Chapter 35

The next morning, Amanda joined the Draiman family for breakfast.  Brie had made her famous deer sausage scramble for everyone.  Amanda sat at the table next to Malachai and ate quietly, taking in everything that everyone had to say.  Jordan, ever the diva, looked at her mother and said, “Mom, I didn’t want a scramble this morning.”

As Brie opened her mouth to respond, Amanda chimed in.  “Jordan, I think you need to just be quiet and eat what has been put in front of you.  Until you’re out on your own, you have no say in what your parents feed you unless they ask you; and even then the final decision is on them.  Now, I’m NOT your parent, but I think you owe your mother an apology and that you need to just be quiet and eat what you’re given”, she said.

David and Brie both looked at Amanda and blinked in silence a few times.  Finally, David cleared his throat and spoke.  “You sound JUST like my wife”, he said.

“I’m a very blunt and to the point person.  Just like you guys raised Malachai, and I’m guessing the rest of your children, I was taught not to keep my mouth shut for any purpose.  I do apologize if I over stepped myself as a guest in your house, though.”

Brie shook her head.  “Not at all, sweetie.  You took the words right out of my mouth.  If I weren’t standing here and sure that I didn’t raise you, I would have sworn that you’re my daughter.”

“Hell, if you weren’t standing there, baby, I’d swear she WAS you.  It seems that her attitude matches yours in every way”, David said.

Amanda blushed.  “I’ll take that as a compliment, Mr. Draiman.”

David looked at the girl.  “It was far from an insult, Amanda.”

“You guys can all call me Mandy, if you want.”

David chuckled.  “We’ll give it some thought.  I’m sure that the younger children will call you that.”

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Malachai borrowed his Dad’s bike and took Amanda home.  It felt good to him to have her arms wrapped around him as tightly as they were.  Sure, it was a bit of a turn on, but he just enjoyed her being close to him.  He silently wondered if his Dad ever felt the same way about his Mom when he took her riding.  It wasn’t long that he got to ponder that question because she didn’t live very far from him.  Maybe a mile or two.  He pulled into the driveway and stopped the bike.  “Well, here you are.  Home sweet home.”

She smiled and gave him a soft peck on the cheek.  “Thank you, Malachai.  You have a wonderful family and you’re parents are great.  It’s obvious that they really do love each other.”

“You know, you’re not the first person to tell me that.”

She smiled.  “If I should need anything, can I call you?”

“Day or night, Mandy.  And it doesn’t matter what the time is either.  You can call me at zero dark thirty for all I care.  If you need me for ANYTHING at ALL, you have my phone number and I not only have my own car, but my Dad lets me take his bike where ever I might need to.  I kind of have a standing agreement that should I scratch it, I have to pay for it.”

Amanda giggled and smiled.  “That’s funny.  Well, Malachai, you take care and I’ll chat with you online tonight.”

“Sounds good.  I’m sure that we have to finish that Psych paper before the professor trips balls.’

“He’s only going to trip because he expects you to be like your Dad and turn everything in early.”

“And Dad told me that he told the Dean and all of the professors not to hold me to his standard, but to grade me on my own merits”, he said with a laugh.

“The professor warned you that he was going to grade you harshly because of your last name and that you being David Draiman’s son would get you no special treatment from him.”

“No, instead he’s expecting me to be just like my father and turn everything in early so that he can grade me on a double standard.  Sometimes, I hate my last name.  Yeah, being the oldest child of David Draiman has it’s perks, but it has its draw backs too.”  He sighed.  “Well, you need to get inside and I need to get back home and watch the video from last night’s show.  I’ll talk to you tonight.”

She smiled.  “Alrighty.  I’ll be on when I’m usually on.  If I should call you before then, it’s an emergency and I need you to book it over here right away.”

“You got it.  Catch you later, Mandy.”

“Bye, Malachai.”

Malachai rolled the bike down the driveway and headed for home.  The entire trip home, he was on cloud nine.  He’d met the woman that would be his future wife.  He could feel it in his heart and soul.  He wondered if she felt it too.

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Amanda walked cautiously into the house.  Her Uncle sat in his chair in the living room that faced the door with a shotgun in his lap.  “Where have you been all night, Amanda Diane?”

“I was with my friend from classes.  We met at the fair and I stay at his house last night so that we could study and work on our paper for Psychology.”

He rose from his chair and walked heavily toward her.  “Don’t lie to me, Amanda.”

“I swear Uncle Chris, that’s where I was all night.  We met at the fair and hung out there for awhile then I went home with him and his family.  You can ask his parents what we did.”

Her Uncle slapped her hard across the face, knocking her to the ground.  “You lying little bitch.  Then why did you just pull up in a motorcycle that we all know belongs to everyone’s favorite rock star, David Draiman?”

“Because it’s his oldest son that is my study partner, Uncle Chris”, she cried as tears streamed down her face and she tried to stand up.

He kicked her in the ribs.  “Are you being a rock star whore like your mother was, Amanda?  That’s what got your mother killed you know.  Whoring herself to different single rock stars for the hell of it.”

“No, my mother dies in a car accident, you pompous ass!  I hate you!” she screamed and ran to her room.  She slammed the door and locked it behind her, praying that her Uncle didn’t come up the stairs to find her.  If he did, it would mean one hell of a beating was coming her way.  He lays one more hand on me; I swear to God I’m calling Malachai.  When I get there, I’m telling his parents that my Aunt and Uncle are abusing me and that I need to call the police; if I can keep Malachai from coming over here and beating my Uncle’s ass himself.  I’ve got a feeling that Malachai would do anything for me, she thought to herself.

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Malachai walked into the house humming to himself.  There was an extra bounce in his step and he had a smile on his face that wouldn’t fade.  She had kissed him.  Her lips had graced his cheek.  He could feel himself falling.  This was nothing like what he had felt for Devon.  This was stronger and more real.  It was more than he’d ever felt.  All he could do was hope that she would come to trust him and let him love her.  It was a long shot.  It seemed like it was going to be a long hard road with his sweet Mandy to get her to open up to him.

Jordan noticed the spring in his step.  “What has you bouncing and whistling, Malachai?  Don’t tell me she kissed you.”

“She kissed me on the cheek.  Does that count?”

She groaned.  “Why?  Why do you get the hot bitch and I’m single?  Hell, even Jake has a girlfriend at school.  I want a girlfriend!”

“All in due time, little sister.  I’m sure you’ll find one all in due time.  Now, where’s Dad?  He said that as soon as I got back from taking Amanda home that we were going to watch the video from last night.”

“He’s upstairs with Mom.”

“Do I want to know what they’re doing?”

“What do you think they’re doing?”

“They’re having sex.”

“Yep!  Mae and Kay- Kay already went and knocked on the door, but all they heard was Mom making, quote, ‘funny noises’.”

Malachai hung his head and laughed.  “I want a marriage like that, damn it!  No matter how many kids we have or how long we’re together, the sex life is still off the chain!” he shouted.  Jordan just rolled her eyes.