Chapter 52

"Now that we're here", David asked Jake that evening after everyone that didn't live at homestead anymore had left, "what exactly is the plan?"

"Well, obviously, the game is coming up and that's the only reason that you and Mom aren't still in Israel as we speak. We're going to have a big Super Bowl party here at homestead for everyone that might want to attend. More than likely it will be all of us boys. I don't see Maddie coming over unless Colt drags her over."

David nodded. "Makes sense, and Colt's not a Bears fan. He's a Cardinals man."

"Right. We've got the party pretty planned out and you and Mom only have to sit here and watch the game."

"You all won't mind if we don't come in for a large part of the day, will you?" Brie asked.

"Not at all, Mom. Did you and Dad have plans?"

"No", David said. "We just want to be as out of the way as we can be while you all get the prep for the game out of the way."

Jake nodded. "That makes sense. While you guys are here are you going to spend some time with Skyler and Kaylian?"

"We had planned on it. They are family after all."

"Cool. We invited them to the party as well. I had Jeremiah extend the invitation to his in-laws the last time they went out there for dinner."

"We'll probably have them out at the cottage a couple of times before the wedding.”

“That’s up to you.  I’m sure you’ll all have a lot of fun together this visit.”

They exchanged a look.  “Jake”, Brie said, “this isn’t a visit.”

“It’s not?”

“No”, David said.  “You’re mother and I have finally accepted that we can’t keep hopping the pond like we have been the last several years.  We’re going to finish out our lives here at homestead.”

Jake was taken aback.  “I was not expecting this”, he said in his shock.  “Wow.  What the fuck?”

“What weren’t you expecting?”

“The two of you to ever admitting that you’re in no shape to be pond jumping the way you have been.  It’s 

shocking to say the very least.  Welcome news, but shocking nonetheless.”

“Your mother’s back can’t take the long hours anymore.”

“I’ve got to be able to lay down at my leisure rather than whenever I can find a minute”, Brie said.  “When I’m in a lot of pain I have you here if I need you.  I don’t have that in Israel.  It just behooves us to stay here and finish out our days, son.  It’s what makes the most sense.”

He nodded.  “I understand that Mom.  No need to explain.”  He chuckled.  “I’ll let Delilah know.  I’m sure it will put her mind to ease as well.”  He sighed.  “But are you two sure this is what you want?  You know I just want to see you happy and at peace.”

“We’re at peace with it, Jacob.  That’s all you need to concern yourself with.  Now, is there any way that we can get some peace and quiet until it’s time to eat or do we need to go out to the cottage?”

“You could go up to the guest room you stayed in that last couple of times you came out.”

David looked down at his wife.  “What do you want to do?”

“Let’s go up to the guest room for the time being.  I need to lie down now and I’m sure you knees are giving you hell.”

David just stood and offered her a hand so that she could stand and they could go up the stairs to relax.  Jake was close by just in case they needed him.  Once they had started up the stairs, he disappeared into the kitchen to let everyone know that their parents/ grandparents were resting and to keep it down.  He also told his wife what his parents had just told him about their last trip was in fact the last one.  The next time they would fly back to Israel would be when they were to be laid to rest.

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Over the next few days everyone just went about their days the way they were supposed to. No one really paid any attention to whether or not David and Brie came into the house unless they called to come in. Meals were eaten out at the cottage unless they really wanted to go in. Brie did as much cooking as she could where she and David were concerned. If she couldn't do it, it was usually because her back just wouldn't let her. If David couldn't do it either it because of his knees he would just call up to the house and have them bring something out. It was usually around dinner time when Brie's back would start really giving her trouble. All David would do was call up to the house and Delilah would send them food.

On the day of the game, Kaylian and Skyler joined them for lunch and good conversation. As they ate lunch, they got caught up and Skyler and Kaylian updated them on the goings on with the grandchildren- especially the two that they shared.

After lunch, they all headed into the living room. As soon as they were all situated a sly grin crossed David's face. "Skyler, you know what would be priceless brother?"

Skyler noticed the sly grin on his brother's face and returned it with a curious smirk. "There are many things that would be priceless, brother. What do you happen to have in mind in that insane head of yours?"

Brie was quick to get out of the room. As much as she wanted to know what the men were going to plot, there were times that it was best for her to have plausible deniabity. "Kay, I think we need to step out and let the men scheme. Care to assist me in getting some tea for everyone?"

Kaylian smiled. "Absolutely. You let me know what you need done in the preparations for tea and I'll gladly do it."

As the women got up to go into the kitchen, David's grin became just a little more wicked. "One more time, I've got to mess with them, man. One more time. I wanna see which ones freak and which ones stay calm."

