Honor Thy Mother And Thy Father Ch 17

Note: This is a work of FICTION! Although the areas this story takes place in are real; all of the landscapes depicted, the people described, and everything else this story uses to make it enjoyable reading for you are NOT REAL. As you read this story, try to remember:

THIS IS A NOVEL

74. Where The Girls Go To Play

Michael Free called Stephano to ask how Patty's tests were coming along.

Stephano replied, "So far, Michael, Patty is driving her neurologist crazy. She had the hospital shut down, because they could not find her, and we've been told to see a crazy psychiatrist because we are both nuts."

Michael laughed. "So you are telling me everything is back to normal."

"She has some weakness in her left leg that may require a brace, and she will wear leg weights for a while to build up the muscles to compensate for the nerve damage caused by the stroke. William is going to sue the government, for next year's budget, and because Stengel kissed that bus, and the testimony of the agents who were assigned to kill her, he may very well get it."

"I agree; and the Justice Department will not have a leg to stand on in their defense. Is she available? I would like to say hello."

"Yes, here she is."

"Hello Michael, have you done anything illegal lately?"

"You sound wonderful, Patty. I haven't had to do anything illegal in almost 6 weeks. I bet you can guess why."

"Michael, are you trying to get on my bad side, already?"

"Listen you, I feel bad enough already. Don't try to put me on a guilt trip. You almost made me kill you."

"I know, and I am sorry. I was out of control, and I wanted revenge. Those people were taking away my life again. I had finally found peace, and they tried to take it away, Michael. I was out of the way, hurting no one, in a small town, and they still couldn't leave me alone. They would never have found the programs, because they would never know where to look for them. I will bet you $1 million, your people can't either. Send 12 of your best investigators to my property, and give them one full day to find the programs, and they never will find those programs."

"When are you going home, Patricia?"

"It all depends on the brace for my leg. I have no idea what it is going to look like, or how long it will take to make, but I hope to be out of here by Friday. Don Bruno keeps bringing me pasta to fatten me up. I lost 16 pounds, while I was in the coma. He was not happy with the way I looked before. He has made it his personal project to have me gain 20 pounds, before the wedding."

"I have some bad news for him. I have to reel him back in and send him back to Fort Polk. I have given him all the leeway I can. Now it is time to put him back into custody."

"I can't tell you how much his being here meant to Stephano. I don't think he would have made it through this ordeal, without his parents being here. It was very generous of you to do that for us. How are the girls doing, Michael?"

"They did not talk to me for weeks, after the incident. They blamed me for everything that happened to you. It took their mothers' counseling to get them to understand that I had to do my job, and my job was to protect the innocent, even though the man may have been guilty of a different crime. You were not allowed to be jury, judge, and executioner at the same time. As much as I love and admire you, I could not let you do that to another human being."

"Michael, sometimes you are no fun at all."

"Patricia, you are always a pain in the ass."

"$1.4 million, 24 hours, 12 of your best men, and they will never find the programs. If they do, the girls get the money."

"Why are you asking for $1.4 million, instead of $1 million?"

"Have you forgotten about my daily rate of pay, already, Michael?"

"I have been meaning to talk to you about that. What happened to $800 an hour?"

"I decided I do too much pro bono work for you. I could not keep track of it all. So every time you asked me to do something, I've reverted back to the $1.4 million for the use of my brain, and programs. I believe it equals out."

"I think you're a thief, but you and your friends are too good to lose. I will continue to pay your tribute, but I wanted you to know that I know you are a thief, and a swindler."

"Do you remember the trouble you had finding me, Michael? I could make it impossible. Every time your computers get close, they could malfunction. I would hate to see that happen. Have your new computers come online yet? Do they have any bugs in them? Would you like there to be? Are we going to be friends, Michael?"

"Patricia, are you threatening a federal agent. I could put you in jail for that."

"You could put me in jail, for asking you if we are going to be friends. I could defend myself and get an acquittal. Then I would sue you for malicious prosecution, and win. I would hate to do that to you Michael."

