Chapter 70

That evening Zeke and Miri let their grandparents pick the restaurant that they would eat at that night.  “What about that steakhouse over by your dad’s office?” David suggested.

“Is everything about a steakhouse with you, Grampa?” Zeke asked with a chuckle.

“I’m a carnivore.  I like red meat.  I’m sure they have a great selection there for those who have objections to red meat.  Anyway, I thought it was our choice on where we eat tonight?”

“There are no objections to red meat and it is your choice.  Is Gramma in agreement?” Miri asked.

“I really don’t care.  I let Grampa choose these things when and if we eat out”, Brie said with a shrug.  “It’s unimportant in my opinion.  I just go with whatever Grampa’s in the mood for.”

Miri and Jax exchanged a look.  “Ok then.  Let’s go to Gordon’s Steakhouse”, Miri laughed.  She and Jax intertwined their fingers and walked out to her car hand in hand with her grandparents and cousin behind her.  Rather than taking her small car they took her mom’s SVU.  There were five people going to dinner and they needed the room. 

Once everyone was loaded up Jax- who was driving- started the vehicle and they took off.  It was about a thirty minute drive to town from the house so they took the time to talk.  “Miri, I noticed that lovely pendant around your neck earlier.  Was that a birthday gift?” Brie asked once she was settled in next to her husband’s side.

“It was.  Jax bought it for me.  He said that there were others but I haven’t gotten them yet.  I’m trying to wait patiently but it’s not easy”, she laughed.  “What did you get from Grampa for today?”

She unconsciously played with the newest addition to the fingers of her right hand.  “He got me a very pretty ring.  I prefer not to wear anything on my left hand other than my wedding band, so I’m wearing it on my right hand.”

“Hasn’t Grampa bought you a great deal of rings and other jewelry over the years?” Zeke asked.

“He has.  This is a special birthday ring that he saw and though I’d like.  He had certain stones set in it for each of our ten children as well as himself.”

Zeke looked at his grandfather after peeking over the back of the seat they were sitting in to take a look at the ring.  “Wow Grampa.  That’s really nice.  You’ve got a good eye.  Maybe you could teach my Dad how to buy jewelry for my mom.”

David chuckled.  “I’ve had a lot of practice buying jewelry for your Gramma.  She’s not very picky and she doesn’t like a lot of flashiness.”

“So should I advise my father that buying jewelry for my mother means getting to know her likes and dislikes?”

David nodded slowly.  “That would be a good start.”

“Is there a limit on how many gifts you two get each other every year?” Jax asked.

“Not really”, David asked.  “It’s become an unspoken rule that we only really get one another one or two things for our birthdays because we really tend to spoil each other over Hanukkah.”

“There are no rules when Hanukkah rolls around, are there?”

“Only that it’s one gift for every night of the festival.  Other than that, no.  I’ve bought her everything from clothes, to jewels, to shoes, to a hydraulic massage table because she was tired of breaking her back to adjust the legs on her portable table, to tickets for a trips to some random country she’d mentioned that she wanted to visit over the many years we’ve been together and that itself is pushing 50 years.”

“Wow.  It’s going to be quite a feat to beat the two of you, won’t it?”

David shook his head.  “Not really.  My wife and I didn’t find each other until I was almost 40.  All of our children that are married have found their significant other’s while they were young.  The only two that had issues with that are Jordan and James.”

“I know about Jordan’s divorce.  That was international news.  What happened with your son James?”

“The woman that bore the twins and Hunter was a complete psycho”, Brie said bluntly.

David just nodded.  “Yeah.  That.  You should ask James about it sometime.  Now that he and Kenna have been together for as long as they have been, he has no issues talking about it.”

Jax nodded.  “I’ll have to keep that in mind.  It will be interesting to learn more about my future in laws.”

“Well, there are all kinds of interesting stories in this family”, Miri said.  “Including one about the day I was born, from what I understand.”

“Really?”

“We should really leave it to Jacob to tell it”, Brie said, “though it was a rather painful day for everyone in the family.”

“What happened?”

“As I said, we should really let Jake tell that story, but let’s just say that Miri had a bit of a rough start in life.”

“Ah.  No wonder Jacob is so protective of her.  I think I understand.”

“All of our sons have their reasons as to why one or two of their little girls is their little princess.  Hell, I’ll be the first to admit that I had one of my own amongst our girls”, David said.  “You’re going to be over protective of any girls the two of you may have, but try not to smother them or spoil them.  I made that mistake and it took a great many years to correct it.  Thankfully, Maddie’s a balanced adult and is teaching her children right from wrong.”

Jax chuckled again.  “Seeing as girls are certain in my bloodline, I’ll have to keep that in mind.”

