Chapter 47

“Mom, Dad, are you ready to go?” Jessi called when she arrived at her parents’ house to pick them up to take them to the train station.

“Almost Jessykah”, her mother called from the bedroom.  “I’m getting couple of things together before we leave.”

Her father came out of the bedroom.  “We’re almost ready.  Before we leave though, I need to show you something.”  He walked over toward the wall by the sliding glass French doors in the back of the house and opened a small utility box.  “You see this switch?” he asked her.

“Yeah”, Jessi said with a nod.

“Do you know what it does?”  She shook her head and he flipped the switch causing the back patio to open up and a hot tub to rise from the opening.

Jessi’s eyes nearly popped out of her head.  “I thought that was the fuse box so I never fucked with it.  How long has that been here?”

“A few years.  Mom and I had it put in when Mom’s back started acting up again.”

“Why are you showing me this?  You guys are coming back, right?”

“It’s really doubtful, Jess.  Mom and I are getting too old to be jumping the pond as often as we do.  I know we joke that we’re not getting old and we’re only as old as we feel, but let’s face it Jessykah.  Your mother and I are in our 80’s.  This is getting to be too much.”

She smiled sadly.  “I understand Daddy.  I don’t want you to go for good, but if that’s what you feel you have to do that’s what you have to do.  I will always love you and I’ll miss having you so close by, but, this is more than likely what’s best.  I wish you and Mom well and I love you both and I’ll miss having you so close to me.”

He chuckled a little bit and it turned into a cough.  Once he caught his breath, he looked at his youngest daughter.  “It’s time that you learn to fly on your own, Jessi.  It’s beyond time for you to learn to fly on your own.  You need to be alone with Adam and Abby.  Know that your mother and I love you too and we always will.”

She nodded.  “I know Dad.  You and Mom need to do what’s best for you.  I need to grow up a little, you know?”

He chuckled again.  “No kidding.  Now, I’m going to go check on your Mom and see if she’s ready.  It’s about time to leave to check in at the train station.”

“Which direction are you two going?”

“We’re going east as usual.  Marc will pick us up in LA and we’ll stay the night with him and catch our train the following afternoon.”

“Nice.  Well, go check on Mom so that we can get you two to the train station.”

He walked away and went to the bedroom he shared with his wife.  “Brie, are you ready to go?”

She sighed looked around the room one final time.  “Yeah.  I think I’m ready.  Are you ready, David?”

He nodded with a sigh.  “I think I am.  Let’s get these suit cases out of here and head to the train station.  Remember, when we get to Denver, we have a cover to listen to.”

“Please don’t remind me.  I’m not ready to listen to that damn song just yet.  I’m upset that the boy even touched it, let alone that he botched it.”  She pulled her suit case off of the bed and started it to rolling it toward the living room, her husband not far behind her.  “We’re ready Jess.  Did Dad show you the hot tub?”

“He did”, Jessi said with a chuckle.  “I’m going to go put that away while you and Dad are getting into the car.  Just leave your bags next to the trunk.  I’ll take care of it.  When Dave gets off of work we’re going to turn that bad boy on and just chill.”

“I hope you two enjoy it.  Your father and I have over the years that we’ve had it.  Now, let’s get moving, shall we?” Brie and David headed out with their suitcases so that they could get in the car as Jessi put the trunk and got in the back seat for the ride.

When she came out of the house, there was nothing said.  She put the suitcases in the trunk, got in the driver’s seat and they took off.  As she drove her parents to the train station, Jessi couldn’t help but wonder how much longer her parents were going to be around.  As her mind drifted, she thought back to the dream she had of her long lost uncle over Hanukkah and the warning he gave her.  “You have to give them their space, Jessykah.  You don’t have much more time with them.  You have to let them go so that you can help your brothers and sister prepare to help the rest of your siblings that don’t receive this message to accept their passing when it happens.  You can do this, Jessi.  You’re an amazingly strong girl.  You can stand on your own two feet.  Your parents taught you to be independent.  Be strong for your daughter as she loses the only grandparents that she knows.  We all believe in you”, her uncle’s voice rang in her ears.

