Finally, Hanukkah rolled around. Jona's parents just stay through Thanksgiving so that Kaylian could help Brie prep for Hanukkah.. When the other guys arrived, the men all sat in the living room to stay out of the women's way. "You see, brother, we know better than to get in the women's way during the war", Mike said to Skyler. He pointed to David. "What taught us the quickest to stay the hell out of the Kitchen was that guy's wife throwing a knife at me like she'd been throwing knives her entire life", he laughed.
"That shit is harsh", Skyler laughed.
"What's worse is that she has been throwing knives her entire life", Dan added with a chuckle.
"Just another one of the many talents present in the Draiman family circus", David laughed.
"Of which, you are the ring leader", John added.
"I can't decide if I like that one or being the Don of the Jewish Mafia better", David laughed breathlessly.
Skyler joined David's laughing. "What? Who called you that?"
It took him a few minutes, but finally David was able to tell the story. "The story goes a little something like this. After Jake finished his treament for traumatic brain injury, he had to travel to do a few interviews. The morning he did 'Good Morning America' and the 'Today' show, from what Delilah said, he got out of the shower and wore only his slacks, so she called him a male stripper. Then, he slipped a ribbed wife beater on and she told him he looked like a lieutenant in the Jewish Mafia. He replied that if he was a lieutenant, then I was the Don. Then said that I'm no DeNiro."
"So do you consider your family like the Mafia or a circus?"
"I'd have to say Mafia because I'm terrified of clowns."
"Still?" Mike asked.
"Yes brother. To this fucking DAY I am terrified of clowns."
"Well, if this is a Mafia, prove it. Give me your best godfather impression", Skyler said as he laughed.
David laughed and gave it a shot. He tried the gravelly Italian accent that Brando used in the Godfather movies. "What we have here today is a gathering of the four families of the Disturbed Mafia. From the Donegan family we have Danny 'The Irish' Donegan. From the Wengren family we have Mikey 'Brass Nuts' Wengren. We have Johnny 'The Ice Pick' Moyer of the Moyer family. And the Capo of this rag tag group of assholes is me, David 'Mad Davey' Draiman. May God smile on this final holiday gathering of the four families as we prepare to go our seperate ways and leave our sons in charge."
"Where did you come up with all of that shit?" Mikey asked.
"Imrpov, my brother. That was pure bull shit."
"So the Mafia nicknames aren't something that you've been dreaming up for the last few years?" Danny asked.
"Nope. That entire thing was off the cuff. But, if my family is a circus, then I'm definitely the ring leader- just so long as there are no clowns."
"If you're the ring leader, then what is Brie?" John asked.
"She the animal trainer."
"If you did have clowns, who would they be?" Skyler asked.
"No clowns. Those bastards are creepy. Always so happy and shit. Flowers that squirt water in a person's face, little buzzers that send a small electrical charge through the body; and all for a chuckle. Creepy mother fuckers all of them. They should all be destroyed."
"Paranoid much, baby?" Brie laughed when she came into the room.
"You know how much I hate clowns."
"How did the subject even come up?"
"It's a long damn story baby, but I believe it started with Mikey telling the story about how you up ended a knife and threw it at him. I said it was just another one of the many talents in the Draiman Family Circus."
"And the messed up thing is that the knife I threw was about a half gram heavy on the back end. Good thing I know how to compensate for that."
"You are a very dangerous woman, Brie Draiman", Skyler laughed.
Everyone laughed. David reached out and took her hand to lay a kiss on her knuckles. "I wouldn't have her any other way."
---------------
After dinner and all of the children and grandchildren going to bed, the guys and their wives all stayed up and discussed the show. "So, what have we got as far as this final concert goes?" Tina asked. "I've only heard things from Mike's end."
"Well, to make a long story rather short, everything is falling into place. HBO is going to broadcast it. We have awesome sponsors willing to help cover expenses. A lot of the acts that want to participate are willing to help pay for this endeavor. And the fact that it's going to be copmpletely free for all who attend and watch around the world is going to make it the largest attendance to one show in the history of entertainment", Danny explained.
"What acts are you going to have there?" Kaylian asked.
"So far Reckless Disregard, Demonatrix, Halestrom, Art of Dying, Five Finger Death Punch, M. Shadows and Synyster Gates of Avenged Sevenfold, Wrought Iron, Crosshairs, and a new little project of Jordan's called Bloody Rose", Mike added. "And, us, of course."
"Did I hear Danny right when he said that it was going to be free for the fans?" Skyler asked.
"Yes, Skyler. You heard him right", David said.
"When are tickets going to be made available. I want to be there."
"Not for a month, but Skyler. Don't worry. I've got you." He looked at John. "What about the bands you work with? Any of them interested in being at the show?"
"A couple. I'm waiting on them to get back to me on stage set up stuff so that we can incorporate it into the schematics for Millennium Park", John said.
