Chapter 18

When the women all came back from town, Jordan grabbed Malachai and the boys and dragged them down to the studio.  “Boys, do you remember when we started doing that old song by that chick who called herself Porcelain Black?” she asked.

Logan nodded.  “Yeah, I remember.  As I recall, we couldn’t find a rapper that would do the Lil’ Wayne Part.”

“Well, as we were walking through the mall today I heard the voice of an angel.  Possibly the only man I would ever really fuck”, Jordan said as a smile tried to play at her lips.

Malachai laughed.  “Sure, Jordan.  Who is it?”

“Remember that young cat that we were all chillin’ with at the Grammy’s in February?”

Caleb nodded slowly.  “Yeah.  Didn’t he call himself Yung Benny or something like that?”

“Exactly.  He called me and said he wanted to work together.  Lil’ Wayne was his idol like Disturbed is ours.”

“He’s not related to Lil’ Wayne, is he?”

She laughed.  “Not that I know of, but anything is possible I suppose.  Look, I want to start tracking it so that once this is over, we can get him into the studio to record the rap.”

The boys all looked at each other, then at Jordan.  “We’d love to, sis”, Malachai said, “but we can’t.  All of the men over the age of 18 are going out on maneuvers with Morbus at 5:30 in the morning.  Dad’s orders.  We’re going to be gone most of the day, if not all day and we’re all going to be sore as hell by the time it’s all over with.  He’s going to be teaching us tactics.”

“What?”

“Yeah”, Logan said.  “Morbus is taking all of us except Uncle David out first thing in the morning.  Uncle David says that he understands he’s too damn old to be doing that shit anymore.”

“Are you saying that you can’t even track as much as possible today?”

“None of us have instruments, Jordan”, Caleb said.  “My kit is at my house.”

“I didn’t have time to grab a bass on the way out the door and if I had Dani would have had my head.  We had to get the kids and get the hell out of there.

“Mandy wouldn’t let me grab a guitar either.  Six kids are a lot to pack for, Jord.”

“Three of them can pack for themselves and can help with the younger three”, Jordan growled.

“Look, Jordan, we know that you’re going crazy.  You’re just going to have to get over it.  There’s nothing we can do about it.  Dad has given an order and I have no choice but to follow it.  He asked Caleb and Logan to join us out there and they gave their word.  You know the value Dad puts on a promise made.”

Jordan kicked the door to the studio.  “DAMN IT!” she shrieked.  “First he takes my freedom, then the takes my sanity?  Fuck that.  I’m taking this to Mom.”  She stormed off.

“I wouldn’t suggest that, Jordan!”  Malachai called after his sister.  “Mom’s going to back Dad and you know it!”  Jordan, of course, ignored her brother’s wisdom.  She was going to find a way to put to stop to this.

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“MOM!!!!!!” Jordan yelled as she walked into the kitchen.

“SHE’S NOT IN HERE!!!” Delilah yelled back as she was making dinner for her family.  She had to get Jacob fed soon so that they could go to bed when they put the kids to bed.  “Mom and Dad went out to their cottage for a little while.  They’re out there with Skyler and Kaylian getting caught up.  Dad and Skyler had a shooting competition earlier while we were all out and they tied.”

“Really?  I thought Dad would have lost his ass in a shooting contest.  He’s not in his 40’s anymore, you know.”

“Well, apparently, Dad’s still got it.  Have you check twitter lately?  Dad posted pictures of his targets and told everyone he’s still got it.”

Jordan pulled her phone out with a chuckle.  She had to see this for herself.  “Nice!  Go Dad!”  She sighed.  “I need to talk to Mom about a decision that Dad made.  It’s like he’s trying to drive me insane with all this shit.”

“Did you ever think that it might be for your own good, Jordan?” Delilah said.  “Seriously.  Think about this for a moment.  Someone shot at you, Jordan.  Someone apparently wants you dead.  This is why Skyler, Maddie and Malachai have been taking people out to the range and teaching us to shoot.  There’s more information that has been located recently that Jake won’t share with me.  I know it’s bad because your twin tells me everything and he’s not talking about this new information.  He’s just following the new edict by Dad for the men to get up at the ass crack of dawn and train.  Personally, I feel that you should just be grateful that even though you’re in your 30’s, Dad’s still looking out for you.  Be grateful that you have a father to do that who encouraged you to do what your heart told you to and allowed you to be who you are rather than fight against everything he asks of you.  Some of us didn’t grow up with that luxury, Jordan.  Chew on that for a little while.  Meanwhile, I need to feed my family and get my children ready for bed.  Ira is staying with your parents tonight and they’re trying to be nice to me and Jake and keep him on his schedule.”

Jordan looked at her sister in law in shock.  “What are you talking about?  Who didn’t have a Dad to support them in everything?”

“Umm, Mandy and me for starters.  I think Kylely’s folks died when he was young as well.  Kenna’s Mom was a single parent her entire life.  If you actually talked to people, Jordan, rather than being a cold hearted bitch you might accidentally get to know them.”  And with that, Delilah walked away to get her family so that they could eat.