She glanced back at her parents in the rearview mirror to see if they were ok.  She smiled as she saw them being just as playful as ever.  It didn’t seem to matter what ages they were, her parents were always playful and always more in love than they were the day before. It warmed her heart.  She hoped for that with her husband.  She hoped that she would have the marriage that her parents had- being so sweet together that it made people’s teeth hurt.  I wonder if when they go, will they be holding each other?  Will Dad have a hand laid sweetly against Mom’s cheek as they take their final breaths?  Will Mom have her head resting on Dad’s chest?  Or will they be lying spooned against each other?  There was only one person that would get the answer to that question… and he wouldn’t share until their parents were both cold and in the ground.

---------------

Jake settled into bed next to Delilah for the night with a sigh. "What's on your mind, Jakey?" she asked.

"Nothing much really. Mom and Dad are on their way out. They'll be here in about a week. Malachai has to pick them up. Dad is supposed to call me in the morning as he and Mom are settling in for the night to get some sleep. Malachai, James, and Jordan will all be here when he calls so I can screw with them a little."

"Do you take pleasure in messing with your siblings my love?"

"Just a little. It's a little revenge for all the shit they gave me when we were kids."

"And just what will you make it out to be this time when Dad calls?"

"Probably Meagan calling. I might go with Marc again."

"Do Meagan and Marc know that you're using them as ways to mess with Malachai, James, and Jordan? Better yet; does Dad know that you're messing with your brothers and sister?"

"Yes and yes. Marc thought it was funny. Meagan thought it was whatever."

"Sounds like Mae. So, you're just going to play it off? And Dad approves?"

"Yeah. It was his idea so that they were lulled into a false sense of security."

"Do you think they suspect anything?"

"Oh I know they suspect I'm screwing with them but they have no idea that I'm under orders to do so. It's kinda fun though."

"So you do enjoy messing with your siblings?"

"Just a little, like I said. I do get a small bit of satisfaction out of knowing that the day Mom and Dad are supposed to arrive, I get to spin them into a frenzy."

"Do you know how you're going to do that?"

"Oh yeah. It's going to be a blast."

"What is Mom and Dad's itinerary?"

"They should be on the train now and they'll be reaching Shanghai in two days. They'll fly out to LA where Marc will pick them up and they'll stay with Marc that night. The next afternoon they'll catch a train from LA to Denver where Malachai will pick them up and play some song for them."

"Kenna's been renting a room at the clinic because she's taken on a few pregnant mothers aside from Miranda and I've heard her talking about that. Something about the song Dad wrote for Mom and it being ruined."

"Yeah. Apparently the kid from Wrought Iron decided that he was going to take Mom's song and rearrange it so that it sounded more like something that his band would do rather than a Disturbed song. Malachai, Jordan, and James all say that the song has been ruined."

"Ah. And Mom and Dad aren't too happy about that.  I don’t blame Mom.  If it were me, I’d be pissed too.”

“Well, Malachai had kinda relaxed a little since Mom and Dad jumped him about that.  I’m going to make sure that he’s freaking out when he rolls out to pick Mom and Dad up.”

“Again on Dad’s orders?”

He chuckled.  “Yep.”  He took a deep breath and yawned.  “Subject change.  Do you know how Ira is doing in his online classes?”

“He’s doing well from what I understand.  I’m sure he’ll let us know what’s going on when the time is right.  Remember Jake, he’s JUST started the classes and has been doing the work for three weeks.  Give it time.  Ira’s not like Miri who tells us every grade she makes on every paper.”

He nodded with a shrug.  “True.  Miri will call with every grade no matter what it is.  She tells us when all of her tests are.  Last semester we could go for weeks and not hear from Ira.”

“We heard from him at midterms and finals.  That was it.”

Jake shook his head.  “Yeah.  I wonder if he’s going to be like that now that he’s home this semester?”

“Probably hon.” She yawned.  “I need sleep, Jacob.  What about you?”

“Sleep would be nice.  Maybe we should shut off the lights and get some sleep.  What do you think?”

“I’m so glad you suggested it, Jacob.  I was willing to hold on as long as you talk, but I was starting to fade.”  They both reached over and turned off their individual lights and they settled into bed.  His arm wrapped around her waist as he pulled her tighter against the front of his body and his other arm snaked underneath their pillows.  She sighed in content, turning her face so that she could kiss him good night.  “I love you Jacob Micah”, she said, her lips brushing against his.

He smiled softly.  “I love you, Delilah Cheyenne; more and more every day.”  He completed the circuit and kissed her gently a couple of times.  His arm tightened around her waist as he held her tightly.  The response was strictly reflex on his part.  He always wanted to hold her as close to him as he could.  But the moment their lips met, a spark was ignited.  What was supposed to be a tender kiss good night became something more.  His hunger for her was aroused and needed to be slaked.  As she rolled and placed herself on her back as he shifted and put himself between her thighs.

