Epilogue

Once the house was set up, they packed their things and planned their trip for Australia.  It was going to be a great trip.  They had invited Joe and Ziva to join the.  They’d rent a boat and everyone would go out on the reef and dive.  It was going to be a fun time.

Before they left, David did a double check to make sure he had everything he’d need to take with him.  He wasn’t forgetting things but he liked to be thorough.

Brie was enjoying the privacy they had and laying out in the backyard topless.  It had been a few days and henna she’d gotten in India had started to fade out.  She was getting darker with every passing day.  Her skin had started to take on a golden brown color.   She sauntered into the house, tying on her bikini top as she walked.  “Do you have everything, dear?” she asked with a grin.

He smiled.  “So it seems.  I’ll probably do one more check before we leave.”

“Any word from Joe and Ziva?”

“They can’t come.  New grandbaby just born.  The kids being given a Hebrew name while we’re supposed to be gone.  They don’t want to miss naming the baby or the mikvah, so they’re staying here.”

“Well, damn.  I was hoping to get to hang out with Ziva on this trip.”

“Sorry, circumstances beyond our control.”

“I know.  So, when do we head south?”

“Tonight.”  He took her hand and spun her as if they were dancing, wrapping his arms around her when he back was to him.  “You ready for two weeks of sand, sun, beaches, bikinis and diving… and some of the best and most diverse dining in the world?”  He pressed his lips to her ear and started to kiss down her neck to her shoulder.

She smiled and let out a sound that was a mix of a sigh and a soft moan.  “I can’t wait.”  She tilted her head so that he had better access to her neck.  “Will I get to hold a koala while we’re there?”

He chuckled with his lips pressed to her throat.  “If that’s what you want.”  It sent a vibration through her body that made things tighten low in her body violently. 

She moaned softly.   “What time do we have to be at the airport?”

“Not for a while”, he growled in her ear.

“Then stop teasing me and fuck me or something.”

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

Porter Grissom sat in his office in LA and stared at a computer screen.  Occasionally he would tap on the keyboard to put something into the program, but for the most part he was reading and listening.  David Draiman and his wife have left the country.  That must mean that Disturbed is no longer the threat we perceived them to be.  We can move ahead with our plan, he thought to himself.  He leaned forward and typed two words into the computer’s search engine.  JORDAN DRAIMAN.  The things that came up amazed and impressed him.  The young woman had not only an impressive range, but an impressive repertoire.  Ms. Draiman, you will pay for the sins of your father.  You and your older brother, he thought as he looked at pictures of the beautiful young woman he’d searched.  She was beautiful, too.  Her brown curls and their blonde and red highlights were hypnotic.  He listened to audio of her singing. He knew the power of her voice.  “Where my predecessors failed with your father, I won’t with you”, he said out loud.  “That little boy of yours will lose his mother before his sixth birthday if I have my way about it.  The Utopian Government will come back to power so help me.”

He knew all of his research on the patriarch of the Draiman family had paid off when he saw the bald retired rocker and his silver haired wife asleep on the plane from Denver.  It would take forever for him to get back to the US to tend to his family.

He searched another name: MALACHAI DRAIMAN.  The information he found was similar to what he found on Jordan.  He had a feeling that there were holes in Malachai’s biography.  There had to be things missing because something didn’t make sense.  There was no history of Malachai before he was 5.  It didn’t feel right.

He picked up the phone and made a phone call.  “I want everything you can find on the men of Reckless Disregard.  And I mean all three of them; Moyer, Johnson, and the Draiman man.  There has to something missing in their bios.  I want to know what it is.  Get it done.”

Once he hung up the phone, he leaned back in his seat, grabbed a cigar from the wooden box on his desk, lit it and took a huge draw off of it.  It’s nice to be the boss man, he thought.  The best way to get to Draiman is his children.  It always was during the War.

Little did he know, but the Draiman children didn’t need Daddy to take care of them anymore… and hadn’t for a long time.

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

They had just come in from the beach and were getting ready to go to dinner.  He was in the shower washing the salt water off of her skin.  She had just finished grabbing clean clothes from her suitcase and was staring at the bag he brought all of his electronics in.  Oh, I’m so going to fuck with him.  She picked up the case and, after making sure that he was still in the bathroom before hiding it in the closet.

She scattered all of the electronics throughout the room.  She was placing the last piece when she heard the water shut off.  She smiled to herself as she quickly pulled on her clothes and sat on the bed waiting for him to come out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist.  His body was covered in small droplets of water.  Seeing him like that turned her on.  She took a deep breath and got control of herself.  She wanted to just his bones right then and there.  He was never sexier to her than when he was naked and covered in small droplets of water.  The way the water glistened off of his bald head…  She had to stop or they would miss their reservation.

He looked at her with a sinister grin.  “You wanna skip dinner?”

“No”, she said with conviction.  “But you need to out some clothes on before I rape you.”

He laughed.  “Not possible.  You can’t rape the willing.”

She laughed.  “Get your sexy ass dressed so that we can go to dinner, you goober.”

He laughed as he grabbed his clothes from his suitcase and started getting dressed.  “I’m sure you’ll want to do your hair and makeup before we go so I tried not to steam up the bathroom too much.”

She laughed and walked into the bathroom, pausing briefly to give him a kiss.  “I’ll be right out, baby.  But, I have to ask, is it possible for you to behave yourself while I’m gone?”

He laughed and called after her.  “Not in your wildest dreams.”

She rolled her eyes as she applied her base.  “Fucking figures.  You’re so bad, David.”

He laughed.  He couldn’t’ help it.  “Only when I have to be.”

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

Beautiful dinner, beautiful sunset; beautiful country.  A beautiful woman at his side.  It was the perfect end to a perfect day.  Now, all he wanted to do was document it in prose.  He searched frantically for his laptop, or iPad.  He looked top his wife.  “Baby, do you know where my laptop is?”

