Chapter 40

The rest of Hanukkah passed and Jake had a decision to make.  How was he going to help his siblings prepare for the loss of their parents?  Better yet, how was he going to do that when he himself was barely ready to lose them himself?  That was the hardest part.

With the siblings that stuck around after the New Year began- though their parents had already left for home in Jerusalem- he called a family meeting.  He sucked in a deep breath and tried to figure out what to tell them all as he waited for Delilah or Jeremiah to come up the stairs to come get him.

While he sat and thought, there was a knock on the door of his office where he was handling household affairs as the prepared for his meeting.  “Come in.  It’s open”, he called.

The door opened to his oldest son who was taking the semester off.  He’d gotten all of his prerequisites out of the way and needed a little time to clear his head.  Thankfully, he had a week to register if he wanted to start online classes while he was home.  “Hey Dad”, he said with a lopsided grin.

“What’s up, Ira?”

“Can I borrow your ear for a minute?  I wanted to talk to you real quick.”

“Come on and close the door, son.  What’s on your mind?”

“I’ve been thinking the past few weeks about what I wanted to actually do with myself.  I mean, don’t get me wrong I love cars, but I don’t really think I want to work with them for the rest of my life, you know?”

“I can understand that.  If I hadn’t had my heart set on medical school I would have either gone into the military or become a mechanic.  I had a car that I would have loved to learn how to fix when it broke down.”

“What happened to the car?”

“It was totaled in the wreck that brought about the premature arrival of your older sister.”

“Really?  Yikes!”

Jake shrugged.  “As much as I loved the car, the safety of your mother and sister were far more important.”  He took his glasses off of his face and pressed the points on the outside of his eyes and held them for a minute.  “So, what have you decided to do with yourself for the rest of your life?”

“Dad, I want to be a shrink.”  The look on Ira’s face said that he was dead serious.

Jake nodded.  “May I ask why?”

“Well, if you think about it Dad, it’s kind of a tradition in this little portion of the Draiman family to go into a field that deals with the brain.  You’re a neurologist.  Never mind the Nobel Prize thing.  Mom is a Body- Mind Therapist.  That deals with the connection between the two and working with it.  Technically, she’s a shrink.  Miri is becoming a veterinary neurologist.  What better for me to do, right?  Anyway, as your son, I’m as fascinated by human behavior as you are.  I want to know why?.”

Jake nodded.  “All very sound and well thought out points, my son.  Kudos for that.”

Ira nodded.  “Thank you.”

“Are you asking my permission?”

“More for advice.  This is what I want to do.  I’m just not sure what field of psychology I want to specialize in, or if I want to specialize at all.”

“I see.  You want to know what Grampa always told us growing up?”

“Sure.  What did Grampa tell you when you were lost and needed advice?”

“Follow your passions.  If this is what you want, do it.  If you think that human behavior is the most fascinating thing you’ve ever encountered then do it.  If Criminal Psychology is what interests you, then do it.  Follow your passions, my son.  It’s rare that the heart leads you astray.”

“Did Grampa really say all of that?”

“No.  His advice was always personalized to the situation, as was Gramma’s.  Your situation called for special wording because you’re a special child.  All four of you are special to me.  I want you all to understand that.  From Miri to you, to the twins- you’re all special and will receive the best advice that I as your father can think to provide you.”

“You pulled that out of your ass”, Ira laughed.

“Am I that obvious?” Jake laughed in return.  “Seriously, Ira.  Do what you’re passionate about.  If this is what you want, do it.  I’m behind you and so is Mom.  Ok?”

“Yeah.  Thanks Dad.”

“No problem son.  Now, I’ve got to hurry and finish paying these bills before your aunts and uncles arrive and I have to talk to them about Gramma and Grampa.”

“Dad, can I put in my two cents on that?”

“If you think it will help, son.  What do you suggest?”

“Gramma and Grampa are going to die.  I know no one is ready for it.  Hell, I’m barely ready for it though I’ve known for a long time that it was coming eventually.  All you can really do is mentally prepare yourself for it.  None of us are going to be able to nail down exactly when they’re going to go so we can’t really be ready, but you can resign yourself to it and stop worrying about it all the time.”

“Just resign ourselves to the fact that it’s coming and there’s nothing we can do about it?”

“What is it that song Grampa wrote says? ‘Time is just another God of the Mind.’  We’re all slaves to it and there never seems to be enough.  Like it or not, they’re going to go.  All you can do is resign yourself to it and get ready for it to finally happen.”

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

When Jake came down the stairs to talk with his brothers and sisters, he kept in mind the words of his son.  Ira was surprisingly wise for his age.  Beyond his years wise.  He never imagined that his own son would be offering him advice, but then again Jake himself had done it with his father on several occasions.  It wasn’t anything new.  He had been a voice of reason when his father was at a loss.  He would take the reins and give his father a break.  It seemed to him that Ira was preparing to do that for him.

When he called the family meeting to order, he cleared his throat.  “We all know why I’ve called us here.  Mom and Dad don’t have a lot of time left in this world.  The question is, how do we prepare for that?  How do I, as your older brother- and in Malachai’s case younger brother- help you cope with the fact that we are going to lose our parents?  I’ve been pondering this for a very long couple of weeks and I have finally found an answer, thanks to my oldest son.  In Dad’s own words, ‘Time is just another God of the mind’.  We’re all slaves to time.  There is nothing that we can do about time taking its toll- whether it’s on our bodies, our minds, or our very lives.  All we can do at this point where our beloved father and sainted mother are concerned is just resign ourselves to the fact that they are going to go soon.  How soon?  I have no idea.  That’s a piece of knowledge that I don’t have and believe me, I wish I did.  It would make this a lot easier.  We’d know when we have to let them go by.”  Jake took a minute to take a breath and swallow the lump in his throat.  “We have to give them permission to go”, he said as he choked back tears.  “I know it’s not what we want to do, but it’s what must be done.”

“You make is sound so easy”, Jordan said sadly.

“It’s not easy, Jordan.  Trust me.  You think I wanted to hear my own son tell me that I needed to resign myself to the fact that our parents were going to die?  I know you don’t want to say good bye.  I don’t want to say goodbye.  But, they’re suffering through the pain for us.  Dad doesn’t let it show, but he’s in a great deal of pain daily from all of his issues.  Mom’s back is acting up again and she can’t use her hands like she used to.  They’re in their 80’s for God’s sake.  We’re being selfish by not letting them go.  You know it and I know it.  Jordan, we’ve had 46 years with them.  It’s time to let them go.”

Jeremiah nodded.  “Jake’s right.  We have to let them go or they’re going to keep hanging in there until we finally grow up.  The night I went out and picked them up to bring them in for Hanukkah, Mom broke down over the fact that she couldn’t grip the bag that had the kid’s gifts in them.  She couldn’t make her hand close around the handle.  And I see the pain in Dad’s eyes every time he stand up off of this couch to do anything, whether it’s go to the kitchen to get a drink or to go into the downstairs bathroom to take a piss.  Will either of them complain about it to us?  No.  They’ll grin and bear it until the bitter end just like they always have.  We need to get over the fact that we don’t want to lose our parents and let them die already.  Dad will be 85 in two months.  Mom will be 82 in five months.  It’s time to let them go.”

Jake sucked in a breath and nodded.  “Thank you, ‘Miah.”

“Not a problem Jake.  It was my pleasure.  I hate seeing them suffer as much as you do.”

