He laid in the hotel bed with his laptop resting on his stomach. After dreaming of his grandfather and the revelations that he’s just been made privy too, he was not going to be able to sleep. The moment he closed his eyes he knew that his Uncle Matt would pay him a visit; or that spirit of the Uncle he never knew existed would surface and he’d wake up in a cold sweat again. For some reason, he was starting to understand what Scrooge went through in “A Christmas Carol”. “Three ghosts, one night; not if I have anything to say about it”, he mumbled under his breath as he surfed the internet.
When his phone buzzed on the night stand he knew exactly who was calling him. “Yeah, Dad?” he said quietly when he answered the phone.
“Not surprised you’re up, Jake. Did you have a visitor from the next life too?” David asked his son.
“What do you mean, ‘TOO’?”
“You’re mother dreamed of your Grandfather Cartwright tonight about fifteen minutes ago.”
“Really? That’s about how long I’ve been up. I had a dream about him too.”
“How did you know it was him?” Brie asked.
“Uncle Matt took after Granddad a lot, didn’t he?”
She laughed softly. “Yeah, he did. He really did.”
“I saw an older man that looked a lot like Uncle Matt with salt- n- pepper hair standing in the middle of a field of four leaf clover as it started to pour rain.”
“Was there a little hut or cottage in the distance?”
“Yeah, how did you know?”
“I dreamed him in the hut listening to that song that I sang a little bit of the night before you and Delilah left.”
“Nice. Was the property sea- side?”
“Yeah, the smell of salt water was heavy.”
He chuckled quietly. “Ok, so, I’m not crazy. That’s comforting.”
“What did your Granddad tell you, son?” David asked.
“That he wants me to name my son after the son he lost to illness and your brother, citing that you’re bother good men and that it would be fitting.”
It was David’s turn to chuckle. “I can’t wait to tell Ben that one.”
“What? That he’s managed to impress your father in law who’s beyond the grave?” Jake laughed.
“Something like that, yeah. I know you two are dead serious about what you saw, but Ben will get a chuckle out of that.”
“He would, huh?” Jake and his mother said in unison.
“You two are scary when you do that”, David sighed.
“Sorry, Dad”, Jake laughed, then sighed. “I was going to wait until morning to call and tell you guys about my dream. I didn’t want to wake you. Who knew Mom and I would dream of the same man at the same time on the same night?”
---------------
While they awaited their breakfast the next morning, Jake recounted the night events to his wife; from the dream to the phone call. She sat and nursed a glass of Sprite as she listened. “That’s pretty crazy, baby. You and Mom dreamed about her father at the same time. That’s pretty scary.”
“No kidding. So, I have a question for you, beautiful. Would you object to naming our son Ira Benjamin?”
“Not at all. I really like that name.”
He smiled and took her hands in his from across the table. “What did I do to deserve you?”
She laughed. “You’re a good man, Jacob Draiman. You deserve to have a good woman by your side.”
“And I have one.” He picked up both hands from the top of the table and pressed his lips to the back of her hand. “Delilah, have I told you recently that I absolutely love you?”
“Yes, only every day, several time a day. Now, Jacob, have to told you that I have a surprise for you?”
He laughed. “No, but I’m sure you’re going to say it.”
“I’m pregnant again. Those dreams of yours are scary accurate.”
His smile got bigger. “We’re going to have another baby?”
“Yeah, but you already knew that.”
“I may have, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m elated. Another baby so soon after Miri… I mean that’s the greatest news ever if you ask me.”
“When we get home, what are we going to tell your family?”
“That we’re having another baby. I mean, what else am I supposed to tell them?”
“Not about the baby, Jakey, about the fact that the only people we have souvenirs for are Mom and Dad?”
“I’m not Dr. Moneybags so I got Mom and Dad souvenirs because they paid for the biggest part of the trip?”
She laughed. “Sounds good to me. I just wanted to make sure that you had something to tell your siblings when they see you hand Dad a huge German stein and a bottle of Irish whiskey and Mom a Gold and Emerald necklace and that charm bracelet from Paris.”
“Oh, I have something to tell my brothers and sisters. Mom and Dad- more specifically Dad- paid for this trip. We wanted to get them something nice. Dad will like the whiskey, I’m sure and I’m also sure that he’ll display the stein with pride and I KNOW Mom will love the necklace and bracelet. I know she won’t be able to wear it a lot once she goes back to giving massages but she’ll still love it. That bracelet was a good catch on your part. You’ve got a really good eye.”