She fought off the urge to laugh.  “No, honey.  I haven’t seen it the entire trip.”

“Are you serious?  I was just on it last night.”

“No honey, you were on mine last night.  You must have left it in Israel at the house.”

“No, God damn it.  I know I was just using it last night.  I can’t find any of my stuff I know I brought with us.”  He’d practically torn up the room looking for it all.

He bit back a laugh again and tried to hide the shine of laughter in her eyes as she responded again.  “No baby, you didn’t.  You used my computer last night to write that blog you wrote last night.”

He looked back at her and noticed a light in her eyes that shouldn’t have been there.  He knew something was up.  He sat down on the bed next to her and started in with the torment to get the truth from her.  He nipped and nibbled in her shoulder and neck for a few moments.  “Where are my things, Brie?”

“I don’t know”, she said adamantly.

“You’re lying.  Where is my computer?”

“At home in the office.  I swear to you that you left it at the house.”

He kissed at her ear, tracing the shell with the tip of his tongue.  “I want my iPad.”

“No.”

“So you know where it is?”

“Yep.  At the house.”

His fingertips traced up the inside of her thigh, brushing the hem of her gown out of his way as his hand went for her core.  “No it’s not.  Where are my things?  I can’t even find paper to write on”, his voice went from teasing to a soft growl.

She fought to stand her ground.    “I don’t know”, she said in a shaking, but determined voice.

He knew it was time to whip out the big guns.  He pushed her gently back against the pillows and captured her lips as his thumb started to tease the delicate pearl between her legs.  She sighed against his lips and he broke the kiss.  “Where are my things?”

“If you promise to finish what you just started”… she began, pausing in the middle to moan softly, “then I’ll tell you.”

“I’ll finish what I’ve started before doing my writing”, he said, slipping two fingers inside her.  “Just tell me where you hid my things.”

Her back arched and her cries grew louder.  “I’ll have to show you where I hid it all.”

He smiled as he quickened the pace with his hand, pressing his lips to hers against.  He pushed her to the brink of breaking, then stopped and pulled away.  “Once you can walk again, please show me where you hid my things.”

She took a deep breath and got up off of the bed.  She grabbed the laptop case out of the closet, the machine itself from under the bed.  His iPad was in the desk drawer which was locked to keep him from snooping.  She even opened the case to show him the pad of paper and pen.  “Everything is present and accounted for.” She smiled.

He took her hand and pulled her into the front of his body.  He held her close for a few moments, not speaking.  He just held her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.  She sighed in content as she held her against his chest.  “Not that I’m complaining, but what brought on the change of mood?”

He shook his head.  “Nothing in particular, really.  It was cute that you thought that you’d get away with hiding my things and trying to convince me that I left it at the house.”

She laughed.  “I knew I wouldn’t get away with it.  I just wanted to mess with you a little bit.  And, let me tell you now, so worth it.  The look on your face when you couldn’t find your things… priceless!”  She stretched up and pressed her lips to his.  “I love you, David.”

He smiled and returned her kiss.  “I love you too, Brie.  Now, shall I finish what I started?”

She shook her head.  “No.  I have something better in mind”, she said and pushed him toward the bed.

The End… or IS IT?

Chapter 80

David and Brie were on the first flight toward Israel in the morning.  They didn’t get much sleep the night before, but they would sleep on the flight.  They wanted to savor their last night in the United States.

By the time their flight was leaving the tarmac, they were asleep.  They slept the entire two hour flight to LAX.  David had his back to the windows and the blinds were closed.  Brie was braced against the strength of his chest sleeping peacefully.    The closeness they shared was beyond the understanding of the other passengers.  When the plane touched the tarmac in Los Angeles they stirred and gathered their things.  The passenger across the aisle from them was staring at them as they picked up their carryon bags.  “Excuse me?” the man said.  He looked like he was on a business trip in his dark blue three piece suit.

They looked at the man.  “Yes?” David said.

“Forgive me for being overly nosy, but how long have the two of you been together?”

“Thirty- one years.”

“And you’re still so in love.  It’s heartwarming.  Makes me want to call my wife once I get to my destination to tell her I love her.”

“You should”, Brie said with a soft smile.  “There were a lot of times when he was away and he’d call just to say hi and that he loved me.  It helps to hear it when the one you love isn’t there.”

“The voice of experience”, the man said with a smile and looked at David.  “How often are you away?”

“Not very often anymore.  I just retired actually.  My wife and I are moving out of the US to Israel.”

“The only place in the WORLD where it’s ok to be a hazan”, the guy said with a chuckle.

 David gave him a strange look but didn’t ask what he meant by the comment.  He knew that he’d same something similar in an interview many years before and he’d never made any bones about the fact that he was Jewish, so he didn’t say anything.  He just smiled pleasantly.  “Well, it’s been nice talking with you.  We really have to be going.  We’re going to have to run to our next connection as it is.”  He took Brie’s hand and led her off of the plane.  Once they were a good distance from the terminal he pulled her close to his side.  “Sorry if that frightened you, but that guy was creeping me out.”

She smiled up at him as she tucked herself as close to him as she could manage.  “I understand, honey.  I didn’t like that guy either.  I had a creepy feeling about that guy too.”

“That last thing he said set off an alarm in my head.”

“Well, you were trained to look for creeps like that many years ago.  You never lose training like that.  It tends to stick with you no matter how often you use it.”

He smiled and kissed her temple.  “I love you.  You always know what to say.”

She laughed.  “I love you too.  And I know what to say because I know you.  When are you going to get that through your thick skull?”

“I’m not sure.  Maybe never.”

“I guess I’ll be saying it the rest of our lives then.  I’m not messed up about it.”

All he could do was laugh.

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

The landing in New Delhi gave them an opportunity to explore India a little.  A five hour layover would do that for anyone, but they certainly weren’t complaining.  He took her to some of the places he liked to go when they visited India.  He had been surprised at how alive metal was in the subcontinent when the band had come out.

