"They're beautiful, Mom. I can already tell they're going to be red heads. And Jake tells me that they were identical like 'Miah and I, and Mae and Kayla are."
"Jake delivered the babies?"
"Yeah. He did me a HUGE solid by doing so. I'm glad he did. I hated the doctor that she was seeing to begin with. Jake cussed the bastard out for me."
Brie laughed. "Beautiful. Well, let me go into the living room and get your father so that you can tell us their names and stats at the same time." James listened as his mother walked into the living room. "Baby, I have James on your phone here."
"Let's go into the kitchen to hear the news. The other grandkids are asleep and I'm way to excited to contain myself." David said with a laugh. James heard his father's heavy footsteps behind hid mother and the kitchen door swing open and closed before he heard his father speak again. "Ok, James, spill it, son", his father demanded. "I've been waiting nine months for this shit. Names, weight, and length; now. I want to know everything."
James laughed. "Born first was Hannah Nicole Draiman. She was 6 lbs 5oz, 23 inches long. Born next was Josephine Michelle Draiman, Josie for short, She was 6 lbs 7 oz, 24 inches long."
"You named one of the girls Hannah?" his mother asked. "You do realize that's my first name, right?"
"Yes, Mom. Hannah is your first name that was given to you when your alter ego Irian was assassinated. Nicole was your middle name when you were Irian."
She took a deep breath in. "Ok, as long as you know the history. Now, don't be offended when I call her Nikki or little things like that."
"Why wouldn't you call her Hannah?"
"I really don't like that name."
"Brie, before you throw too big a fit, remember that we have a daughter that we gave the name 'Hannah' to as a middle name", David said with a chuckle.
She sighed with a chuckle of her own. "I know. Hence why I'm NOT throwing a huge fit. But, you can't call me 'Hannah' anymore and we can't call Jordan, 'Hannah' anymore when she's in trouble."
David chuckled again. "We'll get over it. Believe me. I'm already over it. I'll just call you by your full middle name instead."
She glared at him out of the corner of her eye. "Do it and die, Michael."
"You and what army, Brielle?"
"Oh,. I'm going to kill you later." She turned her attention back to the young man that was on the phone. "Do you know when they're going to let you bring the girls home?"
"Maybe in the next day or two. Could you bring me the car seats from my room so that I can do just that when they say they're ready?"
"You're not going to come home to bring Hunter up there to see his new baby sisters?" David scolded.
"Actually, I was hoping you two would do that when you brought me the car seats because I know that Dad especially is really excited that he has new granddaughters and I could really use the help if you don't mind. How did you two do it with ten at different ages. I feel like a chicken with my head cut off right now."
"Are they demanding every second of Daddy's attention already?" David joked.
"Oh, yeah. Hannah will start fussing, then Josie will join her. Josie will start fussing, and Hannah will join her. I'm exhausted already."
"And to think you're going to have to deal with one more when you get home", Brie joked with her son.
"I know. I'm going to be a mad man with three kids as well as school."
David and Brie laughed together. "Welcome to parenthood."
------------------
After Hunt awoke from his nap he went with his grandparents to the hospital to meet his baby sisters. "What if they don't like me, Gramma?" he asked as they drove.
"They're itsy bitsy, Hunter. They won't know the different. They can't see very well right now anyway", Brie told her grandson.
"How little is itsy bitsy?"
"They're as big as your arms", David said with a smile.
Hunter looked at his grandfather in shock as he held his arm out in front of him. "But that's huge! They're not little."
David shrugged. "Do you think my arms are big?"
"I think your arms are gianormous, Grampa!" Hunter exclaimed.
"Well, I think your arms are little bitty. So, if your arms a little bitty to me, then wouldn't it make sense that I think the babies are little bitty too?"
Hunter seemed thing sit and think about that the rest of the trip. He was even puzzling over it when they got to the hospital and went inside. "What's got you so quiet, Hunter?" Brie asked the little boy.
"Thinking about what Grampa said, Gramma. That's... that's a lot to think about."
Brie laughed. "Grampa as a way of doing that to people. He uses his big brain and big words to confuse people and make them think."
"Is that what Grampa does to make money?"
David laughed. "No, Hunter. I don't confuse people to make money. I sing and write music."
"Sometimes Daddy will sing to get me to sleep."
"What does he sing?"
The little boy's face screwed up to think. "The song goes, 'I will devour you, take all the pain away, I cannot stay my hand from reaching out so that I can empower you for all eternity, it seems to ease my mind to know that you brought meaning to my life'."
David smiled as he heard his words passed down to the next generation of his large family. "You wanna know something cool, Hunter?" David asked as they waited on the elevator.
"What Grampa?"
"That song you just sang; I wrote it and Gramma and I used to sing it to your Daddy and Aunts and Uncles when they were as little as your new sisters until they were your and Miri's age. Maybe a little older."
"Wow. And now Daddy sings it to me. Maybe Daddy will let me sing it to the new babies."
David and Brie both shrugged as the elevator doors opened. "Who know, Hunter? Maybe he will. Knowing your Daddy, he'll be happy to have the help."