Jake just nodded.  “Look, there’s nothing we can do to make them better, even though I wish there were.  As a medical doctor, I wish I could think of a way that would give Mom and Dad their youth back but I also know that it’s not possible.  Trying to defy time is impossible.  One way or another time wins.  We have to accept that.  If there’s anything I can do to make this easier on you, let me know and if it’s in my power I will make it so.  If you need to talk, I’m here to listen.  I can’t speak for anyone else.  It’s not my place.  Now, I have bills to finish paying on for the month and two college aged children to make sure their tuition is paid.  I need to step away.  Chat amongst yourselves or whatever you want to do.  I’ve said what I have to say.  This family meeting, as far as I’m concerned is adjourned.” He turned and walked as quickly as he could up the stairs so that he could disappear into his office and hide.  He needed to have a few moments to himself.

Once he disappeared behind his office door, he put his back to the door and slid down the length of it as his emotions overcame him.  He didn’t want his parents to die, though it was inevitable.  Briefly, he remembered his Uncle’s death so many years before.  He’d known that was coming and he hadn’t wanted that either, but he had accepted it.  It was bittersweet.  His parents parting however; the only sweet thing about that would be that they would no longer be in pain.  That was the only upside.

Jeremiah looked at his brothers and sisters. "I echo what Jake said. If there's anything I can do to help you through this let me know and I will do it if I can. I need to get to the doctor. First, I'm going up and check on our brother." He headed up the stairs to Jake's office and knocked softly on the door. "Jake, you ok in there?"

He heard a sniffle on the other side of the door. "Call my wife. I need Delilah."

"You got it", Jeremiah said as he pulled his phone out. "Lilah, it's 'Miah. Jake's in a bit of a rough spot and he needs you home. Can you tear yourself away? No? You want me to bring him to you on my way to town? I have an appointment with the osteopathic Doctor a few blocks over. I could pick him up on the way back home. Ok, I'll drag me crying brother out the door so that he can cry on your shoulder. Yes, he's crying. I can hear him through the door. Yeah, thought that would get your attention. Ok. Well, good thing I don't have to leave just yet. If he'll let me in the room I'll sit with him. Bye, Delilah." He knocked on the door again. "Jake, let me in. I have orders from Delilah to sit with you until she can get here to hold you while you fall apart." The door opened just a little and he heard movement. He walked into the office. "You ok in here?"

"Not really, bro", Jake said as he sat down behind the desk. "Jordan acts as though it's easy for me to say that we need to give Mom and Dad permission to die. I don't want them to go any more than the rest of us do. That I had to say that killed me. I want them to stick around as long as possible, but I don't want them to suffer. I see the pain their faces when they move around too and it breaks my heart. I don't want to hear Dad's joints snap and pop when he stands up. I don't want to see Mom struggle to stand up straight because her back is giving her trouble. That kills me the worst. I wish we could convince them to move back because caring for them would be so much easier."

Jeremiah nodded. "What you said out there was hard for all of us to hear. I was hard for me to say what I said, but it had to be said, Jake."

"I know it had to be said; that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Was it really Ira that gave you the 'we have to give them permission to go' thing?"

"Yeah, even quoted 'God of the Mind' to me. He said we need to all resign ourselves to it and get ready."

"Boy is wise beyond his years."

"No kidding. And you know what he came in here to tell me?"

"No; what?"

Jake forced a laugh. "He wants to be a shrink."

Jeremiah chuckled. "Good for him. He'll make a great one. Maybe he'll revolutionize the field like his father did neurology."

Jake chuckled. "Who knows?"

They sat and talked about losing their parents and both of them were fighting off tears before Delilah came home with Jona in tow.  Jona was going with Jeremiah to his doctor’s appointment with him whether he liked it or not.  She wanted to know just what was going on with is back and what could be done about it.

Delilah walked into the office not bothering to knock.  It was her husband’s office.  “Jeremiah, Jona is waiting for you out front to take you to the doctor”, she said as she made her way behind Jake’s desk and took him in her arms.

Jeremiah nodded as he headed out the door as he wiped tears from his eyes.  As he stood from the chair he was sitting in, he felt his back starting to protest.  This is ridiculous, he thought stood and walked out of Jake’s office.  As he shut the door behind him the last thing he saw Jake’s arms wind around Delilah’s waist as his shoulders racked and they both started to sob.”

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

When he knew that he was alone with his wife he started sobbing into the scrub top she wore.  What he felt in his heart was a pain beyond words.  Whether they were deathly ill or not, his parents were ding.  “I don’t want them to go, Lilah!” he cried.  The sound was muffled because he had his face pressed against his wife’s stomach.

She shushed him as tears rolled down her cheeks.  “I know, Jakey.  I don’t want them to go either, but we all know it’s coming.  It’s inevitable, my love.”

“But this is my Mama and Daddy we’re talking about.  They’re supposed to live forever, dammit!”

“You and I are both are too old to believe such foolishness, Jacob”, she said as she wiped the tears that flowed down her face away.  Her heart was broken too.  She knew about the dream he’d had during Hanukkah.  His dreams could be both bitter and sweet.

He sobbed for a little while longer before speaking again.  “You know what sucks the most, Delilah?” he asked as he pulled away and wiped his eyes.

She smiled down at him sadly with red puffy eyes.  “What’s that, Jacob?”

“Our oldest son is too smart for his own good.”  He started fiddling around with his computer to finish the bills.

She cleared off the corner of the desk and hopped up on it.  “Ira?  What did he say?”

“He was the one that told me that we all, basically, need to grow up and just let them go.”  He sat back in his high backed office chair and sighed.  “I feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders right now.  I have to deal with the funeral arrangements so that everything is ready when they finally do go.  I have to help my siblings get ready for our parents passing while trying to prepare for it myself.  Meanwhile, I have a practice and a household to run.  I don’t think I can do this, Lilah.”

She smiled at him.  “You’re not doing it alone, Jakey.  I’m here for you.  You know that.  I will do whatever I have to do to make all of this easier on you, as I’m sure Jeremiah will.  He’s not going to let you be overcome by all of this and neither am I.  Now, you mentioned to me that he had a warning for you and one about Ira.”

Jake knew what she was talking about.  “Yeah.  Speaking of our son Ira, he told me what he wants to do with himself for the rest of his life.”

“OH?”

“Yeah.  To use his word, he wants to be a shrink.”

“A psychiatrist?”

“More a psychologist.”

“I’ve never really understood the difference.”

“The biggest difference is that one is more focused on the medical reasons.  That’s the psychiatrist.  A psychologist is more focused on the psychological reasons behind something.  Psychiatry is a medical degree.  Psychology is a doctorate is he wants to become a doctor.  One's an MD, one's a PhD.  That's really all the difference.”

“So Psychiatry would mean medical school.”

“Yeah.”

“Would you pull strings to get him into Johns- Hopkins?”

“Dunno.  One the one hand, he’s my son and I want him to have the best education.  On the other, I don’t want there to be an appearance of nepotism.  I guess it would all depend on what he wants and if he came to me and asked that of me.  To be honest, it’d be easier to get him into Loyola Medical rather than Johns-Hopkins.  I still talk to people at Loyola.  I have no friends in Boston.”

“Why not?”

“I left Johns-Hopkins University in my rearview mirror and made sure they ate my dust.  I had a few friends from my days in Boston that did the same and we still talk, but none of them teach there.”

She nodded.  “Do you have friends at Loyola?”

“Many.”

“That’s cool.  What was the warning for you?”

“The same issue Mom had after Miri was born is haunting me.  I need to try to get into the Doctor soon to get a diagnosis.  I don’t want to be the typical doctor that doesn’t see his own physician and diagnoses himself.”

“I’ll get on that and make sure that you get in to see who you need to.  Have you ever thought about trying that doctor that Jeremiah goes to?  The osteopathic doctor that has an office not far from the clinic?”