David laughed.  “If I had known all of the things I’m telling you beforehand, I probably would have done things little differently.  But, I’m the oldest of two boys.  I had no sisters.  Then out of nowhere I have five girls.  I wish I knew how that happened, but at the same time even if I did I wouldn’t change a thing.  All of our children are the world to me, as are our grandchildren- and now our great- grandchild.”

Jax nodded.  “I’ll keep all of these things in mind, Mr. Draiman, sir.  It’s all good advice to keep in mind when we have children.”

“Well, before you two start talking babies, you should at least be talking about wedding plans”, Brie said plainly.

“Well, he has permission to ask from Dad”, Miri said.  “Now it’s just a question of when he’s going to pop the question.”  Miri had no idea that he would be asking her sooner than she knew.

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Once they were all settled at the table, the conversation continued.  The focused on how Zeke was doing in school and with his dance classes, as well as Miri’s progress in the veterinary program at Loyola.  She was about to start her internship at the Chicago SPCA- which is where all of the vet students did their internships.  “I’m taking Summer I off for the express purpose of being here for tonight, as well as trying to spend some time with my parents.  I’m always gone and never see them anymore and while we were out for spring break, Dad finally told us that he’s planning to retire at the end of the year”, Miri said.

“He mentioned that to us about that time too.  How do you feel about it?” David asked his granddaughter.

“I’m okay with it.  I don’t remember when he worked for the VA, but I remember when he worked for the two different hospitals and that was harsh.  It was hard on all of us.  We never saw him and he was always so worn out.  He’s been running his own practice for that last 12 years.  I think he deserves to retire before he’s 60.  And with Mom supportive of it, it’s all good.  The only ones that seemed to complain were Seth and Sammi.”

“They’re just going to have to get over it.  They’re 16 now.  It’s time to grow up”, Brie said as she took a sip of her water.  They were still waiting on the waiter to bring out the tea.”

“I agree.  They’ll be graduating soon.  Scary thought that one.”

“Do I need to state the obvious?” Brie laughed.

“I know, Gramma.  I’m sure that turning 82 today is frightening.”

“Very much so”, she said quietly.

The waiter came up and gave them their drinks and the focus switched to Ezekiel.  “So, when did your mom start letting you dance in the videos she choreographs?”

“End of last year.  She’s been the one taking me to my dance class and asked me if I wanted to do one of the videos.  I tend to pick up choreography pretty quickly and they needed a kid my age for the video.  I said, ‘Why not?’ and went to the rehearsal with her the next day.  It was for some rapper.  I don’t even remember the name, but I’d been watching her try to figure out the steps for a few weeks.  I’d get in there and work with her so I was credited with choreographing the video as well.  I’m, apparently, an awesome hip hop dancer.  Some of my friends sat school want to put together a dance crew.  I told them I’d think about it.  I’m already being paid to dance.  Why would I want to do something thankless like be in a crew when I’m already being paid as an assistant choreographer and a dancer?”

“Sounds like you’ve already made up your mind”, David said.  “Have you told your friends?”

Zeke shook his head.  “Not yet.  I’m enjoying the little bit of a vacation I’m getting away from them because I’m always getting badgered for an answer.  I hate it when they nag.”

“Then just tell them no”, Miri said.

“I’m going to.  I’m letting them sit and wonder for a little while longer.  I told them not to bother me while I’m out of town.  I’ll let them know when they can call or text me because that will mean I’m back and ready to answer.”

“You just want to torture them”, Jax chuckled.

Zeke nodded.  “Something like that.  I’m just looking to torture them.”

Jax nodded.  “Get ‘em, mate.  If your mates are as annoying as you say they are, then they certainly deserve it.  I mean, crikey.  I certainly don’t see how you’re doing, mate.  I really don’t.”

Zeke laughed.  “I like you.  You’re awesome.  Using words like, ‘crikey’, and ‘mate’; and making me laugh me ass off.  When are you going to be a part of the family?”

“Soon enough.”

“I actually wonder if it’s ever going to happen”, Miri joked.  “I mean, he’s had permission to ask me to marry him since Miranda had Grace.  I’m still waiting.”

Jax just rolled his eyes and shook his head.  “Like I said, Zeke, soon enough.  I’ll be a member of the family soon enough.”

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They placed their meal ordered and talked some more.  Jax told stories about growing up in Austraila with his parents.  He talked about watching his mom deal with a bunch of different managers to get different acts into Sydney and the surrounding area.  “It was funny.  She’d walk around the house with a Bluetooth in her ear.  One minute she’d be dealing with us kids and the next she’s be one the phone debating whether or not a certain band would be suited for certain venues and whether or not she asses in the seats.  Growing up in my house was never dull.”