---------------

“Dude, I can’t believe my big sister is getting married so soon”, Eli said to B as they sat up and watched TV.  They weren’t staying in a hotel like they had when they had last come out.  Instead they were staying in the guest house on his father property.

“It’s kinda freaky isn’t it?” B asked with a sigh.

“Just a little.”  He sighed.  “You know what I’m most excited about, babe?”

“What?”

“Becoming an uncle.  I’m stoked that Miranda is going to have a baby.  I’ve been looking forward to being the awesome uncle that spoils the hell out of the kid for the longest.”

“You’re looking forward to being an uncle?  Did you ever want kids of your own?”

“It would be nice, but I want to be sure that we’re going to be together for the rest of our lives.  I don’t want 

us to go through what my Aunt Jordan went through ten years ago.”

“What exactly happened with that?  There are all kinds of stories.”

“Do you want the official story or the real story?”

“The real one please.”

“You took history in high school and college so you know about the Utopian Regime and all that stuff right?”

“Yeah.  Your Grampa was a driving force in shutting them down.”

“Well yeah.  That’s how he earned the nickname he still can’t live down.  He will forever be known in history as The Voice of the Resistance.  Well, ten years ago a new Utopian Regime was trying to build up steam to take over again.  They had a candidate in the Presidential race and everything.  The guy behind it all was a guy named Porter Grissom.  He wanted to be some big wig in the Regime once they pulled off their hostile takeover.  Well, long story short, not only were my grandparents and Morbus targets but my dad and all of my aunts and uncle were too.  The day Rina was born, Aunt Jordan snuck out to get a gift and she was kidnapped.  Grissom had her for two days and did a real number on her.  Knocked teeth out, broke ribs, broke a femur; shattered the fibula in her right leg.  To this day she has a titanium rod in her calf to stabilize the bone.  Dad and all of my uncles as well as Mr. Skyler all went to rescue her.  Gramma and Grampa played Ops Command or something like that.  Well, anyway, Aunt Jordan stays in the hospital for five of the six weeks she was in her cast and Levi and Jasmine go with Gramma and Grampa to Israel for a few months.  Davina, Aunt Jordan’s ex-wife, couldn’t handle it so they split up.  Finally Aunt Jordan filed for divorce and that was a huge spectacle in and of itself.”

“Wow.  Deep shit.  How long had Jordan been with her ex-wife?”

“Ten years.  But things came to light that very few people knew about.  She was beating Levi and Jasmine both.  You’ve met Reece right?”

“The guy that was in the pictures with them and Jordan’s new woman?”

“Yeah.  He was under of all kinds of wrong impressions until he met Gramma and Grampa then came out here to meet the rest of the family.  Aunt Jordan and Reece even dated for about a year so that they could have a relationship and he could be there for the kids.”

“What happened with that?”

“They couldn’t make it work.  Aunt Jordan is a lesbian and she’s very monogamous.  She doesn’t share well either.  They still live together, though and Reece has always been able to stay close to his children, so everyone won the long run.”

B nodded.  “Very true.  So, you just want to make sure that I’m not going to hurt you like Davina did your Aunt?”

“Yes and no.  I want to be sure that you’re it.  The ONE that I’m going to grow old with.  I mean, we’re safe and we’re monogamous.  I love you more than I can possibly quantify, Brandon.  But, I want to be positive that you feel the same about me.  I know you tolerate my eccentricities as an artist and that you went to bat for me as I tried to finish that collection we just sold off.”  Eli sighed.  “I guess my eccentricities make me a little insecure.  I just want to be positive that you can handle my being like this for years.”

B turned in his seat on the couch and looked at Eli.  “Elijah Michael Draiman, I’ve been with you for over year now.  I’m the only person you know that can navigate that chaotic mind of yours, aren’t I?”

Eli nodded.  “Yeah.  It’s comforting, believe me.”

“I know when to talk to you when you’re painting and when not to.  I know you are a work-aholic and how you like your eggs and all that stuff.  I cook for you, I clean up after you and I don’t ask a thing in return other than that you just keep creating the masterpieces you have.  If that’s not in it for the long haul, then I don’t know what is but I’ll hang around until I figure it out.  I love you, Eli.”