They ate a small meal while there so that they didn’t have to travel with heavy full stomachs.  Brie loved the food.  It was so interesting to finally get to experience all of the new and different cultures.  She had even agreed to having henna tattooing done.  Jordan had it done regularly and she loved it.   Her feet, hand, and back were done in elaborate patterns of the reddish brown ink.  Once it was dry, it was beautiful.  David smiled at her.  “You’re a walking work of art”, he whispered in her ear.  His fingertips traced down her spine.

She shivered and let out a shaking breath.  “Thank you, love.  I’m glad you like it.  Three hours later and I’m all hennaed out.  I don’t know how Jordan does it so often.  I’m a lot more patient than she is and I was starting to get sick of lying there after two and a half hours on my back.”

He laughed.  “But you have to admit it was worth it.”

She smiled back.  “Again, I’m glad you like it.”  She stretched up and gave him a kiss before slipping her shirt back on.  “Now, why don’t we head back to our terminal so that we can get the hell out of here?”

He grabbed their bags and held his hand out to her.  “Let’s go.  We’re almost home.”

She sighed as she wrapped herself around him.  “I know… and it’s a wonderful feeling.”

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

Jessi’s boyfriend picked them up at the airport and took them to their new house.  He’d been there all day setting things up so that they had a bed and TV on their bedroom when they arrived.  “You really didn’t have to do that, Adam”, Brie said with a smile.

“Yeah I did.  Jessi said that she would be pissed at me to no end if I didn’t find a way to help out and set up the house just a little bit.  Anyway, someone had to sign for all of the stuff, right?”

David shrugged.  “True.  Thank you for your help.”

“All I’m trying to do is impress you two.  I know that you’re very protective of your girls, Mr. Draiman, and I love Jessi.  I just want to prove to you that I’m worthy of her.”

“Is it that well known that I’m protective of my daughters?” David asked with a laugh of disbelief.

“Actually, yes.  Jessi told everyone in class the story of you scaring the shit out of the last guy she brought home and the story of the first guy that Maddie brought home.  It scared every boy that thought of trying to date Jessi but me.  I’ve had a thing for Jessi since the first day of classes last semester.  When I received my acceptance to Loyola for my semester abroad, I asked her if she’d be opposed to having a roommate.  At first, we were just friends; then we started falling for each other.”

“Wow.  Interesting story”, Brie said.  “Well Adam, I can’t speak for my husband, but I can tell you that I like you.  David may take a little more convincing.”

“Well, that’s what I’m trying to do.  I really do love Jessykah and I would love to make her my wife at some point.  I know that I have a lot to prove before Mr. Draiman will allow that to happen, Mrs. Draiman.  I’m more than willing to wait for the patriarch to give me his approval.”

David grinned.  “No matter how badly I don’t want to like you, David, you keep showing me that you’re a decent guy.”  He took a deep breath.  “This isn’t permission to marry her, but as long as you treat her right that will come in no time.”

“You don’t want to like me?”

“You have to understand that it’s nothing against you personally.  Jessykah is my baby.  No one is good enough for her in my mind.  But, so far, you’re proving me wrong.  That’s a good thing as far as I’m concerned.  Just keep doing what you’re doing and you’ll make me like you yet”, David laughed.

“Well, at least I know that it’s not me personally.  You’re just prejudiced against any guy that wants to date Jessi.”

David chuckled.  “Pretty much.  That’s just the way I am.  There’s no man on the planet worthy of my princesses until they prove it to me.”

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

Jessi’s things were packed and she was almost ready to go to the airport.  It was going to be a red eye from Denver to Jerusalem, but she was ready for it.  Leaving the US was something she was ready for.  She was eager to start her job as an interpreter for the US consulate in Jerusalem.  The US ambassador was a wonderful woman.  She was a woman that Jessi could look up to and admire.

There was a knock on her bedroom door.  “Come on”, she called.

“You ready to go to the airport?” her brother Jeremiah asked when he opened the door.

She smiled.  “Yep.  Ready as I’ll ever be.  I just hope that Dad didn’t drill Dave too badly.  Poor guy’s beating himself up to impress Dad.”

“I’m sure that Dad was nice.  If he treats you well then Dad will eventually come around.  Remember how long it took Colton to win Dad over?”

“Yeah, I remember.  Once he became a regular face around here, it wasn’t hard to get in Dad’s good graces.  David’s got it a bit harder.  Mom and Dad aren’t going to be around like they were for Colton.  They’re going to be travelling everywhere.”

“And you two are going to be house sitting.  Dropping them off and picking them up at the airport all the time.  I think he’s got a bit of a leg up on Colton.”

Jessi smiled.  “Thanks big brother.  I needed that.”

“No problem, Jess.  I’m your big brother.  It’s what I do.  Now, come on.  There is a very impatient Matthew Ryan downstairs and we’d like to get you to the airport before he becomes too grumpy.”

Jessi laughed.  “Let’s go, ‘Miah.  I’m ready to get to Israel to see my man.”

Chapter 79

As the packing progressed, David seemed to sink into a bit of a stupor.  Brie noticed the funk as they packed her office.  “Honey, what’s the matter?” she asked.

He sighed as he packed her essential oils into a box.  “I’m bored”, he said.

She knew this was coming.  “Bored?  As in you want to write?”

“Yes.”

“Ok.  You can write if you want to.”

“You’re going to let me write music?”

“I didn’t say that.  I said that you could write.  What I didn’t add was it has to be anything BUT music.  You can write poetry.  Or short stories.  Or hell, you could even write a novel that has NOTHING to do with your life, or that’s totally about your life but has fictional characters.  You just can’t write music.”

“You honestly expect me to write poetry?”

“That’s what you’ve been doing all these years.  Your lyrics are poetry.  Haven’t I said it a million times?”

“But I’ve always had a musical background.”

