Matthew was cleaned and given back to his parents after he was weight and measured. Jake came in and checked everyone out, giving the all a clean bill of health. "Everyone's good in here. Mattie's a healthy little boy who seems like he's going to be a bundle of joy. I had to put in a couple of stitches because he has a big head, but all in all, everyone is fine", he said with a smile.
"You wanna hold your nephew, Jake?" Jeremiah offered his older brother. After Jake put the stitches in, Jona went to sleep.
Jake grinned. "As much as I would love you, 'Miah, I'm going to have to decline. You know how pissy our sisters can be. And though it's Dad's birthday, he hasn't gotten a lot of sleep so he's grumpy."
"I'm thinking that I'll let Dad and Skyler hold Mattie for a little bit, then everyone needs to get some sleep. Matt's been fed, and he's sleeping at the moment. I'm sure that everyone is tired and getting cranky."
"That's totally up to you, little brother. But, I have to ask, have Mom and Kaylian gotten to hold Matthew?"
"Yes. They've both held him. I think Mom's reporting stats to everyone."
"He's a big boy. He's going to be tall too."
"Yeah, I know. He's going to have my height."
"How you and Jay got Uncle Matt's height is beyond me, but hey. At least you're both different from Malachai, Marc, and me."
"Thank God for that." He kissed his new son on the head. "Could you tell our father and my father in law to come on up so that they can hold the baby? Dad I'm sure will send everyone to bed before coming up."
"I'll give him the hint that that's what you want, and I'll tell him and Skyler that they can come hold Mattie before they pass out from exhaustion", Jake said as he fought off a yawn.
Jeremiah grinned. "Thanks, Jake, Why don't you go lie down and get a little rest before your kids get up for the day?"
"You don't have to tell me twice", Jake chuckled and headed for the door. "Congratulations, 'Miah. Welcome to the wonderful world of parenthood."
"Thanks, Jake. For everything."
"Not a problem little brother", he said with a yawn. "I'll see you on the other side of the sun rise." And Jake walked out the door.
Jeremiah settled into the rocking chair he was sitting in with his newborn son in his arms. He couldn't stop smiling. He looked down at the handsome little devil in is arms. "Welcome home, Matthew Ryan. I know you'll make your great uncle proud."
---------------
David let Skyler go up and spend time with little Matthew first. Before he was going to be holding that baby, David needed sleep. He was happy to have his birthday baby. He and Brie would celebrate the birth of their newest grandson later. They both needed sleep
Skyler, however, was dotting on his first grandchild. He was sitting in the rocking chair that 'Miah had been sitting in while Jake checked everyone out and made sure that everyone had a clean bill of heath. Skyler rocked back and forth slowly and just stared at the sleeping baby in his arms and smiled. "He's so handsome", Skyler said to no one in particular.
"He is", 'Miah said with a grin. He sat in the bed he shared with his wife and held her against his side.
Skyler sat and rocked with the baby in his arms as his started to sing. "I will devour you, take all the pain away, I cannont 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've brought meaning to my life", he sang with a smile. As he continued, his son in law joined in. "Still enough, although I know you're not begging, still are the thoughts running through you mind, still enough, although I know you're not begging, give me a reason to make you mine.
"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've brought meaning to my life."
Skyler looked up at his son in law. "How do you know that song?"
"My father wrote it and he and Mom used to sing it to us all the time when we were little. We've all continued their grandchildren. Malachai sang it to his kids. Jordan sang it to Levi. Jake sang it to Miri and Ira. James sings it to the twins, and I had every intention of singing to to Mattie." Jeremiah was amazingly understanding of the confusion. As tired as he was, he was calm and not insulted.
Skyler chuckled. "I'm sorry. I guess I should have realized that your parents would make that a standard lullaby in your family. Oh well. I hope your Dad doesn't mind me singing it to Mattie as well."
"I highly doubt that he will. Dad's pretty cool about stuff like that." Mattie started crying and 'Miah jumped to his feet. "What's wrong with him?"
"I'm sure it's just that he's wet, son. No need to freak out." Skyler grabbed a diaper and changed his grandson. The little boy quieted instantly. "See, 'Miah. He was just wet."
'Miah relaxed and settled back into the bed next to his wife. "I'm going to be jumpy about him for a week or two, I'm sure."
"All new parents are for the first little bit", Skyler said with a grin. "I can't imagine how your parents managed with ten of you."
"With the first eight of us, my aunts and uncles were there to help out. My parents told stories about how when the four of us quadruplets were newborns we'd all start crying and thry, of course, would come running, but the other guys in the band would draw straws to see which couple would end up coming to help take care of us. Uncle Mike decided that Meagan was going to be his little drummer girl that day and she became just that. A couple years later, Uncle Mike decided that I had the natural rhythm to be a drummer as well. Now look at me."
