When David hung up with Matt, he called Maddie from the kitchen. She had tears streaming down her face. “What’s the matter, baby girl?” David asked her.
“You yelled at Mama, and I thought you and Mama were gonna get into a fight. I don’t wanna see you and Mama fight, Daddy”, she sobbed.
He pulled her into his lap. “Madison, your mother and I are not going to get into a fight. I’m not mad at your Mama and she’s not mad at me. I am very sorry that I scared you, ok?” She laid her head on his shoulder and cried. He held her close and comforted her best he could. “Shh.. it’s ok, baby. I didn’t mean to scare you.” He rocked her from side to side and rubbed her back.
She looked up at him, her big brown eyes all red and puffy from crying. “I forgive you, Daddy.”
He gave her a kiss on the forehead. “That’s my girl. Ok, do me a huge favor and go back into the Kitchen with your Mom and your brothers and sisters. Ok? Daddy has business he needs to handle right now.” She nodded and slid silently out of his lap.
Fuzz watched the little girl walk out of the room. “She looks just like you, man.”
“Shut up, fucker. Don’t curse my child like that”, David laughed, then sighed. “Honestly, she looks more like her mother.”
“Speaking of, your wife is beautiful, David. You really lucked out with her.”
David cracked a smile. “I know. When I first met her, I thought it was impossible for a woman like her to love a guy like me. But, here it is, eight years later, and she hasn’t left yet, and she’s given me seven beautiful children.”
“I thought you said you had eight.”
“Oh, we do. Our oldest son is hers from a previous relationship. I just adopted him. His father was never really in his life anyway. I’m the only father the boy knows.”
“Does he know he’s not your son biologically?”
“Yes. He figured it out the day Maddie was born. He was sitting on our bed holding her and asked me if he was as little as she was at that time. I told him I couldn’t answer him. After Brie explained that he’d met his real father but didn’t remember it, he looked at me and said, ‘So, you’re NOT my real dad?’ I shook my head no. He said, ‘Yeah you are. I don’t know that guy. Screw that butt munch. It might not be your blood running through my veins, but I have your last name, not his. That guy can rot for all I care.’”
Fuzz laughed. “Opinionated little fucker, isn’t he?”
“Just like his mother and me. He comes by it honestly, at least.”
They shared a laugh for the first time in years. In the back of his mind, David wondered how this little reunion would have gone if the other three guys were there. It might not have gone so smoothly, he thought. True, I had a rifle pointed at him, but I’m almost positive the rest of the guys would have as well. Here it is some thirteen years after we parted company and he just pops up? Yeah, something’s rotten here, that’s for sure. I just don’t know what it is yet.
--------------
The Director and Matt showed up not long after David hung up with Matt. It was thirty minutes at the most. “David, where is this source of yours?” the Director said as she came in the house.
“Director Richardson, this is Steve Kmack, aka Fuzz. He’s our former bassist.” David motioned to the spot where Fuzz was sitting. “Fuzz, this is Gail Richardson, the Director for the Agency and Master Gunnery Sergeant Matthew Cartwright.”
Fuzz looked at Matt. “You’re supposed to be dead, bro.”
“That’s right, I’m a fucking ghost, a figment of your imagination. Now, spill the beans, fugly, or I’ll shoot you. I have NO problem killing you.”
Fuzz sighed and pulled a stack of folded papers out of the pocket of his leather jacket. “I didn’t show these to David, but, here’s proof of what I told him. This is a certified letter I intercepted from the Commandant to the Lieutenant in charge of the Utopian forces.” He handed the papers to the Director. “There’s also an official order issued to strike the location mentioned in the letter about three weeks after you move the band there.”
The Director was livid. She looked at Matt. “Get rid of that mother fucking traitor. I don’t give a shit HOW you do it, but I want him taken out within 36 hours, no questions asked, Master Guns.”
“Aye, ma’am. It will be my pleasure. I’ll have it done in six tops.” With that, he turned and left, pausing at the door. “David, give the kids my love, alright?”
“No problem, brother. I’ll tell them you said hi.”
Matt walked out the door without another word.