“Honey, you don’t need music to convey what you’re feeling and thinking.  Rather than using your music as a weapon, why don’t you use your words as your weapon?”

He looked at her with a raised brow.  “You know, I haven’t thought of it that way.  But, that’s what I’ve been doing all this time, isn’t it?”

She looked at him as thought to say, It’s taken you this long to figure it out?  “Yes, David.  That’s what you’ve been doing all these years.  With ever record, every monologue you recorded, every interview you’ve ever done… it’s been your words that have been your weapon.  Danny, Mikey, and John… all they really did was give you the guidance system to launch the missiles.  Now, do I have to do like Nikki did to Danny and hide everything you use to write or are you going to take my advice?”

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

While they weren’t packing, David sat with a pen and a pad of paper and just put down his thoughts.  He’d written his memoir already.  He was just jotting down his thoughts about this and that, almost as if the notepad were a journal.  It helped with the things that were constantly bouncing around in his head.  When they went to bed, he would share what he had written with Brie.  She would smile as he read his writing with her.  Seeing him at peace gave her peace.

“So, what do you think?” he asked.

“I love it.  It really tells a story.  Now, aren’t you glad I made the suggestion?”

“Yeah, I am.  This is actually easier I think because I’m not struggling to fit the words with a melody in my head that was inspired by the music the guy sent me.”

“Can I say it?” she asked, crinkling her nose.

“What?”

“I told you so.”

He laughed.  “So you did.  I’m not arguing that with you.  You absolutely did tell me so.”  He relaxed in bed next to her.  “We’re heading to Israel soon, baby.  Can you believe it?”

She laughed.  “No, I can’t really.  It’s crazy to think that we’re about to leave the country for good.  It amazes me.”

“Well, it’s true.  We’re about to retire to Israel like you asked.”

“How is the sinking in of the fact that you’re now retired coming?”

“It’s a long process, but I’m getting there.  I don’t need it to sink in so much as I need to accept it, now.”

“And that will happen when?”

“Probably not until you’re lying out nude on a beach in Australia.”

“You’d like to see that, wouldn’t you?”

“I’m a man.  What man doesn’t want to see his wife naked on the beach?  And you have the body for it.  You’re far from fat.”

She laughed, burying her face in his chest.  “I’m not fat?  You do realize that they’re not that fickle in Australia, right?”

“Yes, and I’m not that fickle either, but I know how obsessive you are about your fitness.”

“Because of my blood sugar.  And I enjoy the rush of working out.  The endorphins bring me a high that’s better than the marijuana from the after party.”

He laughed.  “You’re nearly militant about it, though.”

“I have to have a routine to follow.  It keeps me from forgetting anything.”

He laughed and pulled her tighter against his chest.  “You’re sharper than every knife in the kitchen.  You won’t forget anything.”

“Don’t kiss ass, David.  It’s unbecoming a man with your education and intellect.”

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

Writing wasn't the only thing that was putting a smile in David’s face.  His office was packed.  Brie’s office was packed.  Their bedroom was almost pack.  Her knick knacks were almost packed and ready for shipping.  The trip was coming together.  It wouldn’t be long before they were leaving the country for good.

The day before they left, David had everything sent to the house via UPS.  His Mustang and bike were going with their belongings.  All of the other vehicles were staying there under lock and key.  Jake knew not to let any of his brothers or sisters touch is father’s vehicles.  David had made that perfectly clear.

The night before they left, they had one final family dinner before leaving the house.  Because their bed had been sent along with the rest of their stuff, they would be staying at a hotel in Denver.

After dinner was served to everyone, David got all of his children’s attention.  “As you all know, this is mine and your mother’s last day in the country.  We’re leaving first thing in the morning to Israel.  We will see you all again in November for Thanksgiving.”  He took his wife’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.  “You mother and I just want to let each of you know that we’re proud of all of you and everything you’ve accomplished.  We love each and every one of you.  We’re proud to call ourselves your parents.”  He chuckled a bit.  “And we want you all to know that when the first great- grandchild is born, we want to be here.”

The kids all laughed.   “You got it, Mom and Dad”, Malachai said with a chuckle.  “When Isaiah or ‘Randa start having kids, Mandy and I will give you a call.”

David laughed and nodded.  “You had better.  Now, why don’t we all go on ahead and eat like this were any other family dinner?”  They started eating and talking about the things that had been going on.  Jessi would be following her parents out  the following week so that she and her boyfriend David could house sit when  her parents went to Australia.  They would spend a week or so there before coming home to plan their next trip.  They had explained to Jessi and her David that they weren’t going to be home very much.

Dinner ended and they bade each of their children and grandchildren goodbye before going out and getting in their cab to Denver.  Their children all stood outside as they watched the cab drive away.  “I can’t believe that they’re leaving already”, Meagan said softly.

“I know”, added Jordan.  “They haven’t even left the country yet and I miss them already.”

“If you all want to stay nearby the house tonight, it’s totally doable”, Jake said.  “I understand if everyone wants to crash here tonight.”

Marc took Mercedes’ hand and kissed her knuckles.  “Do you mind, baby?”

Mercedes shook her head.  “Of course not, baby.  If you need to be close to family tonight, then we can do that.  Your parents’ leaving the country is a big deal.”

Maddie and Jordan asked their significant other’s if they were ok with the idea as well.  No one objected.  They small children that weren’t still being fed every two to three hours were put to bed.  It didn’t take long to put the children to sleep.

All of the adults stayed up and reminisced about childhood as they all sipped on drink s of their choice, alcoholic or not.  “Do you guys remember the day we moved in here after the War?” Makayla asked.

“NO”, Marc and Jessi laughed.  “We weren’t even thought of yet.”

