me NOW!”, Jake barked at his nephews. “I need to sleep and rest up before I have the energy to chase you two around. I don’t have it right now. Remember, Uncle Jake is OLD. See if Grampa will play with you.” His tone had changed as he spoke to his nephews.
“But, we don’t wanna play with Grampa”, Isaiah said.
“We wanna play with YOU, Uncle Jake.”
“And I can’t hold my eyes open long enough to play with you, boys. I’m tired from working for a day and a half straight.”
He boys sighed. “That sucks.” They walked off. “GRAMPA!!! WE’RE BORED!!!”
“You boys wanna go down to the game room and play air hockey with Grampa?” David asked the children with a smile.
They jumped up and down. “Yeah! Air Hockey!” David laughed and lead the boys down to basement game room.
“Thanks Dad!” Jake called.
“No problem, Jacob. Go get some sleep.”
Jake looked at his wife. “Let’s go back to bed. I’m exhausted already.”
Delilah smiled. “Come on, handsome. Let’s go get some sleep.” She held a hand. Once he was standing he took it and went with his wife out the their little house.
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He had the same dream that drove him to call the green eyes beauty by his side that night. The little green eyed baby girl with curly brown hair. This time, he heard a name when he spoke as he held the tiny child to his chest. Miri, my little Miri. But, where did the name come from? He’d always wanted to name a daughter after the grandmothers he never knew. It was a way to honor two strong women for raising the two strongest people he’s ever known. His parents amazed him every time he turned around. Their mothers must have been amazing women themselves. It would be a great way to honor them. If only I knew their names. I can’t believe I don’t know my grandmother’s names. They’ve always been addressed as Grandma Draiman and Grandma Cartwright. I think I’ll wait until we know for sure, then run the idea by Lilah. If she’s ok with it, then I’ll talk to my parents about it. But, she’s my little Miri. Which of my parents had a mother whose name could be shortened like that? He was just going to have to wait to find out, but not very long.
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