“David, are you sure you want to make the last stand at the new safe house?”
“You better believe I am, Director. I’m tired of running and hiding from these bastards. If they think they can take me, then they need to come try it. Like I told my wife the other night, they’ll never take me alive.”
“Always quoting your lyrics, David. What was that one, ‘I hear the sirens but they’re never gonna take me’?”
“’Divide’.”
“That’s a good song, by the way.” She looked at Fuzz. “When I move the band to the new safe house, you’re going with. I don’t give a damn. You will be at the safe house for the last stand. Do I make myself PERFECTLY clear, Mr. Kmack?”
“Crystal, Director. I’ll go when you move David and his family.”
“Good. Now, I have to leave. I have other business to attend to. I’m still trying to finalize the new safe house. I may just move you guys to a different one to lead the Utopians astray one last time. If they find you again, give me a call. I’ll have the whole fucking army there in less than a couple of hours.”
“Understood, Madame Director”, David said. “You’ll be the first person I call.”
--------------
David finally got around to introducing his family to his former band mate. Jordan, always the sarcastic one, said nothing much to her father’s surprise. On the other hand, Jacob did. “You look funny”, he said to Fuzz.
David looked at his son. “Jacob Micah, that was rude. Apologize now.”
Jacob looked at his father. “Why? You and mom have always taught us to speak our minds. I did just that.”
Brie spoke up. “He’s got a point, honey.”
“Jacob, you’re starting to sound like your twin sister. You should still apologize for insulting the man”, David admonished Jacob.
“I’m sorry for insulting you, but that’s just my opinion. If it hurt your feelings, I’m sorry.”
“You couldn’t hurt my feeling, boy. You’ll have to stay up all night for a long time in order to do that”, Fuzz said.
Jordan snickered. “I bet you I could, but I’m gonna be nice. Dad would tear my butt up if I said what I want to say.”
David looked at his oldest daughter out of the corner of his eye. “And just what is it you want to say, Jordan?”
She shook her head. “You’ll get mad at me and I’m still trying to redeem myself for that one comment I made to Uncle Danny.”
“You mean the one where you said, and I quote, ‘You’re a hideous chud that needs some serious plastic surgery before a girl like Aunt Nicole could really ever love you.’”
She nodded. “And I followed it up with, ‘The only reason she married you was because she was drunk when she did it and she hasn’t left you because she doesn’t believe in divorce.’”
Fuzz laughed. “DAMN!” He looked at David. “You LET her talk to Danny that way?”
“No, not usually, but Danny asked her to give him her best insult, so she did.” David laughed. “I couldn’t get mad at her because I was laughing too hard to get onto her.”
“If I recall correctly, she went around the room dishing it out to Mikey and John before it was all said and done”, Brie laughed.
“I let Uncle Mikey have it too. He had that one coming for a long time. Like, since before the Lake Tenkiller Rally. He got what he deserved”, Jordan said.
“Let me see what you’ve got , kiddo”, Fuzz laughed.
Jordan looked at her parents. “Can I?”
David shook his head and laughed. “Go ahead, Jordan. But, try to be gentle.”
Jordan took a good look at Fuzz, giving him a scrutinizing eye. “No freakin’ wonder you’re not in the band anymore. You too freakin’ ugly. Heck, man, you’re fugly! You’re my dad’s bitch. You always have been and always will be. You can’t play worth a crap, either. No wonder Uncle John replaced you. He’s a MILLION times the musician you are. And IF you were smart, which I highly doubt, you’d just admit it, tuck your tail between your legs and kiss the GROUND Uncle John and my Dad walk on”, she said.
David was laughing so hard he couldn’t breathe. Never mind the fact that Jordan had just used a word that normally would have gotten her in tons of trouble. He’d never heard anything so funny before in his life.
“David, are you gonna let her talk to me like that?” Fuzz asked, his face dumbfounded.
“Dude, you asked for it”, David replied, clutching at his ribs.
Jordan looked at Fuzz. “Hey dude, what’s that on the floor at your feet there?” He looked down. “I’m sorry, it’s your face.”
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