“I have, I just haven’t had time to call to see about an appointment.”

“I’ll do that tomorrow on my lunch break.  See, you don’t have the weight of the world resting solely on your shoulders.  It’s a joint load, Superman.  Let me share it with you and we’ll get through this whole mess just fine.”

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

As they walked out of the doctor’s office hand in hand, Jeremiah spun Jona around as they walked out to their car.  “This is nice”, he said.  “This isn’t something we get to do often.”

“What?” Jona asked with a giggle as she was spun around.

“Just me and you; no kids, not siblings, and neither of us have to work.  We could go to lunch and enjoy the time to ourselves.  That is, until Matt and Rina get home from school.”

She smiled.  “Sounds like fun.  Where do you want to go?”

“I don’t care.  You choose.”

“What about that nice little café out near the campus?”

“You like that place huh?”

“Yeah.  Don’t you?”

“I do for the most part.  I’m just not fond of the food.  The coffee is good though.”

“They have things that fit in with the diet that Dr. Jackson approved of me putting you on when you voiced concerns about blood pressure and the diet.  Things like kale, okra, and celery are what I was talking about.  Things with natural sodium, not iodized stuff like table salt or other greasy foods. The naturally occurring sodium from the healthy foods balances the calcium in your body so the bones have a lesser chance of fusing. And have you ever heard of the saying 'your genetics are the gun; your lifestyle is the trigger'? I will make sure you keep it at bay- if not maybe fix it- and use everything in my arsenal from foods to supplements to take that probable chance of surgery out of the equation. I do understand if it does come down to surgery, but if I can help it, I'll make sure you don't have to go through what your mom went through."

He chuckled.  "Very true, but I'm not worried about it. I know that you'll take care of me. And Yes, Jona my love, I've heard that adage before. My mother was one of the healthiest people that I've ever known- active until her doctor told her no more. Remember? She and Dad would run, and work out like crazy, and dive when they traveled. When they were told no more, they stopped. And the fact that they're not as physically active as they used to be is what's got her so messed up. But, love, if a diet that's high in natural sodium will help to keep me off the operating table I'll be a very happy camper. I don't want to have my back opened up. Any kind of back surgery is dangerous, we both know that. Anyway, at least it was caught early, right? Mom's wasn't caught until she was nearly debilitated by it. Mom is stubborn and won't go to the doctor unless she has to. You know my mother. Thankfully, I didn't inherit that little bit of stubborn, right?”  He opened her car door for her and waited for her to get in the car.

"Good. It’s nice to know we're on the same page. I'm just making sure; you know how I am. Especially with the ones I love." She wrapped her arms gently around his neck and kissed him on the cheek.  "I am glad we caught it early. The sooner we do something about it, the better. And you may not have inherited you mom's stubbornness, but you certainly got her sweet, patient charm. Although I think our daughter might have inherited that stubbornness. Maybe even the short fuse I had when I was a teenager”, she laughed.

"Yes love. I know you and we are on the same page." He placed a kiss on her nose.  "Me too. If we can stave this off, and keep me out of surgery the happier I'll be. I won't do surgery unless I have to and that's the only choice other than paralysis. I'm not losing my ability to walk to genetics." He blushed, a flush of red spreading over his face, neck and ears.  He rubbed at his pink his pink ears as he spoke again. "Sweet, patient charm? Am I 'charming'? I'm just 'Miah. That's all I've ever been, but you're certainly not kidding about Rina. That girl is stubborn and ill tempered. The only thing that will overcome that is patience and love."  After all the time they’d been married, she still knew just what to say to make him blush redder than a Coca Cola bottle label.  He both loved and hated it at the same time.

She chuckled at his embarrassment.  "Of course you're 'you'. But the sweetness and patience that is a part who you are has never ceased to 'charm' me. And that patience helps me tame our Rina's little temper. I love her and admire her bold personality, if she becomes a spoiled diva as a teen; I think there's a chance that I could make her head roll. And you know I'm quite the sight to see when my patience runs thin." She laughed.

The blush on his cheeks quickly became a very serious look. "'Diva Rina' will NOT happen. I had to deal with that with my sister Jordan. Still do sometimes. I will not tolerate it from my own daughter. She will always be 'Daddy's little girl', but I won't do 'spoiled little princess'. If you've never seen me lose my temper, you will if she starts letting the tendencies to be like Aunt Jordan get the best of her as a teenager. You won't have to make her little head roll. Daddy will do that."

She smiled softly.  “Calm down.  Thankfully, she’s not there yet.  Let’s just relax and go enjoy our lunch, how does that sound?  From there, I’ll either help Delilah make dinner or we’ll eat with my parents.  I’ll have to call Mom to see what she wants to do.  I think Damien and Avery might be over tonight and they’ll want a little bit of face time with all of us.  And I think Matt wants to hang with Uncle Damien for a little bit.”

“Having your brother around has been a good thing for Matthew.  I’ve been very grateful that your family has been so close.  It’s been a blessing for sure with my parents being so far away after Dad retired.”

She smiled.  “My Dad adores you.  You know that.  So does my Mom.”

“I know.”  He kissed her lips briefly, just a phantom of a brush and he was gone.  “Let’s go eat, Jona.  I’m hungry.”

Chapter 39

Finally it came time to head in and David called Jake.  “We’re ready when you can have someone one come out to get us.”

“I’ll have Jeremiah head out there and pick you two up.  I was starting to worry that you two weren’t going to come in”, he chuckled.

“Nah.  Mom just wanted to hang out here for the day.  She needed a little time to think.”

“What happened?”

“If she wants you to know, Jacob, I’m sure she will tell you.  Just get someone out here to get us or bring everyone out here along with the Menorah so that we can have the evening’s festivities.  Either way, something needs to happen before sunset.  Your mother and I aren’t getting any younger, you know.”

Jake chuckled.  “Yeah Dad.  You and Mom make that frighteningly more and more apparent as time wears on.  Do you think everyone will fit out there in the cottage?”

“No.  I know everyone won’t fit out here.  That means someone needs to come get us.  I think tonight, Mom and I will just take the golf cart to come back out here so that we don’t have to play the waiting game.  We can just come in when we’re ready whether that means first thing in the morning or right before sunset.”

“Whatever makes you happy, Dad.  Jeremiah is on his way.  I just texted him to have him head out there and he said give him a couple of minutes and he’ll be right out.  He should be pulling up now, as a matter of fact.”

Brie had been standing at the door and was wrapped up tightly in her coat.  “I see headlights, David”, she said as she tried to grab the bag that held the gifts they’d gotten their grandchildren.  “Damn it”, she said under her breath.

“Hanging up now, Jake.  We’ll see you in a few”, David said as he watched his wife’s frustration.

“Ok Dad”, Jake said.  “See you in a few.”

David put his phone in his coat pocket.  “Leave it for Jeremiah, love.  He’s much younger than either of us are.”

She shook her head.  “That’s not the point.  My damn hands don’t want to work.  It’s too cold here.  As soon as we can get back to Israel we need to get back.  I need to see a doctor about this.  I can’t pick up this bag.  This is nonsense.”

He pulled his frustrated wife into his arms and held her tightly.  “I know it’s frustrating, Brie.  Just relax.  See if one of the girls would be willing to try to loosen up the muscles in your hands so that you’re not in so much pain.”

She nodded, her face pressed into his chest.  “I’m not used to having this many issues, David.  I can’t use my hands the way I used to.  There was a time when my hands were my livelihood.  If I had had these problems when I was still working, my career would have been over.”  Tears filled her eyes as she started to cry from the frustration as well as the pain she was feeling.

