Upon unlocking her door with Will and Isaiah at back, Miranda got settled in after Will cleared the rooms. If Miranda didn't trust the little bastard that she had just broken up with, then Will wasn't taking any chances. Not after what Miranda had told him on their flight out. "You two settle in and I'll set up so I can keep watch."
"Why do you have to keep watch?" Isaiah asked as he dropped his things in the spare room of the loft.
"Until he comes and gets his things and the show is over, I have to protect Miranda. That's what your father asked of me and that's what I'm going to do."
Any other questions?"
"Yeah, if Miranda okay's it, would you object to me bringing my girlfriend over?"
"If it's not objectionable to your sister, then no I don't mind. I do need her name, however."
“Chelsea Goodwin.”
“Clear it with your sister and I’m ok with it.”
Isaiah nodded and walked down the hall to his sister’s room. She was putting all of the things that Zack kept at her place in a box. He knocked on the door frame. “Hey sis. You need some help?”
She looked over her shoulder. “If you want to.” She started loading all of the loser’s clothes into the box from her closet.
Isaiah took them from the bed and started taking them off of the hangers one by one. “You glad to be getting rid of the moron?”
“I can’t believe I didn’t see it to begin with, to be honest bro. He’s an ass. I can’t wait until his shit’s out of my apartment.”
“I bet. I couldn’t stand that guy.”
“Eli wanted to beat his face in.”
“So did I.”
“I could tell.” She sighed. “So, did you want to ask me something? I heard you talking to Wills out there.”
“Yeah. Would you be ok with Chelsea coming over and staying with me as long as I’m here?”
Miranda shook her head. “Just because I’m sleeping alone doesn’t mean you have to. I’d love to meet her anyway.”
“She went to school with us.”
“Oh, that Chelsea? Chelsea Goodwin? Big boobs, bubble ass, and legs that don’t stop? That Chelsea?”
“Yes Miranda. That Chelsea.”
“Hell yeah you can have her over while you stay here. I love that bitch! Shit, I might just steal her from you.” She couldn’t help but laugh.
“You can try.”
“Bet I’ll succeed if I do.”
“That’s where you’re mistaken, sister of mine. She can’t get enough of all of this Draiman goodness.” He pointed to himself with all of his fingers and traced the hand down his slender body.
“Please. You’re nothing special, hermano. You just wish you were.”
---------------
“Everything is secure, Malachai. I know what I’m doing. My father trained me well”, Will told the anxious father over the phone.
“That’s my first baby girl, Will. You had better be sure.”
“Who is my father, Malachai?”
Malachai chuckled. “Morbus.”
“Who trained him?”
“My Uncle Matt.”
“Exactly. He trained us the same way that Matt trained him. You need to relax.”
“I can’t, man. You know that. I worry about my kids no matter how old they are.”
“Well, the two I’m here with aren’t much younger than me and I’m the youngest in my family. You freaking out over these kids is going to achieve what? Nothing. You letting me do what you asked me to do is going to keep them safe. Let me do what you asked of me.”
Malachai sighed. “Ok. I’ll back off, but please keep me updated.”
“Did my father ever disappoint yours with the details?”
“Touché, my brother. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Gotcha. Bye.” Will hung up his phone and stuck it in his pocket as he shook his head.
“Hey Will, you hungry?”
“A little. What did you have in mind?” Miranda asked as she set the box next to the door.
“I don’t cook much. I rarely have the time. Isaiah and I were just gonna get take out and have it delivered.”
“Anything in particular?”
“There’s this little pizza shop that makes the best calzone.”
“Calzone? Sure. Sounds good. You got chips to go with it?”
“I can order them.”
“Meat calzone with sour cream and onion chips?”
“What do you want to drink?”
“Just a coke.”
“Ok… I’ll get Isaiah’s order and make the call. We can sit around the loft and eat calzone and watch shitty movies. Sound like a plan?’
“Sure does. Looking forward to shitty movies. My wife’s a pain about movies.”
“Does your wife know what you do?”
“Alexa? Oh yeah, and she knows that the Draiman family is s huge part of my life. If she doesn’t like it, then she can get over it. She’s kinda stuck with me.”
“Any kids yet?”
“Expecting one soon. Little girl.”
“You hoping to be there when she’s born?”
“It all depends on your Dad and the rest of the band and when they decide to go back on the road. I hear they’re going to go into the studio for a couple of weeks. Don’t tell your Grampa, but rumor has it that it’s going to be a big Disturbed tribute album.”
“Ooh, that sounds like it’s going to be awesome. What song is Reckless Disregard going to do? Do you know?”
“I hear it will either be ‘Remember’ or ‘I’m Alive’. But, there is a huge library of music they could do. I know that Wrought Iron is going to do that song your Grampa did for your Gramma on that first album after the Occupation.”
“Oh no. Grampa’s not going to be a happy camper about that one unless Ryan does it perfectly. Grampa will flip if it’s fucked up.”
“Oh, I know. Your Aunt’s been telling him that it’s a bad idea.”
“I hope he knows what he’s doing, that’s all I have to say. He had better know what the hell he’s doing and not try to make that a Wrought Iron song. It’s a Disturbed song and always will be.”
“Oh, I know. And if your Grampa’s dead when the tribute is released, he will turn over in his grave and haunt whomever ruins that song.”