"What do you foresee for little Mattie here?"
"I don't know. I don't really want to speculate or try to plot out his course. I want him to make mistakes like I did. I want him to grow up to be his own man."
Skyler smiled. "You couldn't have given me a better answer."
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Jeremiah brough Matthew down for a little whild and David finally got to hold his birthday present. "There is nothing better than turning 68 and having a son give you another grandchild", he said with a laugh.
Brie was resting her chin on his shoulder and laughed. "Don't let it go to your head, baby. Chances are that it won't happen again."
"Says who? You?"
"No, dear. Common sense and statistics." She said as she pulled her cell phone out of the case on her hip when she felt it vibrate. She pulled up the message and was grateful for smart phones. A strange look came over her face. "Well, that's strange."
He looked over at her with a question in his eyes. "What's up?"
"It's something I'd rather discuss with you in private."
David gave the small child back to his father. "I think feeding time is creeping up. He's getting a little grumpy, 'Miah."
Jeremiah nodded. "Alright. Thanks, Dad."
David stood and helped his wife to her feet and they went up the stairs to her office. Once they were sure the room was secure, he crossed his arms over his chest and looked at his wife. "What's going on, baby?"
"Remember when I developed that massage technique for scar tissue reduction and you suggested that I get a publicist?"
"Yeah. What about it?"
"I just got a message from said publicist. She mentioned something an interview."
"An interview? For what? You haven't been practicing massage for almost two years now."
"I don't know. She said there was an email waiting on me fro details."
"Well, why don't we open the email and find out what it says?"
She made her way over to her desk and woke up her computer. Pulling up her email and refreshing the page, she found the email in question. They read the email together. She'd been invited to do an interview with 60 minutes as promotion for the upcoming concert. They would shoot in Chicago and it would air the night before the show. The only provision was that she do it alone. No David. After they were done reading the email, they exchanged a look. "What do you think I should do, David?"
"The letter says that they've been wanting to ask for a long time and your publicist has been turning them down consistently because of our family. Now that the kids are all grown, I don't seen a problem with it, to be honest. But, baby, what do you want to do?"
"I don't see a problem with doing an interview other than the fact that it will be alone."
"Are you afraid to interview without me?"
"Just a tad nervous. The only thing I've ever interviewed for without you are massage publications and that's because I'm the resident guru", she said with a chuckle at the end.
He chuckled as well. "I know. The only thing about massage that I'm the guru of is receiving." He sighed. "Honey, if you want to do the interview then do it. Don't let the fact that I'm not going to be there stop you."
She smiled and pushed herself to standing so that she could slip her arms around his neck. "Thank you, baby, for being so supportive."
"You've spent the last thirty- one years supporting me in my crazy career. It's only fair that I do the same for you." He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close. "It's what I'm supposed to do, remember? I am your husband."
"Yes, my love, I remember. And you couldn't do a better job of it."
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Before going to bed that night, David gave Skyler the information he would need for his tickets and flight from Arizona to Chicago the week of the concert. "I've had the hotel reservations since January, I was just waiting for the tickets to be printed before I could get you that information. There's even a set of backstage passes for you to come back and chill with us before we go onstage at 7:30."
"How long will you guys be onstage?"
"Three hours. We'll probably take a five minute intermission to catch our breath and stuff like that about hour two, but then again, we might not and we'll kick your asses for three hours straight."
"Either way, brother, I can't wait. Next month, huh?"
"Yeah, and while we're out there it's going to be so insane with interviews of all of the bands, Brie's doing an interview by herself, we're going to be doing all kinds of rehearsing while we're there."
"And I have access to watch all of this?"
"Did your daughter just give birth to our grandson today?"
Skyler grinned. "Thank you brother."
"Oh, I'm not done yet." David pulled a set of keys out of his pocket. "Remember over Hanukkah discussing you and Kaylian moving up here around the time Brie and I leave the country?"
"Yeah, I remember."
David held the keys out to Skyler. "They're yours if you want them. It's a nice little cottage type house on the fourth offshoot to the left from our huge driveway."
Skyler looked at David in amazement. "I don't know what to say, David. Thank you."
"It's only right that one of us be here regularly to spoil the hell out of that baby. After this show coming up, I'm moving out of the country. It's time to pass the spoil the grandkids torch to someone else."
"You'll be coming back, won't you?"
"Every now and then. Holidays are certain. And other than that's it's whenever my beautiful wife catches a whim to come home and check on the kids and grandkids or when a new grandchild is born."
"Again, David, I don't know what to say. You're too kind." He extended his hand to David.
David took Skyler's hand and shook."Just say thank you and accept it graciously, my brother. That's really all you can do."
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