The smirk on Skyler's face became a grin as wicked as the one on David's face. "Oh yeah. As sadistic as that sounds, I like it. I've been watching your fretful children and quite frankly they could use the test. I would like to see who's truly ok with you wanting your own freedom and who's still wanting to babysit you", he said. He'd been watching as the Draiman children had become more and more fretful over their parents through the years and it was time that they learned that their beloved parents weren't going to be around forever. "Although", he added, "once we're done messing with them, if you're up to it I wouldn't mind sneaking out to the shooting range with a bottle of Irish whiskey and maybe do a brief round of real target practice. You know, for old times sake? But only if you're up to it, David."

Brie stood carefully so that she and Kaylian could leave the room. "Keep in mind, David, that we're under strict doctor's orders not to put ourselves under too much strain. That being said, make sure you get them for me too."

David took his wife's hand and kissed the back of it gently. "Yes dear, I'll keep that in mind."

With that, Brie turned to Kaylian. "Shall we dear? I'll need you to get the things out of the cabinet that I can't reach anymore."

Kaylian nodded with a smile. "Absolutely. Come, let's go and let the old boys over there plot to themselves", she chuckled.

When the women left, David spoke again to Skyler. "I'll go out with you and watch you shoot but I'm under doctor's orders not to pick up a rifle. Being in my 80's sucks, bro. Now as far as fucking with my children's heads- any thoughts? I know that saying I'm going anywhere near the firing range will mess them all up, no matter how ok they are with me having freedom. I want something that will seriously put their state of mind to the test. I don't want to joke about something serious like they found cancer or anything, but I want to tell if they're ok with my and their mother's need for them to back the hell off."

Skyler took a few minutes to think and shrugged. "Hmm... I'm not sure, brother. I know for a fact that the kids will fall all over themselves about the shooting range, otherwise I'm not sure. You know your children better than anyone when it comes to their points of weakness, not me. What do you think will put their patience to the test?"

David shrugged as he rubbed his hand over his bare scalp. "Same here brother. I have no idea off the top of my head."

Brie called out from the kitchen as she and Kaylian were finishing the tea. "Boys, you can still use the Range. Say that instead of rifles, you're going to use paintball guns or something and use empty liquor bottles instead of those paper targets. I'm sure that you guys can build on that, right?"

David and Skyler exchanged a look. "She might be onto something. What do you think? Can we make it work?"

Skyler nodded. "Oh yeah. That would be perfect. And then that won't be too bad about you picking up a rifle. In fact, you wouldn't happen to have any paintball guns that look like real guns? Just to screw with them even more by making them believe that you're actually handling a real one. We can even hit the targets fast enough that the kids won't see that they won't see that it's pain until we tell them; maybe even get goofy and shoot one of them to prove a point. Either way, I think it could work. Care to set everything up at the range when the kids are around?"

David chuckled. "I do believe that we have a couple of paintball guns lying around here somewhere. We could go out there and do it after we all get back from the wedding so that we can make sure that they see us at different points in and out a lot and scurrying about the property. When asked, we'll just say that we're setting up for target practice."

Brie laughed as she and Kaylian came back into the room. "Yes, we'll get to watch Jacob have an aneurysm. I love it!"

Skyler grinned wide and devilishly.  "Yes! I like that idea too! As much as it sounds horrible to harass the kids like that, your worrywarts need to have that aneurysm so they can let go. And quite frankly, they should enjoy it with us too. Who knows how long you two have left with them, so they should make the most of each day having fun with you, not fretting over you. Ideally, this better be the wake-up call for them to unclench, because otherwise I will help you put a boot in their asses to make them. I'm normally patient and understanding with the kids, but they are way too overprotective of you."

David laughed.  “Well, I can tell you the two to jump and help us set it up will be James and Marc. 'Dad, let me get that for you. I know you can't really reach it anymore.' If any of the girls will get involved, I couldn't tell you."

Brie sat down next to her husband after taking her tea off of the tray that Kaylian sat on the living room table and gave him a look out of the corner of her eye.  “David, you know better than that. None of our girls will get behind you setting up target practice on the range, whether you're using paintball guns or not. You are their Daddy and they will not tolerate foolishness from you thinking that you're going to shoot at anything, no matter the distance you're shooting from."

"And that's exactly why Skyler and I are doing this. We're going to give the kids that heart attack that will shock them into realizing you and I are going to die and they should just enjoy the time they have left. If they're really ok with us having a little freedom and the idea that we don't have much longer, then they'll help us do it."

She looked a bit standoffish.  "I'm not expected to participate, am I? My hands won't grip the rifle anymore."

David laughed, kissing her temple. "No dear. I'd love it if you just watched though."


Skyler chuckled.  "It'd be great to see Jay and Marc jump in. I bet Damien may help us out too, especially if we tell him beforehand that we're pulling a prank on your kids. He'll get a kick out of seeing the result."

"So we get Damien in on this and he'll help us pull this trick on our kids? Will he feel bad for tricking Jeremiah?" David asked.