Jordan stood there in shock.  Delilah had never spoken to her that way before.  Amanda had when she was young, but not sweet, innocent Delilah.  Not the green eyed beauty that her twin have been calling his wife for several years now.  Do I seriously see the world through rose colored glasses?, Jordan asked herself.  Am I a spoiled, pampered princess?  Have I really turned myself into a monster?  She pushed the thoughts away.  I’ve really got to get away and clear my head, but if I leave the house I’ll never hear the end of it.  I supposed for now, I’ll go out to my hiding spot.  I really need to think for a minute or so.

As Delilah ushered the young twins in with Miri, Ira, and Jake on her heels, Jordan disappeared out the back door and off the back porch to climb her tree so that she could think.

In a secret compartment there was a paper journal that she used to sort out her thoughts at the urging of her parents.  It had been changed out many times because as a teenager, Jordan was troubled.  She wasn’t the one that went and got into trouble in order to avoid some form of pain.  She turned to music and writing to achieve catharsis.  She’d write whatever she was moved to.  Sometimes it was poetry, sometimes it was lyrics; sometimes it was a full length journal entry.  There were even times that she wrote down jumbled thoughts and tried to make sense of them at a later date.  This was a time for a journal entry: 

Dear Journal,

I know it’s been a while since I’ve sat and done this.  Years, as a matter of fact.  Right now, things are crazy.  People are trying to kill me, I want to get out of the house and get some alone time but I can’t, and all the while, people are confusing the hell out of me.  But, Davina, she’s a saint.  She’s so patient with me and she’s so kind.  She reminds me so much of my mother.  My mother was the only person- other than my uncles- that could call my father on his bull shit and he’d actually listen.  When he was being particularly stubborn, she’d help him see the other side.  That’s what Davina does for me.

And my two beautiful children- Levi and Jasmine.  They’re so precious to me.  My babies will never know just how much Mama Jordan loves them.  I’ve loved them since the moment I laid eyes on them the day they were born- thought they’re three almost four years apart.

There are things going on that I’m not being told.  If it involves me, don’t I have the right to know?  But, no one’s telling me anything.  It was like this when Uncle Matt passed away.  It was like this the entire 8 years we were in hiding during the Conflict.  Now, Jake’s the one with all the information and he’s not telling me shit.  We used to be so close as kids.  Then, Reckless Disregard got signed and we drifted apart.  We’d go for weeks, months at a time and not see each other.  I love my twin, don’t get me wrong, but where did we go wrong?  When did we start really drifting apart?

Now, here I am- I’m 35- and people are trying to kill me.  Why?  I can only speculate.  Maybe it’s because I’m my father’s daughter.  Maybe it’s because I’m just as vocal as my father was.  Maybe it’s even that I’m not afraid of controversy.  Hell, I welcome haters.  I love putting them in their place.  Is that what’s causing all of this?  I don’t know, but I do know that this being stuck around the house all the time and not being allowed to leave without an escort is bull shit.  I’m really getting to the point where I’m going to say fuck it and just leave on my own.  I’m going to defy my father request and sneak the fuck out just to prove that the trouble has passed.

I just needed to get all of this off of my chest.  It’s been too long since I’ve been able to get some real cathartic relief from the crap that’s been going in.  –laughs- You’d think that someone with a Masters’ degree in English could think of a better word to use than ‘crap’ but it is what it is.  The only other word I could think of to fit would be shit and I really need to cut back on how much I swear and curse.

Until next time, my trusty friend,

Jordan

She sat and read over the entry a few times to be sure that she said everything that she needed to say.  Once she was sure that everything she needed to say was out, she put the note pad back in its spot just in time to head in when she heard Davina calling for dinner.

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“No worries, brother.  I’m sure Maddie, Jona, and Delilah would be more than willing to help out with the recovery after Morbus kicks your ass every day”, David said to Skyler with a chuckle.

“Oh I’m sure they will too.  But won’t they jump to take care of their men before taking care of an old man like myself?” Skyler laughed.

“You know your daughter won’t”, Kaylian said with a smile.

“Maddie and Delilah are much like Jona.  They’ll jump to help you before they worry about Jake and Colton.  And we all know that Jona will put Jeremiah on the back burner to take care of her Daddy”, Brie said with a soft chuckle.  “It’s just something girls do for their Daddy’s.  If David were allowed to go out there and roll in the mud with you, I’m sure Maddie would tell Colton to hold his horses so that she could take care of her Dad.”

“Maddie may have always been my little princess for my own personal reasons, but she’s also the one that’s closest to me”, David said.  “I’m convinced that she and Jacob would be the ones that would take care of me and Brie if it really came down to it.”

“They seem like the type”, Kaylian said.  “Jake has dedicated himself to being the future patriarch of your family.  He takes that responsibility very seriously.  And Maddie’s taken to being a care taker as well.”

“Well, I can’t speak for David, but I know that if my parents hadn’t died during the Occupation, I would have been taking care of them.  I took care of my brother as he died of lung cancer”, Brie said solemnly.  “I know my children all saw that and I would hope that they would all follow my example.”