He rubbed a hand up and down her back.  “I know, baby.  I’m upset that you’re so upset and in so much pain.  I wish that there were something I could do to take the pain away.  I can’t.  But, I’m here for you and you know that, right?”

She nodded.  “I know, David.  I just don’t know how much longer I’m going to be able to do this.”

“When we get home, we’ll get you in to see the doctor about this.  Maybe there’s something he can do to help with the pain and the lack of function.”

“Between my hands giving out on me and my spine fucking up again, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“I’m here to take care of you, my angel.  Don’t worry about it.  Remember what you were told last night and just hang in there until the very end.  I’m with you no matter what, my love, and you know I’ll do whatever I can to make this easier for you.”

Before she could respond, Jeremiah knocked on the door.  “I’ll thank you later for the comfort.  For now, I’ll give you this.”  She stretched up and gave him a soft kiss on the lips.  “I love you, David.  Thank you.”

He smiled down at her as he wiped the tears from her cheek.  “I love you too, Brie.  You’re more than welcome.  It’s my job.”

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

Jeremiah couldn’t help but overhear his parents’ conversation as he approached the door to pick them up.  He heard his mother’s frustration with her spine and her hands and his father’s quiet reassurance that he would stand beside her and take care of her no matter what.  It reminded him of breaking the news of his inheriting the Spondylosis from his mother to his wife.  Jona was of course worried about him, but she was going to take care of him the way he would have done the same to her.  “Jona, love, I have a little bit of bad news from the doctor”, he’d said as he got off of the phone with his doctor.

“What’s going on?”

“Remember how I told you my back has been bothering me a lot recently and I was going to have my doctor check it out?”

“Yes.  Did he get back to you with the diagnosis?”  She had been at the counter putting together the flowers that they gave Ranger for his nerves.  He was doing better, but the vet said that he needed to stay on whatever herbs they had been giving him for a little while longer before they could start weaning him off of them.

Jeremiah had sighed and patted the seat next to him.  “You’re going to want to be sitting for this, love.”

She took the seat next to him with a look of worry.  “Is it serious?”

He drew in a deep breath.  “You’ve seen the scar on my Mom’s lower back, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you know what that’s from?”

“She had to have back surgery, I assume.”

“Yeah.  She had to have a vertebral separation done.  It was from her lumbar spine fusing together.  It’s a genetic condition.  And, I am one of the unfortunate souls in the family to have inherited this from my mother.”

Jona nodded.  “And from now on, I’m going make sure you eat a diet that’s high in sodium so that we can cut this off at the pass.”

“Jona, I…”

She cut him off.  “Don’t argue with me, ‘Miah.  There is no way I’m going to let this happen to you.  You’re going to eat enough sodium to sink a battleship.”

He chuckled.  “I understand that.  I’m not arguing.  I just want you to understand that this is genetic.  You can stuff all of the sodium rich foods you want down my throat- and I’ll welcome it because I don’t have the blood pressure issues that my father and many of my siblings have- but I don’t think it will cut it off at the pass.  It may help to stave it off, but it won’t keep it from happening.  It’s already started.  I’ve been getting screened for this since I was a senior in high school when Mom found out and had to have her back operated on.  Eventually, I may have to have surgery.”

“Well, if we can keep this from getting too bad from a sodium rich diet, then that’s what we’re going to do.  If there does come a point where surgery is a real possibility, then we’ll deal with it.”

And that was why he loved Jona. She wanted to see what could be done to hold off surgery and to manage the pain.  If he could avoid surgery all together, he would be a very happy person.  If only there were something he could have done for his mother.  He hated that there was so much frustration in her and that she was in so much pain.  He could see that his father was in pain as well, but was keeping it to himself because he was comforting his wife.  He knew that both of his parents were taking pain killers like candy and there was nothing that could be done for it.  He hated that he could do nothing for it.  But, he knew there was one thing he could do.  He could talk to God.

God, I know you and I don’t talk often and I do my best not to ask a lot of you when we do.  I’ve asked for healthy children and you’ve given me that.  I’ve asked that you keep my wife healthy and you’ve been kind enough to oblige.  You and I both know that my parents are in pain these days.  Please, end their suffering sooner rather than later.  I can’t stand to see them in this kind of pain- Mom’s crying and Dad’s so focused on taking care of her that he’s not taking care of himself.  End their pain, Father.  I for one can’t stand to see them suffering anymore, he prayed as he reached up and knocked on the door.  When his father answered, he smiled.  “Hey Dad, you and Mom ready to come in for Hanukkah?”

David chuckled at the look in his son’s face.  “We are.  What are you so happy about?”

“I’m faking it, Dad.  I have a lot on my mind and I don’t want to bother those that don’t need the bother with my issues.”

“What the matter?” Brie asked.

“Don’t worry about it, Mom.  You and Dad are supposed to be here enjoying the holiday with your family.  Don’t worry about me and my problems.”

“It’s not bill issues, is it?”

“Mother.  Stop worrying about me.  Let’s just take you two into the house so that you can both enjoy yet another Hanukkah with your grandkids.”  He watched as his mother attempted to pick up the bag that had the gifts for the grandkids inside.  Her hand didn’t want to close around the handles.   “Here Mom.  Let me get that”, he said.

“No, Jeremiah.  I’m going to pick up this bag.  I’m the one that’s in charge here.  Not my hand”, she said.  Her voice was full of frustration and pain.

Jeremiah reached out and took his mother’s hands gently in his.  “Mom, I’ve got it.  Just relax and let me get it for you.”

“Jeremiah, it’s a matter of pride.  I have to prove that I can do it.”

“To whom, Mom?  Certainly not to me and I’m pretty sure that you don’t have to prove it to Dad.”

“To myself, Alexander.  It’s a personal pride thing.  I’ll be damn if this shit is going to beat me.”  She wrapped her hand around the handle again and tried to close her hand around it, only to fail again.  “Screw it”, she said with a sigh.  “We’re burning daylight.”

Jeremiah tried not to chuckle at his mother’s frustration as he reached out and grabbed the bag that carried gifts.  “Mom, I know it’s frustrating.  I hate seeing you like this.”

She sighed.  “Son, let’s just drop it.  The cold is making my back hurt and I really need to sit down where it’s warm.”

“Then why don’t we get you and Dad to the house so that you can both get warm and watch your grandkids open their gifts?”

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

The family had dinner and exchanges gifts. Now, they were all just sitting around and hanging out. Most of the kids who were still young enough to have a bedtime were already there. They fell out after dinner. They were all exhausted from playing with their cousins all day. The adults were all sitting around and talking while the older grandkids were in the game room playing games. Some pages air hockey, some played video games, and some still played pool.

As they all sat around, Malachai felt a little reminiscent. He was about to become a grandfather and it made him miss his grandparents just a little. "Hey Mom, Dad; do you remember the day you guys came out and picked me up in Tennessee at Grandmamma and Granddad's house?" he asked.

David looked at his oldest child like he'd lost his mind. "Oh God. Don't make me relive that again today."

"What do you mean?"

"Dad and I were just talking about that his afternoon", Brie said with a smile.

This piqued everyone's interests. "What happened?" James asked.

David shook his head. "No. I'm not going there."

Maddie pouted. She was dying to know stories about at least on set of her grandparents. "But why not, Daddy? We don't have any memories of our grandparents. You should share." She was sure to lay the guilt on thick.

Jordan had the same desire that Maddie did. She didn't have stories about her grandparents. "Yeah Dad. You should share that memory with us."

David was still against it. "I said no. You are not laughing at my expense during Hanukkah. I won't allow it. I'm still your father, dammit."

Brie looked up at her husband from where her head rested against his arm with a chiding look. "What harm will it do, David?"

He shook his head. "I don't want to live through that again."