“I bet not”, Brie said.  She looked at David.  “Have you ever dealt with Lorelei Tompkins?”

He shook his head.  “No, but Jeff and Lauren have told horror stories.  From what I understand the woman drives a hard bargain.”

“My mum did not take ‘no’ for an answer.  Still doesn’t.  You do it or you do it. ‘No’ is not part of her vocabulary.”  As they ate they drifted from subject to subject, laughing and joking.  Miri told the story of her grandparents try to teach her how to use chopsticks eleven years before.  They all got a good laugh out of it.  Finally, Jax reached over and took Miri’s hand.  “Miri, I have a question for you.  Hypothetical.”

She nodded.  “Ok.  What’s the question?”

“If there was a really handsome Aussie that was in love with a beautiful green-eyed American girl and he wanted desperately to spend the rest of his life with her, what would you suggest to her?”

She lifted an eyebrow.  “If that hypothetical green eyes American girl was a part of a really big family and had an over protective father, I’d suggest that she have him talk to her Dad before anything else.”

“Say he’s already talked to her Dad and everything’s ok?”

“Then if he treats her well, I’d tell her she’s stupid if she said ‘no’.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, dark blue, velvet box.  “Miri, I love you.  I love you more than the air I breathe; more than life itself.  Will you marry me and make me the happiest man on two continents?”  He opened the tiny box to reveal a modest diamond ring.

Her hand flew up to her mouth which hung open in shock.  “Jax?  Are you serious?”

He slid out of the chair he was sitting in and onto one knee.  “I’m dead serious.  Marry me, Miriam Rebekah Draiman.”

She was in shock.  She could barely think.  “Yes Jackson.  Yes.  Of course, I’ll marry you.”

The entire dining room burst into applause as he slid the ring into its place and they kissed.  Even David and Brie applauded quietly with huge smiles on their faces.  “How lucky are we that we’ve gotten to witness this?” David whispered to Brie.

“Luckier than we know.  This is the best birthday present I’ve gotten since Zeke was born.”

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When they got home, David and Brie went straight for the couch to sit and watch a little TV while they enjoyed a little time with their family that was present.  Miri ran for the kitchen squealing.  “MAMA!  DADDY!  HE FINALLY POPPED THE QUESTION!”

David laughed.  “You can’t tell she’s excited.”

Brie shook her head.  “Nope.  Not at all.  There is no way on Earth that girl is excited.”

Jax strolled in after chatting with Ira for a moment, who was washing his car.  Ira was a little OCD about things like that.  “Where’s Miri?” he asked.

“Follow the squeals of joy and excitement”, Brie laughed.  “I’m sure you’ll find her at the end of them.  Knowing Miri, she’s showing off the rock.”

Jax laughed as he sat down in one of the arm chairs.  “I think I’ll her do just that.  I’ll sit here and watch TV with you for a few moments and join them when I’m paged.”

They both shrugged.  “If that’s what you think is best”, David said.  He put on a movie that seemed like it might be somewhat interesting and settled into the couch next to his wife.  Once he was comfortable, she snuggled into his side and laid her had against his shoulder.  Her eyes were half closed as she was hardly interesting in the movie.  She was more interested in the movie behind her eyelids.

“JAX!” they heard Jake call from the kitchen. 

Brie jumped, startled.  “What the hell?”

“That’s my cue”, Jax said as he stood from his chair.  “I’ll be sure to let my father in law know that he startled you, ma’am.”

She shook her head.  “Don’t bother.  He’ll hear about it later.  Just go see what he wants.”

Jax walked away.  Once he entered the kitchen, he was greeted by a hug from his future mother in law that caught him by surprise.  “It’s about damn time”, Delilah laughed.  “I’ve been wondering if you were ever going to ask.”

“I wanted to ask the right moment.  I figured that dinner with her grandparents and cousin for their birthday wouldn’t be any more right than anything else.  The moment couldn’t have gotten better.”

“Well, the ring certainly is beautiful”, Jake said with a grin.  “Not too big, not too small.”

“I figured her for a simple kind of girl when I bought it.”

“And when was that?”

“Before we came out for the wedding.  I bought it in anticipation that you would ok the relationship”, he chuckled.  “I mean, I’ve been told I’m pretty loveable.  I hoped you would approve of me and give me permission so I bought the ring just in case.  It was waiting for the perfect moment that was the chore.  She is impatient.”

“I know what I want and when I want it.  Your schedule just didn’t measure up to mine.  I was thinking you’d get down on your knee when we went back to Chicago in April.  Instead, you waited until June, and I’m glad you did.  My grandparents got to see it.  That was awesome and meant a great deal to me.”

Jax nodded.  “I thought it would and that’s why I waited.”