Jake laughed.  “Yeah you were.  You just hadn’t been conceived yet.  Dad had been begging Mom to look for a surrogate for the two of you for two years before it happened.  Mom wanted to wait for the end of the War first.”  Jake took a sip of the scotch in his glass and looked back at Makayla.  “Yeah, I remember.  We all go to run down the hall and pick our room one at a time.  Mom and Dad’s offices and Mom’s massage room were already set up.    Their room was already set up.  James and Jeremiah fought over who got which room and Mom and Dad had to settle the argument.  It was so funny.”

“What I never understood was why Malachai, Jordan and you got the biggest rooms aside from Mom and Dad’s”, James asked.

Jordan laughed.  “Because we were the oldest.  We got to choose our rooms first and we got the bigger rooms.”

Jessi and Marc laughed.  “We didn’t get to pick our rooms”, they laughed.

“Because you’re the babies.  Once you were old enough for a room to yourself, Mom and Dad pick your rooms from the three that were left.”

“And the holidays when the rest of the band would come out sucked!” James laughed.

“Until Dad told everyone that we just didn’t have the room for everyone to pile into the house anymore.  We were getting to be too big”, Malachai laughed.

“It was great when Dad finally said, ‘Look, we just don’t have room for everyone anymore.  You guys need to start staying in a hotel until it’s time for the festivities’.”

None of them could have agreed more.

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

Once they were settled into their hotel room, David and Brie settled into the couch in the room and watched the news for the last time as solely US citizens.  They had petitioned for Israeli citizenship on their last trip out to buy the house.  They would hold dual citizenship until the day they took their final breaths.

“So, how does it feel to know that when we touchdown in Israel the day after tomorrow that we’ll be Israeli citizens?” he asked her.

She smiled softly.  “It actually feels really good to know that”, she responded as she tucked herself closer into his side.

He rubbed a hand up and down her back.  “So I take it this means you’re happy?”

“Ecstatic.  We’re moving out of the country.  Yes, it’s a little bittersweet to tell our kids, ‘We’ll see you for Thanksgiving and Hanukkah’.  But, we’re at the point in our lives where we deserve to have a little bit of time to ourselves to be alone and to be a couple rather than parents and grandparents.  I think we’ve earned that much.”

He grinned.  “I agree.  I’m 68 for God’s sake.  You’re 64, almost 65.  You don’t get to have a lot of time with me and I don’t get to have a lot of time with you.  It our turn to have time together. “

She smiled at the conviction in his voice.  She uncurled from his side and placed herself in his lap.  “If that how you feel about it, then fuck me.”

He grinned wickedly as one hand slid up her back and into her hair.  He grabbed a handful of her curls as he devoured her mouth.  He wanted her so badly he ached.  He’d waited all day to hear her say what she’d said.  He could feel that was what she wanted.

She ground her hips hard against him.  She was just as eager for him as he was for her.  The only reason they hadn’t been able to make love was because they had to coordinate the movers and make sure that everything was being moved the way it needed to be.  But now that they were alone…

His hand in her hair yanked her head to the side so that he had access to her neck and she cried out softly.  He kissed, licked and bit his way up her neck and growled in her ear.  “How rough?”

“As rough as you want”, she panted softly.

He stood with her and her legs wrapped around his waist.  He was glad that he made sure that the handcuffs from their bedside table were in his carry on.  He set her on the bed and grabbed his carry on to pull out a few things.  The only thing he said was, “Strip”, and she did.  He told her to lie on her stomach and she did.  He handcuffed her to bedpost and stripped down to his jeans and bare feet and began to have his way with her as she sank into that headspace that allowed him to do what he was doing.  She needed this release before leaving the country.  And she could feel that he did too.

Chapter 78

With the house paid for they set about making sure that they would have furniture when they came back within the month.  They also made sure that the necessities like light, water, and gas were taken care of as well.  The turn on date was the mid May.  As soon as they had everything packed and taken care of, they would have a moving company come out to take care of moving their things.

Brie decided NOT to argue with David on the big flat screen TV for the living room.  She knew that he would get his way as far as that was concerned.  Where they argued was the other furniture.  “I don’t want to stick to the couch in the summer when we’re there, David.  Leather in the desert is out of the question.”

“Well, so is vinyl.  We’ll stick to that just as badly.”

She looked at him like he was an idiot.  “I wasn’t thinking vinyl, you moron.  I was thinking about suede.”  She took him by the hand and lead him to a nice deep red micro- suede couch and sat down on it.  “Try it.”  She patted the seat next to her.

He took a seat and chuckled when she curled up against him.  “You know what this reminds me of?” he asked.

“Buying the furniture for Malachai and Mandy when they were expecting the twins?””

“How did you know?”

“That’s where this imagery took  me.  And if you’ll recall, I argued about the TV then but I didn’t today.”

“I did notice that.  Why?”

“I’ve gotten used to watching our movies on that huge 75 inch flat screen in the living room”, she laughed.

He kissed the top of her head.  “You’re so funny”, he laughed.  “Well, I have to say that I really like this couch.  Not crazy about the color, though.”

“We can always ask if they have it in a different color.  Let me guess, you want it in black?”

He laughed.  “Am I that obvious?”

She laughed as she sat up so that he could stand.  “Only all the time, love.  Only all the God damn time.”

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

Everything they needed from the furniture store was purchased.  The next thing they were going to need were things for the kitchen.  Shopping for the kitchen wasn’t going to be nearly as difficult.  Brie had a very clear picture in her head of everything they would need for the kitchen.  As they walked through the store, she grabbed what they needed in an amount that was perfect for the two of them with occasional company.  At any given time, there would only be two people in the house at a time.  When she grabbed a 1 gallon glass jug, he looked at her like she was insane.  “We don’t need one that big do we?”

“Don’t you want sun brewed tea?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Then I’m going to need the jug.  It’s easier to set the tea out in something like this rather than a pitcher with a handle on it.”  She laughed.  “Did you ever see us having this argument?”

“We’re not arguing, we’re discussing.  And, honestly, no.  I never saw us having this conversation.”

“Isn’t retirement lovely?” she laughed.