"You already told me, Dad", Jeremiah said. He had no idea just what kind of trouble he'd just started.

David shook his head again. "Not all of it. I intentionally left out the more painful parts of that night."

Malachai laughed. "It wasn't just painful for you, Dad."

Brie shook her head, agreeing with their son. "Nope. Though I couldn't breathe for the first portion of it."

Jordan's face filled with surprise. "Oh, now you three have to share."

Maddie nodded in agreement. "Oh yeah. I mean, it's not bad enough that you won't share. Now you're just teasing."

David sighed. "Are you two seriously doing this to me? My own daughters? Whatever happened to those sweet little girls who came running when I was being pelted by snowballs by your brothers?"

The girls exchanged a look and turned their puppy dog pouty faces to their father. "PLEASE DADDY?" they pleaded in unison.

"If it will make it easier on you, I could tell the story", Brie asked him softly.

He shook his head. "As much as I'd love to take the easy way out, no baby. I'll tell it." He looked at his children. "Fine. Everyone sit down. I'm not telling the story more than once." Once they were all sitting down and had either hot chocolate, hot tea, or coffee in hand to keep warm, he took a deep breath and started. "Now, all of you should keep in mind that this happened over forty years ago. I'm a little foggy on some of the details though I remember most of it like it was yesterday. Mom and I went through the motions of getting a private adoption of Malachai because Mom was supposed to be dead and was living under an alias. So, after the adoption went through we flew out of Denver to Nashville to pick him up at your grandparents' house. I got a talking to from Granddad and Grandmamma's automatic vote of confidence because I'm Jewish. I met Malachai and he asked me if he could call me Dad. Of course I said yes. We sat and talked for a little while and I sang for them so that your grandmother would warm up to the thought that I was a vocalist in a rock band. Then, your Grandmamma had the brilliant idea for us to go into Nashville again. Yay, I thought. We all piled up into the Escalade your mother and I rented and we went into Nashville. First stop was a restaurant for dinner. And that's where things got interesting. I wasn't wearing my piercings intentionally so that I didn't get recognized. Trying to protect myself as well as your Mom and Malachai, I’d opted out of them. Well, that did me little to no good. Your grandmother decided to announce to God and everybody present that I, David Draiman, was he son in law and that I was awesome."

His children all burst into laughed. "You're kidding", Marc said.

David shook his head with a chuckle. "I kid you not. That was her word. She called me awesome. Of course, I turned about fifteen shades of red when that happened and I pleaded with her to stop. 'Please Mrs. Cartwright, don't make this any harder on me than it already is.' Of course, I got ignored. She went off on this tangent about how at first she'd been frightened when your mother told her that I was a musician and that I was in an established rock band. The more that woman talked, the redder my face got. I started praying that God would cause the Earth to open up and just swallow me. Mom, on the other hand, was trying to relearn to breathe while trying not to draw a lot of attention to our table."

Jake finally chimed in, giving their mother a look of complete shock. "Really Mom?"

"God's honest truth. When my mother finally stopped embarrassing your father I stopped laughing and ate my dinner as I watched your Dad jump into the role and start cutting up Malachai's food that needed it."

"How old was Malachai?" Meagan asked.

"I was five, Mae", Malachai answered. "I wasn't old enough to us a steak knife just yet."

"Ah."

David took over again. "Well, there are things that your mother doesn't know about that meal."

Brie looked at him with surprise and curiosity written on her face. "What don't I know?"

"I'm getting there, dear. Let me tell the story," he said as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. Looking back at their ten children he started telling the story again. "One of the times your mother stepped away, Grandmamma looked at me and told me- though she thought it was an abhorrent practice- had our families known each other when your mother and I were children, she would have had no problem promising your mother to me in an arranged marriage."

Brie's jaw dropped, her mouth gaping wide open. "My mother said that to you?"

"Oh yeah. I swore I'd take that one to my grave. I wanted someone to shoot me at that point."

Jeremiah was even laughing at that point. "Wow! Grandmamma was brazen."

"She didn't have that filter between her brain and her mouth that told her when something was inappropriate", David explained. "Finally the food arrived and your grandmother had to stop talking long enough for me to retort, 'The only way that would have happened would have been if I had become a rabbi, a lawyer, or not pursued music like I had and stayed in health care.' Granddad started laughing so hard he nearly choked on his mashed potatoes."

"I've always wondered what that comment was about", Brie said.

"Now you know. It's nearly 47 years after the fact, but now you know."

"That can't be the worst that happened", Maddie laughed.

"Oh, of course not. This story gets much worse. After dinner we went to the mall in Nashville. Mom needed to pick something up at the massage outlet there that she needed for when we went on Uproar. Now, to be fair to your Grandmamma, people were bumping into her and being rude when this happened. She'd had enough of people knocking into her and she jumped up on one of the benches and shouted above everyone, 'ATTENTION PEOPLE OF NASHVILLE: DON'T FUCK WITH ME! YOU MESS WITH ME AND I WILL SICC MY SON IN LAW ON YOU. HIS NAME IS DAVID DRAIMAN AND HE'S THE LEAD SINGER FOR A ROCK BAND CALLED DISTURBED. HE'S A BAD ASS. MESS WITH HIS MOTHER IN LAW AND HE WILL MESS YOU UP.' This is when your mother stepped in and started getting on Graddad about putting a cork in Grandmamma. I could not have been more grateful that we left them at their home when we did. The entire time she's shouting at the people of Nashville, I'm covering my face and praying that no one recognizes me, as well as thinking that I don't know her." He was laughing. He hadn't thought it was going to be all that funny when he started telling the story.

"Oh Daddy", Jordan laughed. "That's too precious. Did people ask if she was talking about you?"

"I was asked a couple of times and flat denied it. There was no way in hell that I was going to own that."

"Did Granddad finally get Grandmamma to stick a sock in it?" Makayla asked.

"Yes, thank God", Malachai laughed.

"But Grandmamma had something to say as he pulled her off of those benches", David continued."

"'These people need to learn some manners, Mitchell', my mother said. 'Maybe if David beats them into the rude bastards they'll learn to be more careful with an old lady.' I was too embarrassed at that point to laugh anymore. I'd let it slide at the restaurant but I had business to handle in the Mall. Enough was enough. I grabbed your father and your brother and started dragging them toward the store I needed and texted my Dad told him and Mom to meet us at the car. As we walked, I apologized all over myself for my laughter as well as the behavior of my parents. Dad, of course, forgave me for laughing and said that we would be dropping my parents off at their house, getting Malachai's things, and going to our hotel because there was no way in God's green earth that he was going to be able to stay in the same house with his in laws and not commit homicide", their mother continued.

"I couldn't do it. I tried to be good natured about it all, but I couldn't have done that all night. As good natured as I am, even I would have reached my limit and made 'Run' literal that night", David laughed. "Maybe not speaking to them as I packed Malachai's things into the car lost me points, but that was fine with me. I'm sure I've earned them back and then some over the years your Mom and I have been together."

"Knowing my father, he saw that you didn't say anything as you packed as the sign that you were being the bigger person and he respects the hell out of anyone that can put up with my mother's antics and not get pissed", Brie said.

"You know this for a fact?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"He's told me so."

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

"So, Mom", James asked after they'd all recovered from their father's story, "do you have an equally funny stories from meeting Dad's parents?"

Brie shook her head. "I can't say that I've the displeasure of meeting Grandma and Grandpa Draiman."

The kids were all shocked. "WHAT?!" they all shouted.

David and Brie both shook their heads. "Nope. I never got to meet your Dad's parents."

"Why ever not?" Jessi asked.

