Hanukkah came and went. The contest for the ring bearer had started. Levi, Ira, and Hunter were all on their best behavior so that they could be in Uncle Miah and Aunt Jona’s wedding. Miranda graciously handed flower girl off to Miri. “I got to be flower girl for Aunt Maddie’s wedding. I think it’s only fair that Miri gets to do it this time”, she’d said. Miri gave her big cousin a big hug.
Finally, David was able to go into the studio to record with his oldest daughter. Logan, Caleb, Malachai and Jordan were all happy to have him. “Maybe you can help settle some ongoing arguments about some of the writing, Uncle David”, Logan laughed.
“I’m not here to settle disputes. I’m here to record two songs with you guys, then it’s nose back to the grindstone. I have an autobiography to finish writing and music that Danny and Mikey have sent me to put melodies and lyrics to.”
“How does it feel to know that this is going to be your last run, Mr. D?” Caleb asked.
“Bittersweet. I’m upset to see it end; but at the same time, I realize that none of us are as young as we used to be anymore. I’m ready to live out the rest of my days in the Holy Land with my wife.”
“So, you and Mom are serious about moving to Israel after you officially retire?” Malachai asked.
“Yes, son. Your mother and I are serious about it. We’re going back for two weeks to a month this spring around my birthday so that we can look at property.”
“That’s insane, Daddy”, Jordan said. “Now, shall we get this show on the road? I’d like to get Dad in and out as quickly as possible. He has other things to do, as he pointed out earlier.”
They’d already laid down all of the instrumental things that needed to be done before David and Jordan could sing. They shared the booth so that they could sing together. It was Jordan’s idea. David didn’t argue. First, they did ‘Darkness’ just the way Jordan had always imagined it. When they listened to it on play back, it brought tears to her eyes. It was so beautiful; so haunting. “I’m glad I let you talk me into this, Jord”, David said after hugging his daughter. “You and I sound really good together.”
“Are you fucking kidding me, Uncle David?” Logan said. “You two sound fucking amazing together. It reminds me of the times you and Aunt Brie would sing together during Family Jam Night.”
“Logan, stop being a kiss ass”, David scolded his nephew.
“I’m not, Uncle David. You two sound astounding.”
“I’m inclined to agree, Mr. D”, Caleb added.
“It’s haunting, and flat beautiful”, Malachai said with a sigh.
“If you guys say so”, Jordan said as she wiped her eyes. “Daddy, are you ready to do ‘The Animal’?”
“Whenever you are, baby girl.”
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As soon as the entire album was mixed, plans started for a video shoot for the first single. All of Reckless Disregard agreed that the first single needed to be ‘The Animal’ as the duet. They’d also agreed to feature all of Disturbed in the video. Dan, Mike and John were all excited. The day the shoot was supposed to start it was raining and had been for a few days. It wasn’t a hard rain, but it wasn’t drizzling either. “Why don’t we just shoot in the rain?” Mike suggested. “I think it would add to the concept.” He shrugged.
All four members of Reckless Disregard looked at each other. Jordan kissed her Uncle Mikey’s cheek. “You’re a fucking genius, Uncle Mikey”, she said. “My hair’s going to be fucked, but that’s cool. I can rock soaking wet. I’m talented like that.”
“Hold on”, Caleb said. “What about those of us that might not want to get sick?”
“Grow a set, you pussy”, Jordan spat at her drummer. “Come on. This will be FUN.”
David and John watched Mike and Dan exchange an evil glance. “Oh, yeah. It’s going to be a TON of fun.”
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In between takes of the performance scenes, the evil glance took on meaning as David watched Mike and Dan looking back and forth between the huge mud pits in the wood behind his house. He tried to read lips, but it wasn’t happening all that well. He whistled to get their attention then signed to them, What are you two thinking?
Dan jogged over to where David stood under one of the large trees. “We’re going to drop the boys in that huge mud pit over there before we go stalking through the woods with them.”
“I know nothing”, he laughed quietly as he watched Jordan and the director discuss hitting the marks that he’d set up.
“Ok, we’re ready to shoot again”, Jordan said as she climbed back up on the stage.
David followed. “Are you done arguing with the director?”
“Yes, sir.” She looked out at the man in question. “Ready when you are.” When the director called action, they started performing to the camera together. The avid fan could seriously tell the differences between David and Jordan in not just their voices, but their performance.
By the time everything was finished with that part of the shoot, the day was over. The next day was supposed to be just as wet, and that’s when they’d do the story part and the boys would get be the brunt of the joke that Danny and Mike wanted to play.
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The shoot continued the next day with the bands stalking through the woods. Each member of Disturbed was ‘in charge of a training exercise’, in Jordan’s words. Mike sparred with Caleb. David taught Jordan how to hunt… that sort of thing. For the closing of the video, Jordan “broke” her prey’s neck in order to “eat” him. Once the music had ended, David stopped nearby. “What the fuck was THAT?” he asked. “Why did you break his neck?”
“I don’t like for them to struggle when I go to eat them. It just makes things easier.”
David just shook his head and laughed. “Children.”
After shooting Dan’s scenes with Malachai, they took a lunch break. “This shit is so much fun!” Caleb laughed at everyone made their way into the house to eat.
“Glad you’re enjoying yourself, Caleb”, David laughed with a shake of his head.
Brie handed everyone a towel as they walked into the house. “Dry off before you step onto my hard wood floor”, she ordered everyone. “Mikey, don’t even think about stepping onto my floor with those muddy ass boots. I’ll break my foot off and you know it.”
“No problem, Brie”, he said as he bent down to untie his boot and leave them next to the door.
After everyone ate they went back outside to finish filming. As the camera man put new film in his camera, Mike and Dan snuck up behind Malachai and Caleb and dropped them in the huge mud pit that they’d been eyeballing all day. Logan was next. Jordan stood back with David and John and laughed. “Oh, you guys have had that shit coming all damn DAY!” she said with a hearty laugh.
Logan scrambled to his feet and stalked out of the mud hole. “You’re not exempt, Jordan”, he laughed as he chased after her. She ran around the clearing as David, John, Dan, and Mike all stood around the clearing and laughed at the scene.
Once Logan caught Jordan, he started pulling her toward the mud. “No, Logan. Stop. I’m a girl for God’s sake. You can’t do this to me”, she laughed as she fought.
“Come on, Jordan, it’ll be fun. You can go home and tell Levi all about the fun time you had shooting a video with Grampa and Uncles, and Great- Uncles, and how cousin Logan got you all muddy.” He kept tugging.
Jordan fought against going into the mud as hard as she could, but she couldn’t get any traction. The soles of her boots were too slick from the rain. “Logan, I hate you”, she laughed as she fought.
Malachai and Caleb climbed out of the mud and went to help Logan. The men of Disturbed all laughed harder. “Jordan, fighting back is futile”, David said to his daughter as he watched his son, nephew, and their good friend drag his daughter to the mud.
“I’m not going in without a fight!” she shouted back.
“Looks like you’re going to lose that fight too, baby.”
Once they got her to the edge of the mud hole, Logan pulled and tried to throw her in as the other two shoved. Jordan went into the mud face first. “You ass holes!” she screamed as she laughed. They all fought in the mud. The director didn’t even bother calling action. He started the play back and recorded some of the mud fight.
He caught Disturbed exchanging looks and rushing to the hole to break up the fight and, literally, mudslinging. I hope I can fit this in the video, he thought. That would be too wicked.
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