"I never knew your mother, but if she could keep your father in check, and you are the product of both of them, why aren't you in politics. You could rule the roost, if you wanted to."

"There were 535 members of the Congress. Ninety-nine percent of them are men. Men hate to see their names in print, especially when they are idiots. I would be sending quotes to newspapers, every day, with the things those bozos say during meetings. They would block every initiative I would try to get through. I would retaliate by going to the newspapers and electronic media. I would be the most popular person in the country, because I was telling the truth, but I would not be able to get anything of value done for the country."

"Patty, you are just too smart, and you know your own limitations. Every politician has battle scars, and I would hate to see you carry any around with you. If anything were to happen to your wonderful personality, you would go to your programs, shut down the world, so it could reboot itself and start over from scratch."

"Would you put that in writing, Michael? I will do it, and say it was your idea."

"Get some rest, Patty. My mind is overloading your brain. You slept for five weeks, and your brain is trying to catch up on things to do."

"Goodbye Michael, it was great talking to you."

"Let me speak to Stephano for a moment, please."

"You put a glow on her face, Michael. What diabolical idea did you give her?"

"Let's not discuss that right now. I want you to talk to your father and have him get in touch with me. Two of my men will be there tomorrow morning to take him back into custody. He will be going back to Louisiana. Your mother can be dropped off in Manhattan, or she can stay with him. She can make that decision overnight."

"He told me you had him on a short leash, Michael. I expected to see your men around him at all times. I didn't see one. Thank you for trusting him."

"I knew he would not abandon you with the situation as it was. Now that it's resolved, I have to take him back in, because he becomes a flight risk."

"Will you let him out for our wedding? We will pay all the expenses."

"Yes, he will be there."

"Thank you Michael."

***

Dycke called Harold Chase and said, "I am sending you a present."

"Dycke, you know I don't need anything, and if I wanted something, I could go out and buy it."

"Harold, all your money could not buy this."

"What is it, Dycke; what could possibly be so expensive?"

"I am sending you my wife."

"Why, what did I do to deserve this honor?"

"You want a wedding dress, Payne is the price. Besides that, it was your idea."

"My idea, how did you figure that out?"

"Simple logic Harold; instead of sending six women, first-class by commercial airline; you are sending them on a private aircraft, from Sedona direct to Paris, nonstop. I don't believe you will find that service out of Sedona or Phoenix. Payne is sending you one of our aircraft. She happens to be piloting it. Therefore, you are getting my wife as a present."

"Payne is a pilot?"

"Payne is one of the best pilots, you will ever fly with. It was like she was born to do it. I tremble every time she drives a car, but when she gets into the flight deck, I sleep like a baby."

"What time tomorrow should I expect her?"

"How long does it take you to get from Cottonwood to the Sedona airport?"

"It takes about 30 minutes or so."

"Is Callie with you?"

"No, she is over at her mother's place."

"Well, if you want her to meet Payne when she lands that aircraft, I would leave now, pick up Callie, and get to the airport, because Payne should be landing within the hour."

"Dycke, you are one crazy son of a bitch. I could have arranged a greeting party for her, or something. Now you are going to have me running all over the place, just to get to the airport on time."

"Why do you think I waited until the last minute Harold? She hates big gatherings where she is the center of attention. She just wants to meet everyone who is going to be flying with her tomorrow. She doesn't like all the trappings that go along with having a ton of money. Payne just wants to say hello, tell them how to dress for the airplane ride and to relax while they are on board. The hotels and everything are already paid for. They will not have to put their hands in their pockets for anything, while they are in Paris. T.E.I. is picking up the tab for the whole thing, including the dresses."

"Who the hell do you think you're kidding Dycke? You are T.E.I., so you are picking up the tab."

"You will have to speak to Fiona about that. She is in charge of Western Hemisphere operations, not me."

"You do know I will get even with you for this, don't you?"

"Does that mean you will take Robert for a month, or maybe six?"

"Let me think about that and I will call you back in a year or three."

"I thought so. You will have little problems of your own soon enough. I will revel in the stories you have to tell me. I have an 11-year head start on you with Evan, Harold. My problems will end, just when yours are beginning."