“I’m still adjusting.  I’ll let you know once it sinks in”, he chuckled.

“Well, I think it’s wonderful.  Just think, we’ll be living here in a month.”

“It’s strange.  I’ve been looking forward to retirement for a year now and now that I’m actually retired I can’t believe I’ve done it.”

She stopped and wrapped her arms around his neck.  “Baby, it’s going to take a little adjusting.  It took some adjusting for me too.  You have no idea how badly I’ve wanted to call a few of my old clients over the past two years.”

“How did you work through it?”

“I found ways.  Made myself little projects and stuff like that.  Organizing the Kennedy Center thing, all of the huge get together’s and stuff that we’ve done, Jona and ‘Miah’s wedding, playing midwife for Jona AND Maddie.  I’ve had projects.”

“Well, once we get back to the states, we’ll pack out stuff to move out here and we’ll take off the Australia for a couple of weeks.  That way we don’t have to hunt for a project for you to do.”

She smiled.  She knew that it would be hard for him to resist the urge to write now that he was officially retired.  It would be hard for her to watch him go through that.  She had a suggestion, but she wasn’t sure if he wanted to hear it.  It was the only thing she could think of to suggest to him to help him.

With his arms around her waist, he wondered what was going through her head.  When she fell silent like that he knew that there was something making those wheels turn.  What could she possibly be thinking?, he asked himself as he leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek.  He pushed the thought from his mind as he spoke.  “I love you”, he whispered.

“I love you too, she said softly.  “Now, let’s finish this trip, take this stuff out to the new house and go back to the hotel.

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

Once their week was over, they went home for the last time.  There were a few items of business that still needed to be handled.  First, David needed to sell his portion of Intoxication to James.  Danny and Justin were coming out to make that sale official.  Danny was selling his portion of Intoxication to Justin at the same time.  Abe had drawn up the paperwork for that and the next item of business:  the sale of the house that David and Brie had raised their family in to their second oldest son and his wife.  For Brie, it was an exciting prospect.  For David, there were mixed feelings.  Everything that he had worked for in life was being sold to his children.  That’s not how it was supposed to work, right?

Before either of the contracts of sale were signed by any of the parties involved, David needed to have a long talk with his daughter Jordan.  He was still upset about the insinuation she had made about him being sick and not telling her and her siblings.  The day after they arrived home, he called her over so that he could talk.  When she arrived, Jake sent her to their father’s office where their parents were packing.  She knocked on the door.  “Who’s there?” David called.

“It’s Jordan, Dad”, she said.

He and his wife stopped packing.  “Do you want me to leave, honey?” Brie asked.

“No, stay please.  I’ll need you to help me remain calm.”  After she nodded he took a deep breath.  “Come in, Jordan.  It’s not locked.”  They moved to sit behind the desk.

Jordan crept in slowly.  “You wanted to talk to me, Daddy?”

“Yes.  Have a seat.”  He pointed to the chairs in front of his desk.  Once she was seated, David took a deep breath.  “Jordan, that stupid shit you said a week ago; explain yourself.”

“What do you mean, Daddy?”

“Why did you let your imagination tell you that I was sick and was hiding it from you children?”

“I honestly don’t know. All I can really say is that I’m not ready for you guys to move out of the country.  That’s the truth.  I know you and Mom need time to be alone together like Davina and I do.  You’ve watched those of us that are married go on our honeymoon and various vacations over the years and have even babysat when we asked you to.  But, most of all, if we need something all we have to do as find you here at the house and talk to you.”

David and Brie looked at each other, then back at their daughter and David spoke.  “Jordan, you’re all adults now.  You don’t need us to hold your hand anymore.  You mother and I need to have time alone now.  We’ve spent the last thirty years being parents.  And, while you and your siblings will always be our children, it’s time for Mom and Dad to have our lives to ourselves now.  Your mother, that saint that she is”, he said and kissed her knuckles, “allowed me the freedom to travel and take my music all over the world.  She never complained.  She never said that she regretted a damn thing about being with me.  She still hasn’t.  She stayed here and made sure that you and your brothers and sisters had what you needed so that you could all do what you’re all doing with your lives.  Now that we’re bother retired, she’s asked that we move out of the country.  I’m going to oblige her because she’s earned that much at the very least.  But, if something were seriously wrong with either of us we’d let you know.  You know that, Jordan.  The fact that you insinuated otherwise is rather offensive.  We understand that occasionally people get carried away and let their imagination get the best of them.  This time, Jordan Hannah, you took it just a little too far.”

Jordan hung her head as she listened to her father lecture her.  She knew everything he was saying was true.  Especially the part where she let her imagination get the best of her.  “I’m sorry, Dad.  I should know better.  Flights of fancy like that should be reserved for the little ones.  I should know better than that.”

“So, what brought that on, Jordan?” Brie asked.

“I don’t want you guys to leave the country, Mom.”

“Get over it?”

Jordan sighed.  “I know I need to get over it.  I need to be a damn adult.  I don’t know why I’m suddenly having all of these abandonment issues.”

“Maybe you need to go back into therapy to deal with these crazy issues.    You never had to deal with abandonment because one or both of us was always there and when your father wasn’t around and you wanted to talk to him, I had NO problem calling him so that you kids could hear his voice.  We would video conference when you had things to show him.  When he would come home he and I would spend weeks watching game and concert video so that he could see what he missed for all of you.  There is no reason for you to feel abandoned by us leaving the country.”

Jordan sighed again.  “I know, Mama.  I’m just being a baby.  I’m being a 30 year old baby.  I’ll get over it.  All that matters is you two being happy and enjoying the rest of your lives.  I’m sure that if either of you  fall sick, you’ll let us know.  I’m really sorry for what I said.  I guess I need to grow up.”

Brie and David laughed.  “You said it, not us.”