"He might. However, we're really only targeting the kids we know will flip their lids and Jeremiah's not one of them. Damien won't feel too bad so long as he doesn't have to target Miah in particular. So he should be fine where that's concerned. Besides, I don't think Miah would care anyhow. He's kinda laid back like that", Skyler added with a chuckle.

Brie looked at her husband.  "He has a point. Didn't Jeremiah say that he's ok with us passing in when it finally does happen?"

David nodded as he glanced down at his wife. "That he did", he said and looked toward Skyler.  "Ok, so we're aiming this mainly at Jordan, Jake, and Jessi. The rest of the kids- not so much. We can do this. This is going to be so much fun. More fun than I've had in a very long time."

Kaylian smiled as she sipped her tea. "Well, it sounds like this will be both fun and interesting all at once."

 "You'll sit by Brie and watch me too, right babe?" Skyler asked, giving his wife the charmingly sweet smile.

"You know I will. It would be nice to sit and watch you and David have some fun and talk about it with Brie, just like old times."

Brie smiled. "Ah yes, just like old times, Kaylian. Sitting back in that little sound proof room passing Matt back and forth during the Farewell show until I had to get this one ready to go onstage."  She elbowed David playfully in the ribs as she continued.  “Or baking over the holidays.  God, I feel old now.”

David placed a gentle kiss on her hair.  “You’re still young at heart, love.  As long as you’re young at heart, you’re never old.”

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

When it was time for the game, Skyler and Kaylian took David and Brie up to the house so that they could watch the game with their kids and grandkids.  All of the boys were already there, as was Jordan.  Maddie had dropped Asher off so that he could watch the game with his Grampa.  Turned out that Colton was still upset that his Cards got their asses kicked in the playoffs.

There was metal playing in the house as everyone scurried about to make sure that things were set up.  It was the perfect music to get everyone pumped for the big game.  David and Brie were sure to get through the busy kitchen as quickly as they could so that they didn’t get run over.  Neither was frail but neither wanted to risk injury either.

Finally the coin was tossed and the game was underway.  It wasn’t long into the first quarter that the Bears had scored.  James was sure to jump up in his feet when he saw that the full back had the ball and was making a run for it, plowing through the defense in a 45 yard drive to the end zone.  “OH THAT WAS A THING OF BEAUTY!  MATHISON HAS HIS HEAD ON STRAIGHT TONIGHT!!” he shouted as everyone cheered.

David laughed.  “CAN YOU GET ANY LOUDER, JAMES MATTHEW?” he asked over the noise.  “WE CAN HEAR YOU WITHOUT ALL OF THE YELLING!”

James laughed.  “I know.  I’m sorry.  Mathison was a school friend of mine.  We played ball together; kicked AstroTurf together.  He was my best friend in college.”

“I get that, James.  Cheer him on, but please keep it down.”

“I’ll try.  No promises, Dad.”

David chuckled as he ate a handful of popcorn from the large bowl that was sitting on the couch next to him and his wife.  She was picking at it, but wasn’t really all that interested.  She had rather just sip at her soda and nibble at the snacks that Delilah had made keeping in mind that she and Jake were diabetic.  True, Samantha was also in the house but she wasn’t watching the game.  Watching football with the family had always been optional.  No one was forced to watch the game.  For the most part it was the grandsons that were present, and the Draiman boys that were present and their wives. 

Minute after minute the clock ticked on until halftime where some stupid pop star was performing.  The TV was muted the entire time that the halftime show played.  The score was tied 14 all at the half.  They were hoping that the Bears would make a killer come back in the second half.  Either way it happened, it would be a hard fought game from both teams.  It was, after all, the Super Bowl.  No one slacked when they played the big game.

Finally, when the halftime ridiculousness was over, they unmuted to TV and went back to the game.  The Bears didn’t take long to take control of the ball and the field, though there were penalties flying left and right.  Some were called on the Jags, some were on the Bears- all of the penalties that were called on the Bears were bull shit calls and the ones that the refs missed on the Jags were ‘fucking ludicrous’ to quote James.  It didn’t matter who the penalties were called on, James thought that the refs needed glasses.  Hell, all of the men thought that the refs needed glasses.  A few of the women that were watching agreed.  Brie just sat on the couch next to David in silence.  There were times when she was so quiet that he wondered if she was still breathing.  He’d glance over at her to see her paying ardent attention to the game.  She just didn’t have anything to say.  “Is everything alright?” he asked at one point.

“Yeah, I’m fine.  I’m just watching the game and enjoying watching the four of my sons that are here make fools of themselves as they cheer on the family team.  That’s all.”

“Ok.  I just wanted to check on you.  If you don’t want to finish the game we can go upstairs.”