"I will not have any problems, if all my children are like Zoie."

"Don't bet your last nickel on it, my friend. It is the quiet ones that will kill you. At four years old, Zoie is an angel. The nuclear bomb goes off when she gets her first period. All the signs are there. She will not allow her mother, or me, into her room unescorted. We are not allowed to touch any of her things, even when she is with us. She keeps a private journal, and she isn't in primary school yet. It has a digital lock on it, and she changes the codes every week. She doesn't know I know where she keeps her cheat sheet, with the codes written on it. Harold, can you imagine what will happen when she becomes a teenager?"

"Are you trying to scare me out of having children Dycke?"

"No, Harold, I want Callie and you to have a dozen of them. I want to see how quickly you want to go back to work."

"Callie would kill me. She wants to continue nursing, because I told her I would take care of the children."

"Harold, she is not marrying you for your money. She is marrying you because you are an idiot. She found a man who would stay home with the children, so she could go back to work, and be rid of them. She is absolutely brilliant."

"I never looked at it that way before Dycke. I may try to renegotiate this contract."

"You are too far in to get out of it now. You had better get a move on it or my wife will be on the ground looking for her ride, and no one will be there for her."

"What is the aircraft number so I can call the tower, and check on its arrival time?"

"It is 6651 Tango, a Gulfstream 650, out of Charleston."

"Okay Dycke, I am gone.

***

Harold and Callie watched the $65 million aircraft touchdown, turn off the runway, and proceed to the ramp area. Compared to the other aircraft, it was huge. 100 feet from wing tip to wing tip, and almost high enough off the ground to let one of the small, single engine aircraft taxi underneath its wings. The cabin door opened, the stairs came down, and a woman in her flight uniform walked down the steps. She waited, until a member of her crew gave her a piece of roll-on luggage, before she proceeded towards the terminal. Two women walked behind her.

Payne recognized Harold. She walked straight up to him, grabbed him, and gave him a huge welcoming kiss.

Callie's fuse was lit.

Payne said, "Did you miss me, Harold?"

Harold was completely flustered, and he started to stutter.

Payne began to laugh. She said hello to Callie and winked at her. "Harold, Dycke told me to give you a big kiss for getting me flying again. I did not realize how much I missed it."

"Payne, you are going to be a widow, when I get a hold of that deviant husband of yours. His sense of humor nearly caused me to have a heart attack, and a beautiful wife."

"Callie does not look like the jealous type. Let me introduce you to my friends and my security detail. The mean looking short one, with blonde hair and the blue eyes is Alexis. She plays cribbage. She will use the pins to kill you, if you threaten me.

The redhead with the green eyes is 'Willie.' If you wish a premature and painful death, call her 'Wilhelmina.' If you play 500-rummy with her, for money, you will go home bankrupt."

Harold and Callie said hello to both women. Harold apologized to Payne, "Dycke called me at the last minute, so I could not arrange anything prior to your arrival. Callie and I had to come in separate cars just to get here on time."

"That works out perfectly, Harold. You can go home now, because Callie will be staying with us, until we leave tomorrow morning. We will call a meeting of the girls who will be flying with us tomorrow, and go over the itinerary. Then we will have dinner, and I can get to know everyone better. I have to turn in early, because I have the first and third flying segments. Have a good time, Harold, and be a really nice person; drop off Callie's suitcase at the airport in the morning. You can kiss her and wave goodbye as we get on the aircraft. I knew you were going to do that anyway, because you love her so much."

Harold did not believe his ears. He looked at Payne, and said, "This is going to be our last night together for a week or more, and you are going to keep her away from me?"

"It could mean all the difference in the world, as far as her wedding dress is concerned, Harold. Aren't you willing to give up one night of pleasure to make sure the dress is perfect?"

Harold knew his balls were caught in a vise, and the word yes was out of his mouth before his lips moved.

Callalily sashayed up to Harold, and kissed him. "It's been nice knowing you stud. You better be primed and ready when I get back, or I am going to want to know the reason why."