Eli cracked a smile.  “Come here, sexy.”  He crooked a finger at his man.  B scooted closer and leaned against Eli’s taller, more slender frame.  Eli kissed him and smiled.  “I know I’m difficult, babe.  I don’t mean to be.”

“If I didn’t love you, Eli, I wouldn’t put up with all of the things that I do.  I’ve been around the block a few times to know that you’re the one I want to be with.  Whether or not we get married is completely up to you, but I will say that I’m a big fan of unconventional.”

Eli chuckled.  “I know.  You’re with me.  So, do you want us to start thinking about having a family together?”

“After your sister’s wedding we can talk about it.  Right now, I’m content with you just like this.”

---------------

Miranda was having trouble getting comfortable.  She fidgeted all night no matter how she laid.  Left side, right side, on her back.  She could hug the body pillow all she wanted but nothing worked.  Little Gracie just wouldn’t be still.

She got up and padded down the stairs to see if there was anything she could do to get Grace to settle down.  When she reached the bottom of the stairs she spotted her parents on the couch.  He father looked over his shoulder.  “Hey Miranda.  What’s go you up?”

“I can’t sleep.  She’s so active tonight and I just can get comfortable.”

“Have you though to sleep reclined?” her mother asked.

“Did you have to do that with either of you pregnancies?”

“With you and Isaiah I did when I went on bed rest.  My doctor was a strict stickler about that.  But as long as I wasn’t moving you and Isaiah were and it was worst of all when I tried to sleep.  I had to experiment with what would work for me.  When you’re ready to go back to bed, let me know and I’ll help you set up.  Gramma showed me a way to do it with two body pillows.”

“What?”

“Yeah.  She folded one up behind me and wrapped it in a sheet and the other laid next to me in case I needed to roll into either side.  I could hug it and put it between my knees if need be.”

“Cool.  Gramma showed you this?”

“Yeah, when I was pregnant with you.”

“Well, I was thinking about getting a snack before going back to bed.  I’m a little hungry.”

“Is there anything specific that you want?”

She laughed.  “Nothing that you can get me right now.”

“What do you want?” her father asked.

“Uncle Jay and I were talking the other day when you guys went to go pick up Eli and B from the airport and we joked about sushi.  I’m kinda craving a little tuna roll.”

“A tuna roll?”

“Yes Dad, a tuna roll.”

“Well, I can’t roll sushi and you’re right that I can’t get it for you tonight.  I could get it for you tomorrow.”

“That’s fine.  Do we have any chocolate that I can melt down and dip some strawberries in?  I’m really craving strawberries and chocolate.”

“So you want chocolate covered strawberries?”

“Yeah, kinda, but I also want a really sour pickle.”

“I can get you everything but the sushi tonight.  Are you sure this is what you’re craving?”

“No.  There’s a lot more.  I don’t want to bankrupt you Dad.”

Her father snorted a laugh.  “Please Miranda.  First of all, you’re my daughter.  Second, you can’t bankrupt me with your cravings, and third Grampa did it for your mom.”

“Really?”

“Yeah”, her mother said.  “When your Dad first went into the studio I was on bed rest with you and your brother.  Your Grampa was getting ready to start writing for a new record at that point and was waiting on the email that contained the music from Uncle Danny and Uncle Mikey.  I would be laid up on the couch and Gramma would be busy with a massage or other business and I would need something.  Grampa would wait on me while the younger kids were in school and your Dad and Gramma were busy.  He would even interrupt his own business to help me out.”

“What other business did Grampa have?”

“Your grandfather always had businesses going in all kinds of arenas.  I don’t even know all of the details.  I’m sure when he retired there were all kinds of sales made that we know nothing about.  Grampa always had something going when all of us were growing up.  He was a true entrepreneur.”

“Do you have all of the businesses going like Grampa did?”

“I have a few, but your grandfather was the master at juggling that stuff.  I wish I has his skills with that.”

“I might have to ask him about that when we go over to homestead for the Super Bowl.”

“Are you looking forward to the game?”

“I am.  I think that it’s going to be epic to watch the Bears kill the Jaguars on the AstroTurf.  It’s going to be a hell of a game.  Now, can I get something to snack on please?  I’m kinda hungry.”

Her father chuckled.  “Let us see what’s actually in the kitchen before I go into town to see what I can scrounge up for you; savvy?”

She laughed.  “Sounds good to me, Dad.”