“No David.  I’m fine, though I appreciate the consideration.  We can watch the game.  I’m fine.  Don’t worry about me, David.  I might not understand the sport, but I enjoy the family time.  And you have to admit that watching our grown sons do a chest bump every time the Bears score is hilarious.”  She was referring to Malachai and James.  Jake and Jeremiah were a little more reserved, resorting to a strange handshake of sorts.  All Brie could do was shake her head and smile.

David would have responded, but a quick glance at the screen stripped him of his thoughts.  Mathison was making a run for it.  He’d broken away and there was nothing between him and the end zone but turf and air.  All of the men were shouting at the screen, “GO, GO, GO, GO… RUN LIKE THE WIND, COREY!  NOTHING BUT AIR AND OPPORTUNITY!  BOOK IT, YOU SON OF A BITCH!” they all shouted at once.  He stopped two yards away and jumped over the goal line casually.  Food went flying through the air and Brie had to duck.  She was getting a popcorn shower, as well as hit with other foods.  Delilah was going to make the boys clean up the mess; that was for sure.  Lilah hated a messy house and was OCD about food in her floor.

As soon as the celebration was over, Delilah was sure to make it known that the boys would be cleaning after making sure that Brie was ok.  “Boys, I hope you guys don’t have anything to do for the rest of the night.  You’re cleaning up my house.  The only exceptions to that are Dad and Mr. Mason.  If you have any issues with that, be sure that you take it up with my complaint department, who will also be cleaning the house.”

“What does that mean?” James asked.

“I’ve got to help clean”, Jake said.  “But she has a point.  We are adults; we don’t have to make huge messes like this.   Mom made us all do the same thing when we were growing up.”

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“AND I WANT EVERY CRUMB UP OUT OF MY FLOOR OR SO HELP ME I’M GOING TO KILL SOMEONE!!” Delilah shouted from the kitchen where she, Jona and Jordan were cleaning up cooking mess from before the game.  It wasn’t fun, but it had to be done.

“YOU AND WHAT ARMY?!” Malachai shouted back.

“MY LEFT FOOT AND MY RIGHT FOOT, MALACHAI!  YOU ARE NOT TOO BIG FOR ME TO KICK YOUR ASS!”  As much as Delilah Draiman loved her older brother in law, he certain was a pain in her ass a lot of the time.  She heard his chuckle from the living room and knew that she’d gotten her message across.  She looked at Mandy, who was scrubbing the table.  “Is he this big a pain in the ass at home?”

“Of course”, Mandy laughed.  “It’s just what Malachai does.  He’s a pain in the ass.”

“Not surprised.”

Mandy looked at Lilah, concern written on her face.  “Delilah, can I ask you something and you’ll tell me the truth?”

“Of course.  What’s on your mind Mandy?”

“Is everything ok with Mom and Dad?  I’m worried about them.”

“They’re fine, Amanda.  They’re just feeling their ages as the cold affects them.  Once spring rolls around, they’ll both be spry again in no time.  There’s really no need for you to worry yourself.”

She nodded.  “I just worry about them, Lilah.  I would hate for them to pass any other way than at peace.”

“Do you think that their passing is going to be chaotic?” Kenna asked as she swept the floor.

“Well no.  I just don’t want them to be left in the middle of nowhere when they go, not to have anyone discover them until they Jessi stumbles upon them.”

“That’s highly unlikely, Mandy”, Jona said.  “Jessi won’t be the one to discover them.  I can guarantee you that much.”

“How do you know?”

“Because they’re not going back to Israel until one or both of them is being laid to rest”, Delilah said.  “They told Jake that they going to finish out their lives here.”

“When?” Jordan asked.

“The day they got here after everyone that wasn’t supposed to be here had left and every one was supposed to be here had returned from where they left to.  They talked party and Jake told them that they he would make sure that they had fun this visit.  They told him that it wasn’t a visit.”

“Wow.  What about the house in Israel?” Kenna asked.

“I think they just left it with Jessi.”

“Well, if that’s not an eye opener.  Does everyone else know?” Jordan asked.

“No and keep it to yourself.”  Delilah was serious.  “They’ll tell everyone when they’re ready for everyone to know.  Keep it close to the vest until they tell everyone.  I’m sure they want to just enjoy a little bit of time just being here before you all go acting like fools.”  She looked very pointedly at Jordan.  “I mean it Jordan.  Keep your trap shut.  If they don’t tell anyone until Hanukkah that they’re staying here until they die, then it’s on them.  Let them relax and enjoy their stay here.”

“Is it ok if I invite them to stay over at the house with me and mine?”

“That’s on you and yours, Jord.  Just don’t got acting like a moron and treating them like children.”  Little did any of the women know, but David and Skyler had been plotting against them all that very afternoon.  Only time would tell when they would all know of the plot and how they would react.  Some would freak out; some would help set up, but by the time all was said and done, they would all be one step closer to letting their parents go.