Harold glared at Payne. "I am going to call your husband and lodge a complaint. He praises you for your gentleness, and kind heart. He did not warn me about the steel spikes in your tongue."

Callalily said, "Harold, are you trying to ruin any chances of my getting a wedding dress completed on time? If you are, your chances of having children, with any woman have just gone down 100%."

Harold backed away and said, "I would never do or say anything like that to you, baby. I love you too much and would never break your heart that way."

Payne said, "Say goodbye, Harold, before you get into trouble you can't get out of."

Harold decided it was time to get even with Dycke. "Goodbye Callie, and don't forget both of you are expected to come back with new winter and summer ensembles. That means everything from shoes up to hats, make-up, and jewelry. Everything has to be the best, straight out of the designer studios, and into your lovely closets. Dycke said he would portion off another section of the apartment for your new items Payne. For you Callie, if I have to, I will build you a new house."

Callalily jumped. "Really Harold, you want me to do that? It's going to be very expensive, but I am going to love it. Thank you so much."

"Dycke and I agreed we will be very disappointed if you return to us and have not spent at least $1 million each on your new wardrobes. Payne should spend much more, because she also needs a new seaside ensemble. Callie, I hope you will help her with her swimsuits. If you happen to see 20 or 30 bikinis you like, please bring them home and try them on for me."

"Harold, I love you so much, but that is an awful lot of money to spend in such a short time. I don't want to waste it on frivolous items."

"I want you to try your very best, and know that anything you spend my money on will be well spent, because I love you. Spend the money as if it was the last day that currency was going to be good. Have the stores send the items home, by air, and have them send all the receipts to Dycke's main office. Remember how you will be punishing me, by modeling all those tiny bikinis on for me. Goodbye my love; run along with Payne, and have a wonderful time, while you are in Paris. I will be at the airport, bright and early tomorrow morning, to kiss you goodbye."

Callalily hugged Harold, kissed him, and walked away with Payne. She said to Payne, "I have always hated shopping by myself. It is much more fun shopping with a friend. I have a feeling we are going to become really great friends."

"I think so too, Callie. If Harold doesn't kill my husband before I get home, I will after I get there. Someone has been telling tales out of school, and he needs an attitude adjustment."

"Do you think he would mind if I bought some things for my friends too?"

"I don't see why he would Callie? I would hate to have them sit in the hotel, while we are out shopping, and having fun. Let's make this a party for everyone. Your wedding will be the talk of the Southwest."

"Payne, I'm having a relatively small wedding. We are only going to have around 200 people."

Payne laughed. "Callie, you really don't know how much money Harold has, do you?"

"No, I thought it was impolite to ask. He knows I have $3 million in the bank. I told him, when I paid off my student loans. It was one of the conditions I put between us, before he could ask me to go out with him seriously. I would not get married until I was debt-free. I would not be a burden to any man, before I went into a serious relationship with him. It just didn't seem fair."

"When Dick and I met, we were 18 years old. Neither of us had a nickel we could rub together and call our own. My face looked like chopped meat, because I was in an automobile accident days after I was born. Dick didn't care. He loved me from the moment he saw me, and my reaction was the same towards him. Within a month of us getting together, things started happening that no one could have predicted. Dycke's father knew one day Dycke would inherit some money, but no one knew how much. On the same day, Mister Schneider received the inheritance letter; my father received the letter from Duke University Medical Center advising him the bones in my face had finally fused. They could now perform the surgery I needed to have my face restored. Our lives have been blessed that way ever since. We are aligned together as one. I can never have a problem, and hide it from him. There are days he comes home from work just to ask me what's wrong. He does not call and ask me; he leaves the office, and comes home to ask me. That's how much he loves me, and I love him. The way Harold looks at you, you are going to be loved the same way. Ninety-nine percent of the men in this world would look at you and never see your face. Your body is exquisite. The way you walk would make a man's eyes go straight for your hips. Harold's eyes never leave your face. It is like he is trying to memorize every pixel in a photograph. Don't get me wrong, Callie, he loves the rest of you, just like any man would, but he loves you for you."