"By the time Mom and I got together I wasn't speaking to my parents anymore. There's a very long story behind that but the Cliff's Notes version of it is this: they were never very supportive of what I chose as a career and they stole from me. I couldn't forgive that", David explained to his children.

"So they never met Mom and we'd never have me them?"

David shrugged. "I'm sorry to say, no. They would have known about you somehow, I'm sure, but I wouldn't have told them and you never would have met them."

"Mom, you never asked to meet them?" Jake asked.

"No", she said as she shook her head. "I figured if he wanted me to meet them then he would have taken me to do just that. I was aware of the condition of their relationship before I ever met your father. I was a huge fan of Disturbed back in the day. I screamed along with the records every chance I got. I even had clients that listened to Disturbed and had asked me to given their massages with a given record or a mix playing softly in the background because that's how they relaxed."

"So you knew that Dad was on the outs with his parents before you got with him, how?" Jordan asked.

"I read a lot of articles, watched a lot of interviews, and that kind of thing."

They were all a little disappointed. "Well that sucks!" Marc said aloud. "We were kind of hoping that our paternal grandparents were just as crazy as our maternal grandparents."

David shrugged. "Sorry to disappoint, children. We weren't speaking when Mom and I got together so she never had the chance to meet them."

"Well, since I don't have a funny moment where Mom met your folks, Dad, I'm almost afraid to ask this next question."

“Ask it anyway, Marc.”

“Would it be ok if I had that little story of when you met Grandmamma and Granddad added to the script for the movie?  JJ thinks he might have found a decent script, but he thinks something is missing.”

“Have you read the script?”

“Yeah.  I think this story will help bring it together.”

David laughed.  “Ok.  If you think the story of your grandparents embarrassing the hell out of me will help your movie have a more human element to it, then be my guest.  It will be interesting to see how you interpret it.”

Chapter 38

Jake called out to the cottage to see when and if his parents would be ready to come into the house for the day.  When his father answered his phone, he could hear the sleep in his voice.  “Sorry to wake you, Dad.  I was just checking to see if you and Mom were ready to come in?”

“No Jake.  Neither of us slept very well last night.  We’ll call when we’re ready to come up there.  Mom’s asleep and I was there as well before you called.”

“Again, I’m sorry to wake you.  I was just seeing when you wanted me to send someone out after you.”

“Not for a while.  Now, I’m going back to sleep, son.  I’ll call when we’re ready to come in.”  His father hung up and Jake chuckled.  That was his father.  If he didn’t want to be disturbed, he was sure that he wasn’t.  Knowing his parents, they would both have their phones off until they were ready to come in.  He had no idea when they were going to pass on, but he knew that it wouldn’t be long.  He would be vigilant, but he would heed the warning of his uncle from the night before.

He sat at the table and sipped his coffee as he looked over the newspaper.  There wasn’t a lot going on in the news.  State elections were going in, but those weren’t really of a great deal of importance to him. He’d still vote, but they really didn’t matter.  It wasn’t like the Governor of Colorado affected the state of the economy of the nation or anything like that.

Jeremiah walked in and poured himself a cup of coffee.  “Man, what a night”, he said with a sigh.

“What do you mean?” Jake asked.

“I had the weirdest fucking dream, that’s what I mean.”

“You didn’t happen to see Uncle Ira too, did you?”

“So he did see you too.  That’s a relief.  If he visited us that means that he visited Maddie and Jessi as well.  What did he tell you?”

“Let’s wait on our sisters to arrive before I go there, ‘Miah.  I’d like to confirm with them that they spoke with the long lost uncle we never knew as well.  I’m tempted to talk to Mom to find out if she was contacted or not, but I really don’t want to bother her.”

“Change of heart after last night?”

“Something like that.  Uncle Ira had some interesting things to say.”

“I know the feeling.  Anything you feel like sharing that doesn’t involve Mom and Dad?”

“He told me to just let the son I named for him find his way himself, and to be patient with him.”

“He told me to be a little more patient with Rina and her little temper.”

“I wonder what he said to Jessi and Maddie.”

“I’ll tell you what he had to say to me”, Maddie said as she walked into the kitchen.  She’d heard the last little bit of their conversation.  “He told me to keep an eye on Asher for reasons he couldn’t share and he gave me some interesting news about Mom and Dad.”

“We’ll talk about the Mom and Dad news as soon as Jessi gets here, Maddie.  Just chill out for a little bit.”

“What I want to know is what’s going on with my son.  I’m perfectly fine with the news about Mom and Dad.  I want to know what’s going to happen to my boy.”

“Ask God?” Jeremiah said.  “Prayer never hurt anyone.”

Maddie looked at Jeremiah and flipped him off.  “I’ve been doing that since I woke up and found myself crying.”

“You could always consult Albert the Shaman about it”, Jake said with a shrug as he sipped at his coffee.  “We all need to just chill out and just wait for Jessi to get here so that the four of us can talk about the message we got about our parents.  I’m sure that there is nothing wrong with Asher, Maddie.  Chill out.”  He went back to reading his paper, looking at the different stories in the periodical.  There was a home invasion in which the owner killed the kid that tried to steal from them.  The DA wanted the death penalty but the defense was invoking the Cartwright- Tuchman Acts.  The defense would hopefully win.  They had the legal footing as long as there wasn’t any evidence proving otherwise.

Jeremiah had tuned their sister out as well as she ranted.  He looked at his email from the school on his iPad.  He was torn between Mac and PC.  He could really have cared less about which one was better.  He liked them both for his own reasons.

The emails were about different things.  He was hearing from students that they weren’t going to be in class for one reason or another, or they were sending in the project that had been due the day before he went on vacation for Hanukkah.  He wasn’t surprised.  He was going to have to knock points off of all of their grades for sending in the project late.  He didn’t tolerate tardy papers.  He couldn’t tolerate them.  As much as he wanted to give them full credit as though they had turned them in on time, he couldn’t.  It just wasn’t in the cards and it wasn’t fair to the others who had turned their papers in on time.

He made a note in the notepad app on his iPad that told him whose papers were late and how late they were so that he could count off the proper amount of points.  Any normally ‘A’ students that had turned in their papers that day had better plan on taking the class again so that they would pass. Hanukkah was five days in and for major papers- everyday it was late meant that 10 points came off.  His classes would either make an honors student or break them.  Either way, he really didn’t care.  If they didn’t want to put forth the effort to turn in the paper on time then their perfect GPA’s weren’t his concern.  He never turned a paper in late.  He couldn’t accept his students doing it either.

In the back of his mind- as well as those of their siblings- there was a question.  Would their parents be on the Earth for another year or would they be burying them before 2058 was out?  Only time would tell.

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

Ira sat in his room with a couple of his cousins and his older sister younger brother, discussing the topic of dreams.  “I can’t shake what I dreamed last night, you guys”, Matt said to his cousins.  “It’s just bugging the hell out of me.”

Miri looked at Matt.  “What did you see?” she asked.

“Gramma and Grampa’s funeral.”

“Funeral?” Ira asked.  “Singular?  As in one funeral for the two of them?”

“Yeah, Ira.  That’s what I saw.  It’s a little freaky to know that Gramma and Grampa aren’t going to see this time next year.”

“I know”, Seth said with a sigh.  “They won’t make it to your birthday, Ira.”

“Well ain’t that a bitch”, Ira said with a sigh.  “What about Uncle James, Uncle Jeremiah, Aunt Meagan and Aunt Makayla’s birthday?”

Miri shook her head.  “Couldn’t tell you.  I can tell you that I got to have a chit chat last night with the great uncle you were named for and the great- grandmother I got my middle name for.  I wish I could tell you all what I learned, but I was sworn to secrecy.”

