Chapter 3

After school that afternoon, Malachai sat at the table with his siblings and helped his parents help his siblings with their homework.  “’Chai, I don’t get this stuff!” Meagan whined.

“You will, Mae, you’ve just got to be patient.  You don’t hear James and ‘Miah complaining.”

“But I’M not James OR Jeremiah!” she said.

“That’s true, Mae, you’re not.  But, if you yell at me again, I’m sure that Dad would have no problem busting your butt and sending you to your room.”

She pouted.  “I’m sorry, Malachai, but multiplication is hard.”

Malachai leaned into whisper to his little sister.  “Just think of what I went through in school.  I just finished Calculus and Trigonometry.”

“Is that like multiplication?”

“Somewhat, but it’s a LOT harder and there are a bunch of letters and stuff you’d have to be crazy to try to figure out.”

“So that means you’re crazy!” she said with a laugh.

“Yes, Mae, I’m crazy.  I passed the class with an ‘A’.  But, Mae, can I let you in on a little secret?”  She nodded.  “Look at Dad.”  She looked across the table to where their father knelt next to her big sister Maddie as Malachai continued.  “Dad is a rarity in the rock and roll world.  He has three degrees.  Not many other front men can boast that.  So, little sister, wouldn’t it make sense that his children would be gifted?  You think multiplication is hard now, but once you get the hang of it, it will be easier than cake.”

Meagan looked back at her big brother and threw her arms around his neck.  “Thank you, Malachai.  You’re the greatest big brother ever!”

“What about Jake?”

“Jake is a cool big brother too, but he’s got NOTHING on you.”

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Jordan skidded into the room, her heels almost sliding out from her on the tile floor and causing her to fall on her ass.  “Dad!” she shouted as she slid across the floor.

David looked up from the note pad in front of him on the table and at his oldest daughter.  “Yes, Jordan?”

“I wanna join the softball team.”  She set a piece of paper that Malachai assumed was either a permission slip or physical from in front of their father.

David looked it over sheet of paper in front of him.  “Go find your Mother and ask her to come here real quick, would you Jord?”

She strutted out of the room and a few moments later, she came back in with her mother in tow.  Brie looked at her husband.  “Yeah, baby?”

“Jordan, tell your Mother what you just told me.”

Jordan looked at her mother.  “Mom, I want to join the softball team.”

Brie looked from Jordan to her husband.  “What did you say?”

He shook his head.  “Nothing.  I had her go find you before I said anything.”

She took a seat at the table next to her man and looked up at her daughter.  “Convince us.”

Jordan went wide eyed.  “Are you serious?”  Her mother nodded and she looked to her father.  “And you agree?”  He nodded as he slid an arm around his wife’s shoulders.  Jordan sighed.  “It’s something that can set me apart from my siblings.  I mean, Jake’s in all the science clubs, Malachai has his band, Maddie’s in the choir, Meagan and Jeremiah are in band and learning to play instruments, Makayla’s in soccer, James plays football, you even have Jessykah and Marc in Little Dunker’s basketball because that’s what they wanted to do and for SOME reason known only to the two of them and GOD, they do everything together but bathe, use the bathroom, and sleep.”

“Jordan, you have to realize that we made all of them go through the same thing when they came to us and said that they wanted to do their activity”, David chuckled.  “But, before we make a yes or no decision, you need to talk to Malachai.  I think he has something that he wants to discuss something with you.”

She sighed and looked at her older brother.  “You needed something, butt munch?”

“Not if you’re going to talk to me like that. I mean, I WAS going to offer you an audition for vocalist for my band, but seeing as you’re talking to me all mean and shit...”

Jordan cut him off.  “Are you kidding me, Malachai?  You seriously want me to audition for vocalist?”

“Yeah, Caleb and I talked about it earlier and we decided that we need a female vocalist instead of a carbon copy of David Draiman”, Malachai chuckled.

“Yeah, you DO sound JUST like Dad when you sing.  But, if I become the vocalist, what are YOU going to do?”

“I’m going to use the skills that Uncle Danny taught me as a kid.  I’m going to be the guitarist.  If Caleb and I bring you in as the new vocalist, then all we’ll need to do is find a new bassist and I called Uncle John this afternoon and talked to Logan and he said that he’s MORE than interested and that he’s willing to do like his Dad when he joined Disturbed and wait the line out.  Thankfully, there’s not a HUGE line but we have a fair amount of people that want to audition.”

“How many people do you have that want to audition, ‘Chai?” his mother asked.

“Like fifteen, including Logan.  Uncle John said he’d fly up here with Logan if we’d give him a chance.”

“That’s good, Malachai”, David said.  “I’m proud of you.”

Malachai smiled.  “Thanks, Dad.”  He looked back at his younger sister.  “So, what do you say, sis?  Do you want to audition and have a say in the name of the band?”

Jordan picked up the piece of paper she’d set in front of their father and tore it in pieces.  “I think you just found yourself a potential front woman.”