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

Abe was downstairs waiting on David and James to come down.  Danny and Justin had already arrived and Delilah was playing hostess.  She made sure that everyone had a drink and was offering a snack when James came down.  “Lilah, would you mind taking Hunter and the girls for me so that I can do business?” he asked with one of his girls in each arm and Hunter on his heels.

“Sure.  Have they eaten?”

“No, not since breakfast.  I haven’t had the time to get down here.  I was arguing with a professor over my grades so that I can get my degree.  I know I was passing that class.  Turns out the jack ass was forgetting to grade my work.  I threatened to sue and he started finding all of my assignments.  Told him that if I had anything less than a ‘B’ because he wanted to be an ass I would have his license to practice law.”  He came down and took a seat in the kitchen after leaving his kids with his sister in law in the living room.  “Hey Uncle Danny.  Hey Justin.  How have things been since the concert, Uncle Danny?”

“I’m still adjusting to retirement.  Your Aunt Nikki took all of my guitars and hid them so that I can’t try to write music.”

“I wonder how Aunt Brie’s going to keep Uncle David from writing now that it’s all over”, Justin laughed as he took a sip of his tea.

“I have no idea, Justin”, James laughed.  “I’m sure that my mother has something in mind.”

“I’m not thinking about writing right now.  I’m focusing on packing so that your mother and I can move out of the country.”

“You two are still serious about that?” Dan asked as he ran fingers through his graying hair.

“Yep.  It’s what Brie wants and it’s what she’s going to get.  We’ve already bought the house we’re going to be living in.”  He looked at Abe.  “I trust that everything is in order?” he asked.

“Yep.  Just as you and Dan asked.  I also brought the paper work for you and Brie to sign to sell the house to Jacob and Delilah if you want to get that out of the way too.”

“Sounds good.”  He pulled out a chair and sat down.

Abe handed David and Dan both a copy of the contract to look over.  “Everything that you outlined is there.  Since you were both equal partners in the company your shares of the company are being equally assigned to your sons.  The boys share the responsibility for the finances, finding new talent, ect.”

David and Dan both nodded as they scanned the documents in their hands.  “I like what I’m seeing.  What about you, David?” Dan asked.

“It all looks like it’s supposed to look to me.  Shall we sign these and get this over with?”  David picked a pen up off of the table and signed the contract relinquishing his half of Intoxication Records to James.  He held the pen out to Danny, who did the same.  James and Justin only needed to sign and they were full partners in Intoxication Records.

The boys signed and shook hands.  “Well, cousin, I look forward to doing business with you”, James said with a grin.

“Same here, cuz.  When will you and the kids be in Chicago?”

“Soon.  I finalized the purchase of my house while were out there for the show.”

“Great.  We’ll have to get together once you and the kids get out there.  And, maybe Hayley’s sister will take a little interest.”

“You trying to set me up with someone already, Justin?”

“She already likes what she’s heard.  And I haven’t told her that your Dad’s Uncle David.”

“Alright.  I’ll give it a shot.  Now, I have to go check on my kids.  I’ll see you in a couple of weeks, Justin.”

“Call me once you get out to Chicago and we’ll get together that night at my place.” 

Chapter 77

They had arranged their flight to Israel for that afternoon as their children prepared to go home.  David fumed as they sat in the airport and awaited their flight.  “To think that I wouldn’t tell our children that I was sick is fucking insulting”, he said.

Brie laid her hand on his thigh and tried to calm him.  “I know, baby.”

“I know that Jordan has had her flights of whimsy and fantasy over the years, but this is fucking ridiculous.  It’s worse than ridiculous.  It’s ludicrous and flat out damn absurd.”

“I know, baby.  And to think that I wouldn’t have told them that you were sick is rather insulting to me as well.  The worst you have going on with you is your blood pressure.  I’ve cut back on the amount of sodium that you intake.  That’s about it.  You’re actually very healthy for a man who’s nearing his seventies.”

“And you’ve made sure of that.  We’re both really healthy for our ages.  The fact that Jordan would make such an assumption is beyond me.  I’m actually offended.”

“I don’t blame you for being upset, David.  But, you need to calm down.  Our plane will be here soon and then we’re heading out of the country to Israel to buy our new home.”

He took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh.  “You’re right.  I need to relax.”  He pulled his Kindle out of his carry on and started to read as he held his wife’s hand.

As they sat and read they heard, “Excuse me.”

They looked up from the reading tablets in their laps.  “Can we help you?” David asked.

“Are you David Draiman of Disturbed?” one of the three young women that were standing in front of them asked.  She had light brown hair and green eyes.

“I am.  What can I do for you young ladies?” he said politely.

“Wow, you even hotter in person”, another one of the girls said.

David smiled.  “Thank you.  You do realize my wife is sitting next to me, right?”

The three young woman looked embarrassed.  “We’re sorry, Mrs. Draiman.  We don’t mean to offend you.”

“Girls, I’m not offended”, Brie said with a smile.  “I agree with you.  He’s hotter in person than he is on camera.”

“We were wondering if we could get your autograph, Mr. Draiman.  We’re huge fans”, the third girl asked.

“Absolutely.  Always willing to sign things for the fans.”  He set the Kindle aside and grabbed a Sharpie from his bag so that he could sign their shirts and things.  He even took pictures with them and signed tattoos.   “Did you get everything you needed?”

“Yes.  Thank you so much.  Our brother’s going to trip balls when he sees this.”

David chuckled.  “I’m glad I could help you shock your brother.  Did you girls watch the show yesterday?”

“That was monumental.  We were there, front row, right next to the cat walk.  That performance of ‘The Animal’… WOW.  You and Jordan are so awesome together”, one of the girls said.

“Is it true that she’s your daughter?” another asked.

“Yes.  She’s my oldest daughter and Malachai is my son.”

“That’s really awesome.”  They all exchanged a look.  “Well, thank you so much.  We really appreciate this.”

“Not a problem girls.  You girls enjoy the rest of your trip.”