“Don’t you hate it when that happens?” Asher asked.

Ira looked from his siblings to Matt and Rina, to Asher, then to Abigayle- who was also in the room but hadn’t said anything.  “Hold on, I’m feeling just a little left out here.  Something tells me that I’m the only person in the room that doesn’t get to have these prophetic dreams of warning and shit like that- though I’ve listened to Dad, Uncle ‘Miah and Aunt Jona, as well as Mr. Mason talk about similar things my entire life- and I’m usually pretty good at giving a literal meaning to the symbolism.  This is rather freaky and I’m feeling a little left out of this conversation.  You’re going to have to slow down and let me process this shit real fast.”  He took a deep breath.  “So far, what I’m getting is that Gramma and Grampa won’t see my birthday next year, and Miri has other insight that she can’t share about something.  Abby hasn’t spoken a word since we all convened in here and Ash seems to know something that he’s not sharing.”

“The only thing I know that I haven’t shared and that hasn’t already been shared is that I’m going to fuck up my knee somehow and my Mom’s going to flip her fucking lid.  But, it’s not something I need to worry about right this minute.  It won’t be until I’m joining the ranks of the Draiman’s that have attended Loyola; which- just a side note- I have gotten my acceptance to and a full ride to attend next fall in basketball and baseball.”

“Woo- hoo!”, Miri said as she clapped.  “Go Asher!  So you’ll be joining me at Loyola?”

“Yep.  Where is Hunter going to be?”

“Law School then he’s going into the military as an officer to be a JAG attorney.”

“Go Hunter!”, Seth said.  “Now, can we get back to the topic at hand.  I’m sure that Aunt Maddie and Aunt Jessi are freaking out if they got news on any of us.  Why don’t we get back to the dreams we’ve had and I saw a few things that maybe Ira can help me figure out.”

Abby nodded.  “I know I’m the one of the babies in the room, but I know that the fact that I saw people all over the world talking about Grampa and how he was such an influential person kinda scares me.”

“Abby”, Miri said, “it’s going to be ok.  It’s a normal part of life for people to say that about Grampa David.  You get used to it.”

“I’ve never had anyone tell me that Grampa David was influential.”

All of her cousins in the room gave her a look out of the corner of their eyes.  “Your last name isn’t Draiman either”, Ira said.  “You have no idea the standard that has been set for us because of who our parents and grandparents are.”

“I guess I don’t.  I’m confused.”

“Have you ever been out in public with Gramma and Grampa?” Matt asked.

“Not really.  I was riding with them one day to meet my Dad because they were in town and it was easier for Dad to meet them after he got off of work than for to pick me up at their house.  They had to go to the market for something.  I don’t remember what, though.”

Rina spoke.  “Those of us who haven’t already graduated high school or started applying to colleges don’t really know what you’re talking about.  How was Grampa David so influential.”

“You’d have to take an advanced American History class to know at your level, sis”, Matt said.  “Have you heard of the Utopian Conflict?”

“No.”

“There was a time when Gramma and Grampa were around Aunt Jessi and Uncle Marc’s age that the country broke out into a second Civil War.  Now, to make a long story short, Grampa was a very outspoken character during this eight year period in the country- so much so that he earned the nickname ‘The Voice of the Resistance’.  He spoke out against the country was being run, basically.  He wanted a world where we were all free to speak our minds without fear of being thrown in jail or something like that.  They wanted to kill Grampa for it”, Seth explained.  “Since then, Grampa has been seen as a very influential person.  He was even asked to serve as the Vice President when the government was being rebuilt.”

“Did he do it?” Abby asked.

“No”, Miri said.  “He was more focused on raising his family and making music.  He’s even quoted as saying that he wouldn’t sell his soul for politics.”  She looked around the room.  “Now, can we get back to the original topic?”

Rina and Abby exchanged a look.  “Can we leave?  This is really over our heads.”

“And below your ears”, Ira mumbled.  “Yes”, he said aloud.  “Go play girls.  Let us talk.”  The girls got up and left as the older kids went back to talking.  “So, back to what we were talking about.  Seth, what did you want to talk about?  You said you saw something that I might be able to help you with?”

“Not really.  I wanted to run Abby and Rina off.  Love them both, but they really don’t get these little meetings we have.  My problem is that I had no idea who I was speaking with last night when I saw what I did.”

“What did they look like?”

“Uncle Malachai.”

“That was Great- Uncle Matt”, Matt said.  “I was named after him from what I understand.”  He shrugged.  “I have no idea.  It’s what I was told.”

“How do you know that’s who it was?” Miri asked.

“Well, I’ve seen a few of the pictures from Gramma Brie and Grampa David’s wedding.  He was a Marine.  He was actually wearing his uniform in the photos.  Uncle Malachai looks a lot like Great-uncle Matt did.  Plus, I’ve actually gotten to talk to him in my dreams.  He was pretty kick ass.”

Seth nodded.  “Huh, that’s why he said that he was an uncle that shared a name with one of my Dad’s brothers and a cousin.  Makes sense, but which of Dad’s brother’s shares a name with Uncle Matt?”

“Uncle James”, Miri and Asher said together.  “Uncle James’s name is James Matthew.  Uncle Matt’s name was Matthew James.  I’ve heard Gramma and Grampa talk about it a lot”, Miri continued.

“My mom has talked to Uncle Matt a lot in her dreams.  He visits her a lot.  I’ve walked in on her taking a nap and in the middle of a dream.  She mumble about Uncle Matt.  I finally got sick of wondering and finally asked who she was talking to and she told me the story of Uncle Matt.  It was actually rather fascinating”, Ash continued.

“I wonder if our parent have had dreams?” Seth asked.

“Oh I’m sure if they have, we will  be hearing about it soon”, Matt said.  “My Dad’s never been on to keep that he’s having visions to himself and now that I’m older he tells me after he’s told Mom and Uncle Jake- sometimes even Grampa Skyler.”

“Well, do you guys think that those of us who’ve had dreams should tell our parents?”

Ira shook his head.  “Nah.  I don’t think you all should weigh down the adults’ minds with more worry.  If I heard correctly, they all had eventful nights of their own and they have plenty to think about.  Don’t trouble them unless you absolutely have to.”

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

“I just need some time to clear my head before we go inside, David”, Brie said when she and David got up later that morning.  “I’m still trying to process it all.”  She’d been making them something to eat for the morning.

“What happened after we finally went back to bed last night?” he asked from his seat on the couch.

“Nothing.  I did have a chat with my mother as we were watching that dumb movie last night, though.”

“A chat with Bekah Cartwright, huh?  And what did your mother have to say last night when you dosed off on my shoulder?”

“Nothing of too much importance, really.  She did finally give me her two cents on you and how she thinks you’re a pillar of human kindness.”

David laughed.  “She seriously said that?”

“No, I’m paraphrasing.  She adores you though.  But, you already knew that.  She made her opinion of you known to the entire city of Nashville.  ‘My son in law is a rock star!  He’s the front man for Disturbed and he’s AMAZING!’  Remember that?”  She handed him his plate then sat down next to him so that she could eat.

“Oh yeah.  I don’t think I’ve ever blushed so hard in my life as I did when we went to dinner with your parents the night we picked up Malachai”, he said as he laughed.  “Fond memory, that one.”

“No kidding.  Your face turned so many shades of red it wasn’t funny.”

“I remember.  I said, ‘Please, Mrs. Cartwright, don’t make this harder on me than it has to be.  It’s already difficult for me to be in public.  Do you want our meal to be interrupted by Disturbed fans asking for autographs?’.”

“Dad thought that was funny. ‘Don’t tell me, David, that you’re shy.  You can’t be shy to be a singer for a band.’  I couldn’t breathe.”