"It's going to be nice to get back onstage", Mike said. "I've enjoyed being Grandpa for the last year, but it will be nice to out there on that stage and be Mike again." He glanced at David and Danny. "I think I'm going to break out the mask one more time for this."
"Do what you want to brother. I know I'm certain going to pull out all of the stops", David said.
"How long a set are we going to do?" John asked.
Skyler cleared his throat. "Well, I can say as a life long fan, that I want to hear all of the hits as I stand out there in the audience. I want to the last forty years of hits, but that's just me."
The guys exchanged a look. "And so will every other fan we have", David said with a sigh.
"That's going to mean about a two to three hour set", John said.
"Do you think you can keep their attention that long, David?" Mike asked.
"I wouldn't be one of the most legendary front men in the business if I couldn't", David said as he got comfortable on the couch with his wife. "Anyway, let me get Jordan out there with me and I won't have to do a lot of work."
"That girl is just a dynamic on stage as you are, David", Danny added.
"I know. I've watched her perform on several occasions. Performing onstage with her will be fun."
"I'm sure she's bouncing up and down at the prospect."
"She doesn't know I'm considering it."
"Don't tell me you're going to spring that on her", Brie said.
"No, I'm actually going to bring it up over breakfast in the morning."
"Good. That way her squeals of joy can be somewhat contained."
---------------
When Jordan heard about getting to perform with David onstage during the final show, she did exactly what her mother predicted she would do; she squealed in delight. "I get to perform with not one, but TWO of my idols in rock music!"
Malachai laughed at his younger sister. "Jordan; chill out, little sister. It's not that big of a deal."
"Bull shit, bro! I get to sing with M. Shadows and with Dad. I'm officially on cloud 9 and there is no bringing me down from it either. Like you getting to play with Syn isn't a life long dream come true."
"It is, but I can contain my joy at it."
"Tell me that if Uncle Danny were to say, 'I want you to play with me', that you wouldn't freak out just a little."
"I wouldn't. I'm a guy."
"So you fault me for staying true to my nature and my sex by being excited that I get to perform with Matt and Dad?"
David chuckled. "Break it up, you two. If she wants to be excited, then let her. Aaron."
"Yes, sir", Malachai said with a laugh.
"So, 'Miah's going to have a baby not long before the show. Who does Jona want in the room when it happens?" Jordan asked. She silently hoped that she was invited to the party.
"Your mother, her husband, and her mother. Jake's on stand by in case he's needed."
"Having a doctor in the family is nice, isn't it?" Malachai said.
"It has been since he graduated from medical school."
"What I'm trying to figure out is why he decided to change his focus from neurology to oncology", Jordan said.
"Because he became a doctor to change lives. He's feels that in order to do that he needs to keep learning. Remember, he's also an OB/ GYN. The more he knows the more people he can help."
"My twin, the super doctor", Jordan laughed. "Leave it to Jake to be Super Doc."
---------------
It would be hours before the rest of the band came back to the Draiman house. It gave David and Skyler some time to talk about the impending arrival of little Matthew. "So, how did you want to go about keeping my children away from your daughter as she gives birth to our grandson?" David asked Skyler over lunch.
Skyler laughed. "Seriously? You really want to torture your own children?"
"I've tortured them their entire lives. It's about time I let someone else help me."
"Well, you mentioned Morbus the last time we talked about it. Do you think he has the things we'll need?"
"It depends on what you want."
"Stun guns?"
"He's got them?"
"What about those old fashioned bear traps?"
"I'm sure he has a bunch of those too."
"You think he would let us go through his stuff?"
"I'm sure he'd ba happy to give us a tour of the old shed."
"Shed?"
"Yeah, his tool shed. Or should I call it his weapons shed."
"You want to give him a call, brother?"
"Is your daugther pregnant with my son's child?" David laughed as he pulled out his cell phone. "Trevor, are you available to bring yourself up to my place for a few? Jeremiah's father in law and I need to talk to you about something." He chuckled. "Is Karyn giving you shit over your collection again? Tell her that you might be putting a little of it to use." He laughed. "Jona doesn't want a lot of people in the room when she has the baby. Skyler and I have been charged with making sure that everyone behaves. If they can't do that, then we need some way to make them behave. You know my kids." He paused. "You can't get away now, huh? Parent- teacher conferences for your kids? I remember those days. Wasn't able to get to a lot of them, but I made it to a few. Have fun with that. Can you give us a walk through with all that later today? Great. You're the best, brother. Have a good one." David hung up the phone and set it on the table next to him. "He'll walk us through it when he gets back from doing things for his kids. His oldest is about the graduate High School."
"I didn't know the infamous Morbus had a family."
"Yep. Father of three."
"And he's still probably the most dangerous man in the United States."
"Without a shadow of a doubt."
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