Miranda laughed. “Him and Gramma both. I can just see Dad laughing his ass off and saying, ‘Ryan things Mom and Dad are haunting him. That’s what he gets for not doing Mom’s song right’. Now, let me go get Isaiah’s order and we’ll chill and watch these terrible movies I have here.”
“Sounds like a plan. I’ll be right here.” Miranda walked away and left Will to his thoughts. He was excited to be able to see the Big Apple. He was going to be here with Miranda until after the play was done showing. After that he was going home to his pregnant wife. He couldn’t wait to meet his little girl. Alana was going to be such a beautiful baby. He hoped that his surrogate grandparents- David and Brie Draiman- lived long enough for to see his little girl. Lord only knew when they were going to be called home. He just hoped that they would get to see his baby girl first.
---------------
Once the food arrived and they were all comfortable in front of a boring movie, Will shared with Isaiah what he'd told Miranda. "That's a really bad idea", Isaiah said. "I'm disappointed in Ryan. He knows Grampa and Gramma's feelings about that song. If he screws that song up he's gonna hear it from both of them, and Dad and Aunt Jordan. He may as well hang up his career after Grampa gets ahold of that ass. And it will be a sight to see too."
"What? You think it will be funny to watch your 84 year old grandfather go off on a 36 year old kid who's been dying to sink his musical teeth into that song his entire life?" Will laughed.
"If I'm there when Grampa goes off on him I'll laugh my ass off."
"That will only happen if he ruins the song", Miranda said as she picked at her calzone.
Isaiah looked at his twin. "You feeling ok, sis?" he asked
"I'm feeling a little weird. I'll be fine. It's ok. I'll eat every bite before bed."
"Ok. I'm just looking out for you sis."
"I know Isaiah. I'll take care of myself. No worries."
They lapsed into silence and watched to B movie. It was the same shitty plot that most B movies had and poor acting to boot. As the movie reached the critical point where things were coming to a head and people had to make hard decisions, there was a knock on the door. Miranda paused the movie as Will jumped to his feet and moved for the door with a hand behind his back. "Who's there?" he called.
"Chelsea", a female voice called from outside the door.
Isaiah went for the door and checked the peep hole, giving Will a nod. "It's her." He opened the door. "Hey baby", he said as he opened the door.
She smiled. "Hey sexy. How was the family time?"
"Good for the most part. My sister's tool of a boyfriend showed his ass at our Uncle's house but that was about it. Care to join us for bad B movies and nasty take out?”
“Sounds like fun!” she laughed.
Isaiah stepped out of the way to let her into the loft. “Baby, I want you to meet Will. He’s my Dad’s bodyguard. Will, this is Chelsea. And you know my sister, right Chels?”
Chelsea smiled and nodded at Will in greeting then looked at Miranda. “Miranda? GIRL!”
“Hey girly! What have you been up to?”
“The Marriage of Figaro. What about you?”
“RENT.”
“Made Broadway, huh?”
“Yep. Gonna see where it takes me.”
“I like it. I love the Opera. You know me.”
“Yeah. Well, come on in. Make yourself at home. If you want some calzone, you can have mine. I’ve kinda lost my appetite.”
“I don’t want to impose, Miranda.”
“Don’t worry, Chelsea. You’re not imposing.”
“Ok. Well, I’ll just drop my bag in whatever room Isaiah’s staying in and I’ll join you in here for the movie in a moment.” Isaiah showed her where they would be sleeping and they rejoined the movie. Once everyone was comfortable, Miranda passed her calzone over to Chelsea and curled up with a blanket in her favorite chair. She must have been coming down with something because she wasn’t feeling all that great. Once rehearsals started, everything would be fine. She’d be back in the swing of her normal life and everything would be gravy. She just knew it.
---------------
It was the middle of the night and Will heard someone messing around outside the door. He was immediately up and had his pistol out. He crept quietly over as he heard the person outside cursing fervently under their breath. “Bitch had the locks changed. Fucking whore”, he heard. Will steeled himself to confront the person, quietly unlocked the door and swung it open after grabbing a flashlight. “WHAT THE FUCK?!” the person yelled.
“Who are you and what are you doing here?” Will asked in a harsh voice.
“I’m the bitch’s ex and I want my shit”, the man said. By his voice, Will could tell he was intoxicated.
“So you came over in the middle of the night and decided that you were just going to come in on your own and get it? You’re stupid. You do realize you just almost died, right?”
“That gun in my face would tell me as much.”
Will walked wide- keeping the gun trained on the moron at the door- and kicked the box that was sitting next to it into the doorframe. “Here’s all your shit if you’re Zack. If you show up here again, you will be shot. You have been warned. Take your things and leave.”
The man leaned over and picked up the box. “Tell the bitch I’ll see her at rehearsal.”
“Leave. I’m not telling you again.”
The guy walked away, heading down the hall to the elevator that would take him to the bottom floor. Will shut and locked the door then went back and laid down on the futon. He couldn’t believe that moron would actually show up at Miranda’s front door drunk and think that he was going to just waltz into her apartment like that. That guy’s a real winner. Why am I not surprised that none of the Draiman men approved of him?, Will thought to himself as he tried to drift back to sleep. He didn’t really have an answer, so he pushed the thoughts from his mind. Miranda had told him that if there was a point where he was having trouble sleeping that he could turn on the TV to wind back down again. So that’s what he did. It didn’t take long to distract himself enough to go to sleep again. The moron wasn’t worth his time.
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