Chapter 83

When they left the station it was back to the hotel long enough to check out, then straight to JFK to catch a flight to O’Hare.  They’d check into the Hilton and go straight to a production meeting for the video for “Unholy”.  Jordan hoped that the director was able to either land the necessary permits to shoot at the hospital, or that he’d come up with a better idea.  She also hoped that they could get some actual Marines in the video.  THAT would have made her LIFETIME.

After boarding the plane, Jordan put in her head phones and listened to her music on her mp3 player.  She didn’t like keeping music on her phone.  If someone called her, it interrupted the music.  She like continuous music with no interruptions.  She closed her eyes for a few brief moments, or so she thought.  When she came to, they were landing at O’Hare in Chicago.  She pulled one of her ear buds from her ear and looked at Malachai.  “When did we take off?”

“Over an hour ago.  You slept the entire trip.”

“I didn’t mean to.  I was just resting my eyes.”

“It happens, little sister.  Now it’s time to get the hell off the plane and to the hotel.”  He stood and offered his little sister a hand up.

She took the offered hand and stood.  “God, Malachai, can you believe that it’s taking off like this?”

“No, I can’t, but it’s none too soon.  I kinda need the money.  I’ve got a family to think about.”

“Yeah, and Logan does too, now.  I wonder if Uncle John knows about what Logan said in the radio interview yet.”

“I don’t know.  I don’t think that they were listening to the radio while they were in the studio.”  Little did they know, but not only had their uncle heard the radio show, but their father had too.  One was thrilled… the other, however, wasn’t.  They’d all soon find out which one was which in the place they least expected.

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The director wasn’t able to get the permits that they needed, but they were able to reproduce the Oncology ward of Loyola Medical Center.  They’d also been able to get permission from the Marine Corps to put some injured Marines in the video.  The concept was that the band would be the “guardian angels” for these sick and injured Marines, some of which were on their death beds.  When they would pass, they’d see the angel of death, Jordan, smiling at them and inviting them to follow her to their eternal rest.  It wasn’t a very rock style video, but it was Jordan’s vision for the song.  The guys all agreed with her.  “Unholy”, needed to be a softer presentation than many of the other songs on the album.

After leaving the meeting, Jordan was on cloud nine.  She couldn’t think of anything that would ruin her mood.  That was, until she accidentally walked into someone in the lobby of the hotel.  “Oh, God, I’m so sorry, sir”, she said when she realized what she’d done.

“Jordan, pay attention to where you’re walking”, a familiar voice said.  When the bald man turned around, she saw the man she’d just almost ran over.

“DAD!” she said in shock.  “Oh, my God, I’m REALLY sorry.  I didn’t mean to walk into you like that.”

“What has you so distracted, Jordan?”

“We just left the production meeting for the ‘Unholy’ video.”

“Did you get what you wanted?”

“Not exactly, but I’m happy with the alternative.”

“Good.  Glad to hear it.  How long will you guys be here in the windy city?”

“A week or two, maybe.  They’ve got to build the set.”

“Then will you and your brother be so kind as to join your old man for dinner?”

“Sure.  I will, anyway.  I need a shower first, but I’ll go to dinner with you, Dad.”

“That’s fine.  I wanted to hear John’s talk with Logan.”

“You guys heard that interview earlier?”

“We did.  I’m proud of you Jordan.  You saw the error of your ways and you did what you could to set it right.  And, I also noticed that you didn’t say one curse word.  Again, I’m very proud of you.”

She smiled.  “Thanks, Daddy.  Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get a shower.  What room are you staying in so that I can meet you there?”

He gave her his room number, then went up to John’s room to hear his conversation with his oldest son.

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“SO, Logan, you’re an expectant father?” John said to the child in question.

Oops, he thought.  “Yes.”

“Since when?”

“Since two days ago.  Dani says she’s four weeks pregnant.”

“She’s a month pregnant?”

“That’s what she said.”

“And just when were you going to inform your mother and me about this little development, Logan?”

“When we saw you for the holidays.  They’re not going to make us do this tour over Christmas and Hanukkah.”

David, who was leaning against the wall in the hotel room, tried to stifle a laugh.  “I wonder if your manager knows that Hanukkah is coming up.”

“I don’t think she does, Uncle David.”

“Back to the topic at hand, Logan.  Why did I have to find out over the radio that I’m going to be a grandfather?”

“It slipped, Dad.  It honestly did.”

“So, you’re saying you just HAD to open your big mouth about the fact that you’re expecting a child to tell the COUNTRY that you’re expecting a child before you told your mother and me?”

“Again, Dad, it was a total accident.  I’m really sorry.”

“About time I heard an apology from you for this.  Now, you’re going to call you mother and apologize to her over this.  After she heard it on the radio, she called me in TEARS.  She was IN TEARS, Logan.”

“God, I didn’t mean to make Mom cry either.  I’ll call her.”  He moved to stand.

“Now, Logan.  Right here in front of me.”

Logan sighed and hung his head.  “Yes, Dad.”

All David could do was laugh and shake his head as he left Logan to make his phone call.

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After taking his two oldest children to dinner, David got settled into his room for the night.  Though his day had started out with him having to rip his oldest children new ass holes, the day had ended on a good note.

After finding a movie to ignore, he called his wife whom he knew had just put the kids down for bed and was settling in for the night herself.  When she answered, a smile came to his face.  “Hey gorgeous.”

“Hey, handsome”, she said.

“How was your day?”

“Had to break up a fight between James and Jeremiah this afternoon after getting them home from school.  I forget what about.”

“Do I need to talk to my sons before you put them to bed tomorrow?”

“Probably.”

“Ok, put them on the phone with me tomorrow before bed and I’ll talk to them.  What else happened today?”

“Nothing really.  I chewed Jordan’s ass over that press conference.”

“So did I.”

“I know, she told me.”

“So, what are we going to do about Hanukkah?  It starts week after next?”

“What do we do every year, baby?  We pull them from school for the eight days that the festival lasts.”

“Were you going to bring them up here for Hanukkah?”

“If you’re still there, baby.  I’m not going to spend Hanukkah away from you.  Not on your life, mister.”

He had to laugh at that.  “I can’t wait to see you this weekend.  I’ve only been away for two days and I miss you like crazy already.”

She smiled.  “I know, baby.  I miss you too.  I can’t wait to be in your arms again.  This big ole’ bed is awfully lonely without you to keep your half warm.”

“I know.   I wish I were there to keep it warm for you.  The nights in this hotel room drag on without a warm body laying next to me.”

She laughed.  “You know something?”

“What?”

“We’re really co- dependent.”

“No, we’re not.  We love each other.  It’s not a crime, you know.”

She laughed again.  He loved to hear her laugh.  Her joy was music to his ears.  “I know.  But, we’re sitting here, in two different cities- in two different states- talking about how much we miss each other and all that good shit.”

“I know.  We’re pretty sappy, aren’t we?”

“Yeah.” 

She was quiet for a moment, as if in thought.  He had to know what was on her mind.  “What are you thinking?”

“I was thinking about what I’m going to do after all the kids have graduated and left the house.”

“Oh?  What is your plan?”

“I think I’m going to retire.”

“Why?  Not slowing down are you?”

“Oh, dear Lord no.  I’m going to retire so that I can see the world with you.”

He smiled.  “I actually like that plan.  We can sell the house, buy a new one in a different state, and when I go on tour I don’t have to leave you at home.”

“Or when you go into the studio, for that matter.”

“Exactly.  I really, really, like that plan, baby.  So, when are we going to break it to the kids?”

“We can do it while we’re up there for this mini vacation.”