“I’ve noticed that Mom’s taste in jewelry is a lot like mine. She doesn’t like things that are flashy. Her ring, though she calls it a monster, is actually very understated. It’s simple.”
“She has a HUGE platinum and diamond necklace Dad bought for her after she’d worn it to an award show she’d accompanied him too. She loves that damn thing and the earrings that go with it.”
“How often does she wear it?”
“Only once in a blue moon. Award shows or dates.”
“How often do Mom and Dad go on dates anymore?”
“Not very… they never really did. I think they’re saving all that for when Mom retires. They plan on doing a lot of travelling after she retires.”
“I’ve heard them talk about going to Israel.”
“Mom’s excited about that, if you haven’t noticed.”
“Oh, I have. One of these days, we should go to Israel too.”
“Eventually, we will.”
---------------
David sat and bounced his granddaughter in his knee as he waited for his wife to come down the stairs so that the three of them could go pick up the little girl’s parents. “Mama and Daddy are coming home, Miri, and Mama’s got a surprise for everyone. You’re going to have a baby brother later this year”, he said to the baby girl. She giggled and cooed. She’s too damn cute, he thought. He looked into her fascinating eyes. “You’re going to be the best big sister, aren’t you, Miss Miriam?”
His phone started going off in his pocket. It was a Reckless Disregard song that Brie had made him download so that he could tell which of his children was calling him. Sad thing was that he’d made it the ringtone for ALL of his children. He shifted Miri to one side and pulled his phone out. “Speak to me”, he said.
“Dad, we’re at our layover in Tulsa, OK changing planes. We’ll be taking off from here in fifteen minutes and the flight will be about two hours long”, Jake said over the phone.
“Are you worried that we won’t be there, Jacob?”
“Well, no, not really. Just wanted to update you so that you knew where we are. And PLEASE tell me you’re bringing our daughter.”
“That’s the plan, Jacob. I know that after a month away, you want to see and hold you little girl and so you will, Jake. Just take a deep breath and get your head on straight. Get on your next flight and get your ass home. I’m just waiting on your mother to finish getting ready and we’re leaving.”
“Is it just going to be you, Mom, and Miri?”
“Yes, Jacob. Just your mother, Miriam, and myself.”
He let out a sigh of relief. “Good. I don’t want to have to deal with the questions of why we didn’t get everyone a souvenir.”
“Just say you didn’t feel like it. Now, don’t worry so much, Jake. We’ll be there to pick you up.”
“Ok, Dad. We’re boarding the plane now. We’ll see you at the airport.”
“That you will.”
---------------
Brie came jogging down the stairs with a smile on her face. “I’m ready to go.” Her khakis hugged her body just right and she wore boots and a teal blue sweater. She looked amazing.
David’s heart stopped for a few moments as he tried to put Miri’s coat on her. He had to swallow his pulse. “Why do you do that to me?” he asked when he could speak again.
“Do what?”
“You go up looking beautiful but come down looking like you’re about to burn the damn house down.”
“Are you saying I’m smokin’?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact.”
She grabbed her leather jacket out of the coat closet. “Give me Miri, get your coat on, grab your wallet and the keys and let’s go, baby.” After she’s slipped her coat on, she took Miri from him and finished putting her coat on her. “There’s a reason I dressed somewhat nicely, David.”
“And what might that be?”
“I want to spend a little time alone with you away from our kids and grandkids.”
“We could always to two vehicles and let Jake and Delilah bring the one home while we stay in Denver. There’s a nice steak house not far from the hospital Jake works at that I’ve wanted to take you to for a while.”
“Sounds good. I know his phone’s probably off, but I’ll send him a text that when we meet him at the airport, we’re staying in Denver. Now, are we staying overnight?”
He laughed. “You could pack us a bag real quick.”
She handed the baby back to him and ran up the stairs. He stood watching her ass shake as she went. “Miri, I know you’re too young to understand this, but one of these days, you’re going to do to a man what Gramma does to me. If you learn nothing but one thing from your Gramma, learn that you should enjoy the affect you have on a man. You women can have such a strong affect on a man that we’ll do anything for you; and I do mean ANYTHING. Just ask your Gramma one of these days the affect she has on me. She’ll tell you that she has me wrapped around her finger and she does.” He gave the little girl a kiss on the cheek and waited for his wife to come back down the stairs so they could go pick up the baby’s parents.
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