The next morning, David and Brie drug themselves out of bed. They spent all night up and down with the younger children. But, nonetheless, they were both up and in the kitchen as the rest of the household got up. Brie as standing at the stove, her eyes drooping shut as she stirred the potatoes she had in the skillet. She had a separate skillet with deer sausage that David snooped through the freezer and found on to simmer. David sat at the table drinking coffee like there it was going out of style, and still he sat at the table nodding off. When Mike and Tina came into the room, Tina ran over to the stove and took the spoon from Brie’s hand that she had been using to stir the potatoes. “Brie, wake up. You’re burning breakfast, sweetie.”
Brie’s eyes came opened her eyes and blinked a few times. “How long was I gone?” she asked.
“I’m not sure. Mike and I just walked in. Is everything alright?”
Brie shook her head slowly. “No. Up and down all night with the kids. First Maddie, then the girls, then the boy- all of them but Malachai, Jacob and Jordan- woke up at some point. David and I got no sleep last night.”
“Sweetie, why don’t you and David go lie down and get some sleep? You’re both falling asleep where you sit and stand. The rest of us will watch the kids. You two go get some rest.”
Meanwhile, Mike snapped his fingers in David’s ear. David startled awake. “I’m up”, he said with a gasp.
“You look like death warmed over, brother. What the hell after you got Maddie’s calmed down?” Mike asked.
“All of the other kids but Malachai, Jacob, and Jordan woke up with nightmares of their own. They all slept with us last night. We laid out air mattresses for them.”
“And they all woke up with nightmares?”
“All of them blow the age of seven.”
“Jesus, brother, you need to go get some sleep. You and Brie both, go lay down. That’s not a request. Tina and I have the kids. I promise you that.”
David pushed himself to standing and stumbled over to Brie. “Let’s go sleep. I need to get some sleep.”
She yawned and nodded. “I agree. Let’s go sleep.” She took his hand and they walked out of the Kitchen. When they got through the field of air mattresses and to their bed, they collapsed.
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When Malachai got up that morning after his parents had gone back to bed, Fuzz was already up. As he walked into the kitchen to ask for a glass of juice, he shot Fuzz a dirty look. Fuzz looked at the boy. “And just what seems to be your problem, child?” he asked the angry twelve year old.
Malachai whirled and looked him dead in the eyes. “I know if my father were to hear this, I’d be in huge trouble for calling you what I’m about to, but I don’t like you mother fucker. THAT’S my problem. You were the reason my little brothers and sisters were up all night. You’re the reason my parents are in bed and not in here eating breakfast with the rest of the family.”
“If you don’t like me, then why call me family, boy?”
“Mother fucker, I have a name. My name is Malachai Aaron Draiman. And you, sir, are NOT family. This family consists of the Draiman family, the Wengren family, the Moyer family, and the Donegan family. Those families make up what everyone has affectionate started calling the Disturbed family. So, don’t talk to me. I don’t like you. No one in this HOUSE likes you. For all I care, you can rot in hell.”
Dan gapped at Malachai. “Malachai Aaron Draiman, I don’t know whether I should bust your ass, wake
your Dad, or shake your hand, boy.”
“I’m sorry Uncle Danny, but he doesn’t get to speak to me the way he did.” He pointed at Fuzz. “My parents didn’t raise me to let someone like him speak to me the way he did. I might get into a load of trouble for calling him what I did, but I don’t care. Dad can ground me until I’m 18 for all I care, but he doesn’t get to talk to me like I’m not a person.”
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John went up to David and Brie’s room to tell them what Malachai just said to Fuzz. He thought it was too funny not to share with his parents. He knocked softly on the door. David called out, “Come in”, he called hoarsely.
John opened the door carefully, walking in and shutting the door behind him. “Hey, brother, you missed your oldest son going off on Fuzz.”
David stretched a little and yawned. “What did he say?”
“He said that he knew he’d get in trouble for calling him what he was going to, but said, ‘I don’t like you, mother fucker. THAT’S my problem. You were the reason my little brothers and sisters were up all night. You’re the reason my parents are in bed and not in here eating breakfast with the rest of the family.’”
David chuckled. “What was Fuzz’s response?”
“’If you don’t like me then why call me family, boy?’ Malachai looked him dead in the face and said, ‘Mother fucker, I have a name. My name is Malachai Aaron Draiman. And you, sir, are NOT family. This family consists of the Draiman family, the Wengren family, the Moyer family, and the Donegan family. Those families make up what everyone has affectionately started calling the Disturbed family. So, don’t talk to me. I don’t like you. No one in this HOUSE likes you. For all I care, you can rot in hell.’”
David chuckled again. “I don’t know whether to get up and get on to him or give him a pat on the back for a job well done.”
“Dan said the same thing and added the option of coming up here to get you. I figured that you should know what your son said to our unwelcome guest.”
David smiled and yawned. “Thanks brother. I appreciate you coming up. I’m going back to sleep now”, he said and rolled back onto his side and went back to sleep after draping an arm across Brie’s waist.
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