After reaching the bottom of the stairs, David stopped and celebrated his victory. “And the crowd… goes… WILD!” He made it sound like there was a large crowd in the house cheering for him.
“Cheater”, she said.
“Who cheated? I cheated? Not on your life.” He walked into the kitchen and got a cup of coffee.
When Maddie walked into the kitchen she was laughing. “You cheated, Dad. Just admit it.”
He turned to her and took a sip of the hot liquid. “I will do no such thing, Madison Jade. Now, don’t you have something you need to say to your mother?”
Maddie looked at the floor and scuffed her feet. “I’m sorry, Mom. I know what I did was wrong and I don’t hate you. I love you with all my heart.”
Brie looked at her daughter. “I forgive you, Maddie. But, why? Why act the way you’ve been acting?”
“For attention. If felt like you and Daddy didn’t love me anymore because everyone else- especially Jordan and Malachai- were getting all the attention and therefore all the love. But, I now understand that just because you’re not paying attention to me, that it doesn’t mean that you don’t love me. It just means that I need to wait my turn to have you attention.”
“And what made you say this? What helped you come to this conclusion?”
“Well, last night I had a dream about Uncle Matt. He set me straight. Then, when Dad came to wake me up for breakfast, I was already up and cleaning the mess I made in my room last night while I was throwing my little fit. Dad and I had a talk and understand a lot more than I did to begin with.”
Brie eyeballed her husband. “What did you say to her, David Michael?”
He shrugged. “We just talked, baby. It was nothing special.”
Brie could tell that he was lying. “You told her the story of her birth, didn’t you?” He shrugged again as he sipped his coffee. “David!” she said.
“What?”
“God, what ever happened to the only people knowing about that being you, Deb, Kristen, and me?”
“Maddie had the right to know why she’s always been my princess. Is there something wrong with that?”
Brie sighed. “No, I guess not. But, let’s try to keep sharing these epiphanies with the children to a bare minimum, please?” She looked back to Maddie. “Come here, sweetheart.” Maddie walked over to her mother. Brie took her second daughter into her arms and hugged her. “I love you, Maddie Jade. Just promise me to try not to pull that diva stuff anymore, ok?”
Maddie smiled at her mother. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll try not to be a brat anymore. Anyway, there’s only room for one diva in the house and at the moment, that’s Jordan”, she giggled.
------------------
After they ate breakfast, the Draiman family went to the hospital to visit Malachai, Amanda, and the new babies. “Everyone on their best behavior and I mean it. The first one that acts up will be taken home”, David said as he and Brie loaded the children into the SUV. “Do I make myself clear?”
“You guys had better listen to Dad”, Maddie said. “I acted up yesterday and look what happened to me.”
“Maddie, I’ve got this, sweetie. Thank you”, David told her.
“Sorry, Dad. Just trying to help.”
“And I appreciate it, but let your mother and me handle this, ok?”
“Yes, sir.”
David looked at the rest of his children. “Again I ask, do I make myself clear?”
Jacob, Jordan and Maddie all responded with a unanimous, “Yes, sir.” The younger six just looked confused.
Brie stepped in, looking over her shoulder from the front passenger seat. “I didn’t hear everyone respond. James, Jeremiah, Meagan, Makayla, Jessykah, and Marc- answer your father or you all stay home. I’ll call Mr. Morbus to come watch you.”
“What’s wrong with calling Katie?” David asked.
“Family thing today. She can’t.”
“Oh.” He turned to his children. “Well, you heard your mother, you guys. Answer me or you can ALL stay here with Mr. Morbus and Maddie, Jake, and Jordan will go to see the babies.”
They all pouted. “But, Mama; Daddy.”
“Alright, you don’t want to answer, that’s fine.” He looked at Brie. “Mama, call Morbus.”
Brie laughed and pulled her phone from her purse, then dialed the number. “Hey, Morbus, I know you and Karyn are busy with your own kids, but can you guys watch the quads and Jessi and Marc?” She paused. “Great. Thank you, Trevor. I appreciate it.” She laughed. “Yes, I know. If I thought that you’d respond to anything BUT Morbus anymore, I wouldn’t call you that to the kids. They only really know you as Mr. Morbus and that’s because you scare the shit out of them”, she laughed. “Alright, David and I will get them back into the house and see you in a few minutes. Thanks Morbus. Bye.” She looked at David. “They’ll be here with Will, Travis, and Melody in about five minutes. It will give the kids someone to play with, at least.”
“Yeah, that’s true. Nice of them to take a break from their place to come up here to watch ours.”
“No kidding.” She looked at their children. “Jacob, Jordan, and Maddie can wait here. The rest of you are getting out to stay here at home. Mr. Morbus and Miss Karyn will be here shortly to watch you. I understand that the hospital is boring, so you guys can stay here.”