He laughed.  “Yeah, you were laughing too hard.  All I wanted was for the Earth to open up and swallow me at the moment.  I was so embarrassed.”

“But, you made it out alive.”

“I have thanked God every day since that we had a peaceful dinner and that I wasn’t asked a million times for my autograph.  That would have made things worse.”

“No kidding.  Then, what did she do in the mall?”

“She got up on one of the benches and shouted out, ‘ATTENTION PEOPLE OF NASHVILLE:  DON’T FUCK WITH ME!  YOU MESS WITH ME AND I WILL SICC MY SON IN LAW ON YOU.  HIS NAME IS DAVID DRAIMAN AND HE’S THE LEAD SINGER FOR A ROCK BAND CALLED DISTRUBED.  HE’S A BAD ASS.  MESS WITH HIS MOTHER IN LAW AND HE WILL MESS YOU UP!’ And, I wanted to die.”

“I did too.  I asked Daddy to put a stop to it and he said to me, ‘If the boy is embarrassed, he should have to stones to say so.’  I told him, ‘Look at my husband’s face and that should say it all.  Put a stop to this or we’ll strand you here’.”

“Did your mother have a lot of moments when she would go overboard like that?”

“Only all the time.  My mother was not demur and quiet like she looked.  She didn’t have a filter between her brain and her mouth.  If she thought it, she said it.”

“I gathered that much when she said, ‘Well, this isn’t fair.  I can’t keep anything from you.  Not only are you perfect, handsome, and talented, but you speak fluent Hebrew.  It’s utterly maddening’.”

“I tried to warn you that my little Jewish mother wouldn’t hold her tongue.  If she didn’t like you she would tell the world she didn’t like you.  If she liked you, the world would know that too.”

“I thought you were kidding because you have the filter your parents obviously didn’t.”

“At least they liked you, though, David.  Better that they embarrass the hell out of you because they like you than they embarrass the hell out of you because they think you’re an ass.”

“Did we ever do that to any of our kids or their significant others?”

“Not that I recall, but it is possible.  Doubtful; but possible.  We’d have to ask the kids.”

“I really don’t feel like dealing with the kids right now.”

“I don’t feel like dealing with the drama right now.  I love our children, but I just can’t deal with that right now.  I’m sure that there’s something going on inside and I can’t handle it.”

“Well, I did tell Jake that I’d call when we were ready to come up.  I’m sure he’ll call to check on us soon, but we can stay out here until sunset of you like, love.  It’s completely up to you.”  He set his empty plate on the coffee table.  They’d both been eating as they talked and trying not to choke on their food.

She set her plate on top of his and kissed his cheek.  “Thank you.  I don’t have the patience to deal with our children right now.  One of them would say something and I’d snap.”

“We can’t have that, now can we?” he said with a grin.  “And you’re supposed to be the patient one.”

“There are times when even the most saintly of us mere mortals loses our cool and wants to knock someone out.”

“And when that happens, that’s what I’m here for.  I’m here to anchor you.”

“And I thank and love you for all the more for it.”

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

“Revelations about the kids be damned!” Jake said over his arguing sisters.  He was meeting with Maddie, Jessi and Jeremiah in his office to talk about the dreams they’d all had the previous night.  “I want to know who you spoke to, what was said about Mom and Dad, and what was said about you.  That’s it.  Any warnings about your children is personal and none of our business”, he said once he had silence, and then looked at Maddie.  “You first, Jade.”

“Probably the same thing you saw Jake.  Uncle Ira looking like he was about the quads’ age and a lot like Jay, saying that Mom and Dad won’t see the end of next year and told me to help those who still freak about them passing on to adjust to the idea of having to live without them.  As for me he warned me to stop worrying so much about other things because my blood pressure is already in bad shape.  If I’m not careful I’m going to give myself another ulcer.  If I can’t control it then I should let it go was his counsel to me.”

Jake nodded.  “Ok, to keep this meeting short; who saw Uncle Ira last night?”  They all raised their hands.  “Who was told that Mom and Dad don’t have much time left on this Earth?” All hands stayed in the air.  “And who was charged with helping everyone else cope?”  Same response.  “Now that that’s been handled, why don’t we get to the other news?  Jessi, did Uncle Ira warn you about anything to do with you and you alone?  Nothing about Abby.  That’s for you to deal with as her mother.”

“Nothing major really.  I’m going to get a promotion and a raise soon.  That’s it.  I’ve put in for an aide’s position to the Ambassador to the United States.  I guess I’m going to get it.”

“Good luck to you none the less”, Jake said.  “‘Miah, anything for you?”

“An explanation for my back pain”, ‘Miah said with a sigh.

“You too, huh?”

“Yep, but I’ve known it was starting to happen for a while.  Genetics are a bitch.”

“I know.  Diabetic, remember?”

“You two inherited Mom’s back issues?” Maddie asked.

“Yep, apparently”, Jeremiah said.  “It sucks, but at least we know.”

“Messed up”, Jessi said, shaking her head.  “I’m grateful I don’t have a lot of health issues.  “Allergies are my biggest problem.”

“Mine is blood pressure which I get from Dad.  And I’m starting to have the carpal tunnel issues that Mom has”, Maddie chimed in.

“Scars you to think of the things you may have passed on to your own children, doesn’t it?” Jake said.  “I know I passed the visions on to Miri and Seth, and Samantha is diabetic.  Ira seems to be developing his own vision problems.  He has an astigmatism we’ve recently learned.  We have no idea where that came from.”

“Ira also has an interesting gift of his own, though”, Jeremiah added.  “He can interpret rather well.”

“Interpret what?” Jessi asked.

“Dreams”, Jake and Jeremiah said in unison.

“How long have you know about that?” Maddie asked.  “I’m around rather often and I didn’t know that.”

“We’ve known for a while”, Jake said.  “Miri had come to me a few years back with a confusing dream that she had no idea what it meant.  Neither did I.  Ira had overheard and said, ‘That’s actually pretty easy to understand’, and proceeded to explain the symbolism to his big sister.  I asked him how he knew and he said he just did.”

“That’s crazy.  I had no idea”, Maddie said in shock.  “Do Mom and Dad know?”

“Oh yeah.  They know.  Ira told them a while back.”  Jake sighed.  “I guess we all need to come up with a game plan for easing the rest of us into the transition of losing our parents so that when it happens it doesn’t hurt as bad.”  He rubbed a hand down his face.  “This is going to suck, you guys.”

“Yeah.  No kidding”, Maddie added.  “I guess we just help Delilah enforce the ‘Don’t Fret Over Mom and Dad’ rule.  It’s the best I can think of.”

“Well, there is that, but we also need to be supportive”, Jeremiah said.  “Offer an ear to listen should something be bothering them.”  He looked at Jake.  “It’s your call, Jake.  I’m just offering my two cents US.”

Jake nodded.  “I know.”  He scratched the back of his neck.  “Give me a day or two to consider all of the options and we’ll put together a plan.  For now, I need to take care of some household business so if you’d all be so kind as to step out and I’ll see you all for gift exchange and the lighting of the Menorah tonight.”

They all left Jake to his thoughts.  He booted up his office computer so that he could take care of some business.  Even though it was Hanukkah, he had to deal with is stocks and other wonderful stuff like that.  And, as always, there were bills to be paid.  He wanted to get a jump start on the credit card bills that had been wracked up as he and his wife bought Hanukkah gifts for everyone.

As he sat and glanced over the paper that was emailed to him every day, he thought about the task at hand.  What do I do to ease everyone’s mind without tipping them all off that Mom and Dad won’t see next Hanukkah?  A question he wished he had the answer to.