“But you and I both know that the first ones to jump at it would be Jake and Delilah, and Maddie and Colton.  They’re the medical minds”, David said.

“Yeah.  That’s very true.  I’m almost afraid sometimes that a few of them would dump us in a home.”

“I don’t think any of your children would do that”, Skyler said.  “I think they all rely on the both of you too much to do that.”

“How do you mean?” David asked.

“If they’re stuck, they call you.  If they need advice, they call you.  They know that when the two of you are home, you’re in charge and you’ll keep everyone in line.  I’m not saying it’s a bad thing.  I’m just saying that it’s obvious.”

“Do you think we should let Jake make a lot of the huge decisions that we’ve been making?” Brie asked.  As she sat there, she unconsciously rubbed at the scar in her right shoulder from the gun shot during the first evac from the first safe house.  She would never forget that night or two months that followed.

“In this instance, no.  You two have lived through the hell of the Occupation as adults and have had to do unspeakable things in order to survive.  You two know what it’s like to have to deal with the decisions you’re making.  Jake wouldn’t know where to start and would be looking to the both of you for guidance.  It’s a good thing that you took over and you’re now able to expose your kids to the decision making process so that if this shit happens a third time, and hopefully it won’t, but they’ll be more prepared.  I’d probably do the same thing if our roles were reversed.”

They both nodded.  “It’s nice to know that a trusted friend would do the same.  Sometimes I wonder”, David said.

“What?” Kaylian laughed.  “David Draiman is unsure?”

“Hey now, even I can be insecure at times.”

“That’s kinds funny.”

“Glad I could give you a laugh.”  David stood and sighed.  “Anyone for a night cap?” he offered.  They’d all eaten dinner already and were just sitting around talking and relaxing.  The TV was on for ambient light, but was muted.

Skyler shrugged.  “Why not?  Just one drink, though.  I can’t get loaded, you know.”

David nodded.  “I don’t drink to get drunk, brother.  I drink to relax.  Brie and I will have one a night after dinner, and we’ll have a glass of wine with dinner.  Other than that we don’t really drink.”  He started pulling glasses out of the bar.  Morbus had been nice to him.  He’d have to thank him later.  “Kaylian?  Would you like a drink?”

“No thank you, David.”

“Brie?”

Brie grinned.  “You know better than to ask me that, David.  You know I want a drink.  Are you pouring up the Irish Whiskey you forbade our children from touching?”

“Yes.  And the reason our children were forbidden to touch it was because it’s the same bottle Jake and Delilah bought me as a souvenir from their honeymoon.”  He put a couple cubes of ice in each of the three glasses and poured a little bit of whiskey from the bottle.  He brought the glasses over and handed Skyler and Brie theirs.  “Anyway, what were we talking about?”

“The last thing you were talking about was the whiskey we’re drinking.  Is this that bottle that you cracked open the day Jona and Jeremiah got married?” Skyler asked.

“One in the same.  The first time this bottle got opened, you and I did a shot to chill as the women got ready to get to for the wedding of Jona and Jeremiah.  Since then, they’ve been happily married.”

“To being happily married”, Skyler said with a smile.

“Cheers”, David, Brie, and Kaylian all said smiles as they clinked their glasses.

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Morbus sat in his tree stand where he was keeping watch and worked out the first stage of what he was going to have everyone do the next morning.  It was going to be a relatively simple day but they were all going to be hurting if they weren’t staying in shape.  As far as he knew, the only two that really worked out as intensely as their parents had were Jacob and Jeremiah.  He knew that all of the kids had been involved in physically demanding activities of some sort in school, but he wasn’t sure if the kids actually kept in shape.  He knew that Jake had to and that Jeremiah chose to.

I hope that they’re all ready for me to put them through their paces tomorrow.  I’m going to cause them all so much pain that they’re not going to want to crawl out of bed the three weeks.  If they can’t keep up, oh well.  It’s not my order that has them out here.  It’s their own father’s word that has them in the muck.

He smirked and called his sons.  “Boys, meet me at the shooting range in five.  We’re going to rebuild the course I put you boys through when you both decided that you wanted to take over for me.”  He dropped out of the stand and headed for the shooting range.

“Do you boys think we can rebuild the obstacle course in one night, Dad?” Travis asked.

“If we start now, we’ll just get it finished I think.  I have all of the material out behind the tool shed behind the house.”

“You mean the weapons shed, Dad?” Will said sarcastically.

Morbus chuckled.  “If that’s what you want to call it, boy.  You two go grab the truck and gather the material.  Some of  the pieces we’ll need are already preassembled.  I got bored.”

They both nodded.  “Do you have the watch, Dad?” Will asked.

“Yes son.  Go do as you’re told.  Orders are orders.”

“Aye Sir”, they said and headed for the truck.  Morbus couldn’t help but smile to himself as he watched  his boys jump in the truck to go do as they were being ordered to do.  I raised them well, he thought.