The girls walked away and David and Brie started gathering their things after their boarding call sounded.    Although the fans that they had just entertained help him relax a little, David couldn’t help but continue to feel irritated by what his daughter had said that morning at breakfast.  Thankfully, he had a long flight ahead of him to unwind and put it to the back of his mind.

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

He dozed off once they were in the air.  The first class seats on Untied Airlines were a lot more comfortable than he remembered and it made falling asleep relatively easy.  He’d reclined his seat and let sleep over take him.  He hadn’t realized just how tired he was after the show the night before.

What little sleep he got on the flight in between layovers was restless.  Something just wouldn’t let his mind rest.  He tossed and turned during the flight.  When would wake it would be with a start.  One time when he did it, she gently laid her hand on his and stroked his knuckles with her thumb.  When he woke, he wasn’t so jumpy.  She had to ask.  It was going to drive her crazy not knowing.  “Baby, what’s the matter?” she asked.

“I just can’t seem to quiet my mind enough to get a little rest after last night.  I’m exhausted, but my mind is going a million miles an hour.”

“Song ideas floating around in your head?”

He took a deep breath.  “Not really.  It’s just that all I’ve been focused on for the last three weeks was that damn show and everything else has been on the back burner.  It think that all of the things I’ve tried not to think about over the last few weeks are now making themselves known.”

“And it’s keeping you from getting rest?”

“I can only really guess to be honest.  All I know that that I’m sleeping but not resting.  I need rest.”

“What would help you rest, love?”

“What do you mean?”

“What can I do to help you get some rest?”

He shrugged.  “I don’t know.”

She raised the armrest between them and put her back to the window.  “You want to try lying against me?  When I touched your hand it seemed to calm you a little bit.”

He smiled as he adjusted to lean against her.  “This is an odd position”, he chuckled as he laid his head against her shoulder.

She adjusted a little herself, moving her Kindle from one hand to the other.  The hand she just emptied rested on his chest from over his shoulder.  “It’s going to feel that way for a little bit, but there’s nothing wrong with a woman holding her man when he needs a little comfort”, she giggled.

He picked up the hand that laid against his chest and kissed the palm.  “You’re too good for me.”

“No, nothing’s too good for you.  You deserve the best.”

“And in you, I have it.”

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

After landing in Frankfurt they had a straight shot to Jerusalem after a two hour layover.  The scene was similar to right before they caught their flight out of O’Hare.  They were sitting- eating lunch or reading- and fans that recognized him would approach and ask for pictures and autographs.  Brie was a great sport about it.  She would take the pictures for them.  When the fans would apologize, Brie would shake her head, wave her hand, and tell them it was not problem. 

One instance in particular that got to her was a young man who was wheelchair bound came rolling up as they were packing their things up to catch their flight to Israel.  His accent was barely noticeable as he spoke.  “Excuse me, but are you David of Disturbed?”

David looked up and nodded.  “I am.  What can I do for you?”

“Can I get a picture with you and an autograph?”

David looked at his wife.  “Do we have the time?”

“That haven’t sounded the boarding call.  We were just getting our things together to go stand in line at customs.  Do it, baby.”  Brie set her carry on in the seat she had been sitting in and held her hand out for the camera.  “Let me see that camera.”

The boy handed her the camera and David moved to squat next to the wheelchair.  Brie snapped a couple of pictures for the boy as David signed his shirt and a few other choice pieces of memorabilia.  Brie talked to the boy about his disability.  He had muscular dystrophy and had since he could remember.  She’d had a few clients in her career that were so afflicted.  She recommended that he look into getting massage.  It would help with the circulation and help move the nutrients into the muscles.  It wouldn’t reverse the problem, but it would help.  He thanked them both went about his business right as their boarding call sounded and they headed to customs.

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

Upon arriving in Jerusalem, they grabbed their rental car and went straight to their hotel.  David called their real estate agent to find out when would be a good time to come in to finish paying off the house.  It was too late at night and they couldn’t go in until the morning.  Instead, they ordered room service and got ready for bed.

The next day, as they ate breakfast, they discussed everything that they were bringing with them from the US.  “Everything in our bedroom comes here”, Brie said plainly.  “I don’t care what kid wants what, I want everything in our room.”

David nodded.  “I agree.  What about your office?”

“I’ll leave my books for Maddie, Delilah, and Jona.  I won’t need the certifications, but I do want my computer.  All of my little trinkets, like the geisha and kabuki, come with us too.”

He nodded.  “I agree there too.  Our children, especially our daughter Madison, will jack those if you leave them there.  I’m bringing all of the stuff from my office.”

“You had better.”

“You won’t allow me to leave that damn Kennedy Center medal there will you?”

She shook her head as she chewed.  “Not on your life”, she said when her mouth was empty.

He chuckled.  “I can’t win for losing.”

“Or lose for winning”, she said with a grin as she sipped her juice.

He laughed.  “What about the living room furniture and the dishes in the kitchen?”

“We’ll leave all of that for Jake and them.  I’m sure that Jake will make everyone in the area get together for family dinner once a week like we did once children started moving out of the house.”

“So you want to just replace all the pots and pans, the dishes, the stuff in the living room?”

“Yeah.  We can shop while we’re here.  We’ve got a week at least.”

“After that shit Jordan said the other day at breakfast, I want to get out of there as soon as we can.  I’m ready to get away from having the kids around all the time.”

“That makes two of us, baby.  I never thought I’d say this but I need some distance.  Our children are all adults now.  What more can we do?”

He nodded.  “I think while we’re out here that you might want to start looking for an endocrinologist for your diabetes.”

“Have you noticed something that I need to have checked out?”

He hesitated as he thought about the question.  “Is there a right answer to that question?”

“No right or wrong, just don’t lie to me.”

“There have been a few things that have had me worried.  I just want to be sure that you’re ok.”

She smiled and took his hand.  “Baby, I’m too damn stubborn not to be.”