“If one of us wants to stay here too?” Jake asked.
“Do you, Jacob?” David asked.
“Not really. I was just asking hypothetically.”
“Well, hypothetically, if you wanted to stay here, then you could. None of you HAS to go to the hospital with us. Your mother and I are going to see Malachai and Amanda and to give them a break. Malachai doesn’t want to leave Amanda unless there’s someone there with her to help her with the babies.”
Jake nodded. “I understand, Dad. I was just checking.”
--------------
When Morbus and Karyn arrived, there was an exchange of pleasantries before David and Brie left the house. “So, what’s been going on in the Draiman family recently? I heard about Matt. I’m really sorry to hear that”, Morbus asked.
“Well, other than Matt’s passing, Jordan and Malachai have a band that just got signed to Intoxication, Malachai just became a Daddy yesterday. Twins”, David said.
“Whoa. Malachai’s a father. Hot damn. Boys? Girls?”
“One of each. Isaiah David and Miranda Jayde. Isaiah was 7 lbs. 13 oz and 21 inches. Miranda was 7lbs. 3 oz and 19 in.”
“Wow. She carried to term?”
“Yeah. She was huge. Remember how big Karyn got when she carried Jessi and Marc for us?”
“Yeah.”
“Imagine that size with MY temper and Brie’s impatience.”
“And you get Amanda? Damn. Never thought I’d see the day where there would be a young woman in Malachai’s life that’s just as bad as you two.” Morbus laughed and shook his head.
“Yeah, me neither. The girl’s great though. She keeps Malachai on his toes.”
“And he needs that? He’s always been motivated.”
“She keeps him that way. Sometimes, my son needs the extra kick in the ass to get moving.”
----------------
After giving Karyn a reminder of the instructions she’d need, David and Brie took off to the hospital with their three oldest children still young enough to have to go to school. Maddie had been sworn to be on her best behavior. “You act up once and you’re going home. Morbus will come up here and get you”, Brie warned her.
“No worries, Mom. I’ll be on my best behavior. I don’t want to let you and Dad down.”
“And you plan on apologizing to Malachai and Mandy?”
“Yes, ma’am. I shouldn’t have acted the way I did. I could have upset the babies and that’s the last thing I want to do.”
“Good girl, Maddie.”
She knocked on the door to the room and Malachai answered. “Hi, Mom; I see you brought Maddie today. Is she going to behave this time?”
“’Chai, I wanted to say I was sorry for yesterday. I know that I shouldn’t have acted the way that I did. I was just feeling like no one loved me anymore because you and Jordan were getting all of the attention because of the band. Then, it was you and Mandy getting all the attention because of the babies. I know that shouting like I did yesterday could have upset Isaiah and Miranda and I really don’t want that to happen.”
Malachai looked at his little sister. “I forgive you, but you need to apologize to your niece and nephew for yelling like you did and to Amanda. She was pretty upset when you screamed like you did.”
“I’m going to apologize to everyone. I was a brat yesterday and I shouldn’t have been.”
Malachai smiled. “Ok, Maddie.” He looked to everyone else. “Well, if you’re coming in, come in already.” He stepped out of the doorway and let everyone in.
Maddie went straight to Amanda’s bedside and looked her in the eyes. “Mandy, I’m sorry for how I acted yesterday. I was a total brat.”
“Did you feel like you weren’t getting enough attention?”
“Yes.”
“Maddie, sweetie, we all love you, but the spotlight can’t always be on you.”
“I know; Dad explained that to me earlier.”
“Good. Now, would you like to hold your niece or nephew?”
“Would I!” She climbed on up on the bed and sat down. “Who do you want to hold first?”
“Miranda.”
“I think NOT”, David said. “I’m holding Miranda right now.” He was sitting in the rocking chair next to the bed.
“Daddy, please? I haven’t gotten to hold either of them yet and you’ve gotten to hold them both.”
David smiled. “Ok, Maddie.”
“You wouldn’t have handed Miranda over to me if I had asked”, Jordan said.
“Because you held her yesterday. We’ll all get to hold the babies. Just let Maddie take her turn”, David scolded his oldest daughter. He held little Miranda out to her other aunt. “You have to be careful with her, Maddie. Remember when Jessi and Marc were babies?”
“Yes. I remember. I have to support her head and if my arms get tired, I’m to let a grown up know so that they can give me a break.”
“Good girl, Maddie.”
“Thanks, Dad.” She sat and held her niece. “Hi there, little ‘Randa. I’m Aunt Maddie.” She sat and cooed to her new little niece.
No comments:
Post a Comment