Chapter 247

David walked into the house grumbling under his breath as the Director followed him.  “He did it!  He fucking did it!” she called.

“Who did what Aunt Gail?” Brie asked.

“Your husband called me what you just called me.”

Brie looked at David.  “How did it feel, baby?” she asked cautiously.

“Like eating glass”, he grumbled.

“Baby, it’s not that bad.”  She wrapped her arms around his neck.  “I’m proud of you, sweetie”, she whispered in his ear.

“You need to get used to it, anyway, David.  Seeing as the war is over, you and the rest of the band are no longer employed by the Agency.”

David looked at the woman from over his wife’s shoulder.  “Did I hear you right?  We’re no longer bound to the Agency?”

She nodded.  “That is correct.  Your ass no longer belongs to me.”

David hid his face in Brie’s shoulder and laughed.  “FINALLY!!    FREE AT LAST!  FREE AT LAST!  THANK GOD ALMIGHTY, I’M FREE AT LAST!” he laughed.

“Quoting the late great Dr. Martin Luther King, my dear?”

“More like paraphrasing.”

She laughed.  “Oh, my bad.”  She pressed her lips to his temple.  She then looked at her aunt.  “So, when the hell can we get the hell out of here, Aunt Gail?  I’d like to get my children settled into their new home rather quickly.”

“You could leave now if you like.  I just wanted to come in and gloat that I got him to call me Aunt Gail.”

He looked up from where he had his face buried in Brie’s shoulder.  “It won’t happen again, so don’t get used to it.”

She smiled.  “You’ll do it again when you want something because if you don’t say it then you won’t get anything.”

David couldn’t help it.  He laughed.  “Damn it.”

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The men started packing their stuff into the vehicles after the Director left.  David shared the good news with the guys.  “THAT news warrants a fucking party”, Mike said.

“Everything warrants a party to you, Mikey”, Dan said.

“These days, you’re damn right everything warrants a party.  The War is over, we’re going home, we’re no longer employed by David’s aunt in law… life is good and we fucking deserve to party one more time before we go our separate ways until we go back out on the road.”

“I kinda like that idea”, John said.  “We should have one hell of a party and trash the safe house like we used to when we were on the road.”

“Um, what about the fact that I have seven children under the age of 12 that still have pretty early bed times?” David asked.

“FUCK!  I wanted to trash the safe house”, Mike said with a laugh, faking disappointment.  John pouted like David had just hurt his feelings.

“John, seriously?  I have four daughters, none of which get away with the pouty puppy dog face.  What makes you think you can get away with it?” David laughed.

“The fact that I’m not a girl and my last name isn’t Draiman”, John laughed.

“Sorry, brother, that gets you NO points with me”, David laughed as he leaned against the van.

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Instead of the guys trashing the house, they had a nice quiet party for their last night in the house.  They kids all played together as the adults talked and cooked.  After the children were in bed, the women drank a little as well.  The men had been drinking since dinner.  David and Brie went to bed early.  “Not to wreck the party, but we should all be getting to bed soon.  Danny, you have to drive back to Chicago.  Mikey, Milwaukee is quite a drive from here.  John, isn’t home in Austin?” Brie pointed out with a yawn.  The guys all acknowledged what she said with a nod and a yawn.  Brie took David’s hand and went to their bedroom for the last time.