---------------
Hunter sat on the bed in the hospital room that Jake had arranged for James to stay in while the he waited for the twins to be released. David and Brie had gotten comfortable in the room and were each holding one of the babies. David held Hannah and Brie held Josie. They had just gotten settled after trading which one they were holding. James was hanging out with Hunter and showing him some videos of Grampa onstage to prove that what Grampa said was true. "Grampa, you say a lot of bad words when you sing", Hunter said.
David chuckled. "You know what earmuffs are, don't you?"
"Yeah, things that cover the ears."
"Well, when you hear a bad word from my songs, or Aunt Jordan's songs, use earmuffs so that you don't hear it."
"But I don't have any earmuffs, Grampa."
"Use your hands to cover your ears. You'll see your cousins do it when one of my songs or Aunt Jordan's songs come on the radio or TV."
"And it works?"
"It does", James told his son. "I had to do it when I was a little boy too."
"You did?"
"Yep, Grampa would have killed us if we had said bad words before we were Miranda and Isaiah's age."
"Is Grampa your Daddy like you're MY Daddy?"
"What do you mean?"
"Did Grampa adopt you?"
"No. Gramma and Grampa are my blood parents. Grampa is Uncle Malachai's Daddy the same way I'm your Daddy."
"Is that true, Grampa?"
David nodded. "Yep. I adopted Uncle Malachia when he was just a little older than you and rasied him like he was my own son."
"Did Uncle Malachai ever meet his really Daddy?"
"To hear Uncle Malachai tell it, Grampa is his real Daddy. He doesn't have a very good opinion of the man that is his real Daddy", James said to Hunter.
"If I wanted to meet my real Daddy one day, would you be mad at me, Dad?"
James shook his head. "It's only normal for you to want to meet him. But, I'd rather you wait a few years, ok?"
Hunter nodded. "I can do that, Daddy. I just wanted to be sure that you weren't going to be mad at me."
"I could never be upset about you wanting to meet the man that fathered you. But, do me a favor and make it in a few years. Ok?"
---------------
Hunter was staying with him in the hospital for the night, as were his parents. They knew all too well what it was like to need help with children. After the pregnancy that James and his twin brother and twin sisters was a part of, they knew what it was to have their hands full with infants. And they had to deal with four older kids. Talk about having your hands full. So, they understood where he was coming from. The knew that he needed their help.
Once Hunter was settled in on the hospital bed, James called up to Jake's office. His receptionist answered the phone. "Dr. Draiman's office", she said. She was a sweet older woman. Not the same age as his mother, but they had to be close in age.
"Hi, Loretta, this is James Draiman, Dr. Draiman's younger brother. Is he in
"Not at the moment. He's in the Maternity Recovery Ward seeing a patient. Would you like me to page him and have him get a hold of you?"
"If you don't mind, please. I need to ask him a favor."
"Not a problem, James. I'll have him call your room."
"Thank you, Loretta. You're a true peach."
"I bet you say that to all the girls, James Draiman."
"Nope. You wanna ask my parents. They're sitting here with me."
"No, that's quite fine, James. I'll have the good doctor call you."
"Thank you, Loretta. Bye."
"Bye James."
James sighed as he pulled up the word processor program on his laptop and hooked his
"Kimberly,
"The letter you are reading is the last form of contact you will have from me regarding not only my health and well being, but that of our children. I just had to get everything off of my chest before I severed all ties with you other than the genetic tie that our children share.
"The last year and a half has been pure hell with you. You have caused me nothing but heartache. The only good thing tht you've done for me is bring Hunter into my life and help me cionceive my two beautiful daughters. And, the only good thing you've ever done for him is bring me into his. The abuse you subjected that little boy to is beyond criminal. Were I there prosecuting attorney in the case against you, I wouldn't dream of offering or taking a plea bargain. You deserve every year you're given and then some. You have caused young Hunter more pain than any child should have to endure. You will never have the opportunity with my daughters. And they are MINE. You have no legal rights to them. Your name may be on their birth certificates, but that does NOT make you their mother. You wouldn't know how to be a mother is it were a snake and bit you.
"And the physical, mental and emotional abuse that I endured at your hand is not something that I would have normally tolerated. I loved you and hoped that you would change. Apparently, that will never happen. Get the help you need, if the judge allows it. I don't know if you're sick, or just crazy. I hope it's the former, but something tells me that you're the latter.
"In closing, I want to tell you that I have not hard feelings. I wish you nothing but the best, but I'm afraid that I can't allow you to be a part of the lives of the children or myself.
Sincerely, James Draiman."
By the time he finished the letter, his room phone rang. "Yeah?"
"Hey, Jay, It's Jake. You needed something?"
"Yeah. I was wondering if you could deliver something to Kim for me."
"What might that be?"
"A letter that I'm saving on my
"No problem. You don't go off on her and cuss her left and right in it do you?"
"No. I'm actually rather cordial."
"Ok. I'll be right there to get the
"Thanks, Jake, you're the best big brother ever."
"Don't tell 'Chai you said that", Jake chuckled.
"I won't. I'll see you in a few."
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