Chapter 220: Buying a Plane

Wednesday, July 21, 1971

Kalani was propped up on one elbow as she lightly ran her fingertips across my chest. Of all the ways to wake up, this was one of my favorites. I could really feel her love, and I just wanted to lie there and bask in its warm glow.

“Good morning, Your Majesty” I smiled as I greeted her.

“Good morning, My Prince,” she replied. “I shall miss having you by my side today.”

“Truthfully, neither you nor Mikeya need me there. And there is so much I can do in other ways and in other places.”

“That is true. And you have a whole harem that has been patiently waiting on you while you lavished your attention on my daughter and me,” Kalani said.

“They have been patient, haven’t they? Of course, you and Mikeya have been wonderful hostesses by arranging all the tours and outings for them. By the way, how are the wedding preparations coming?”

“I think that they should be the ones to fill you in on that,” Kalani said. “Although it has been fun.”

As I continued to lie there, I began to feel the love I had for each of them.

“Michael?” Kalani asked. “Promise me that you will never stop loving even one of us?”

“Of course,” I replied. “That is an easy promise to make. I don’t know what I would do if I lost even one of you.”

“Well life can be funny sometimes, so no matter what, never give up on your love. Promise?”

“I promise,” I told her with all my love.

“Good! Now go take care of your other ladies,” she said playfully as she slipped out of the bed.

And just like that, she was gone.

“I miss being connected to you,” Nicky told me as we shared an early breakfast in the hotel dining room. It was an indication of how desperate she was feeling to even be up this early. And I appreciated her for it. “I miss knowing what’s happening in your life. I understand that you have been learning all about being a Crown Prince and catching up with Mikeya and Kalani, but I still missed you.”

“I miss you too, Sis,” I told her as I reached across the table to take her hand. “It’s just that this business of being a prince is so much more than I expected.”

“Well, it’s what we’re here for. You becoming a prince and all of us supporting you,” Nicky said as she smiled at me. “Just don’t forget that I still need you too, sometimes.”

For the second time this morning, I made a promise. I promised her that I would never forget, and then opened my heart to show her my love for her.

“Please...” she said as she felt my love. “Please find some time for us.”

“I’ll try,” I told her. “Soon.”

It was my admin team, Grace, Adriana, and Vickie, who wanted me next. They were staked out in the lobby as I left the restaurant with Nicky.

“We need to talk to you,” Vickie said.

I kissed Nicky goodbye, then turned back for the restaurant. “There’s no way I’m going to face the three of you without coffee,” I said chuckling, as they followed me back to my table.

Adriana laid two stacks of papers on the table before sitting down. “These need your signature,” Adriana thought to me when I sat down. “And these need your approval. I have been running most everything by Catherine, but she said you needed to be aware of these.”

I said nothing as I took the pen she had in her hand and started signing.

“Uncle Harry asked if you would call him yesterday,” Grace told me. “I think it’s about the plane.”

“What time is it there?” I asked as I signaled for the waiter to bring me a phone.

“About 1:30 in the afternoon,” Grace replied. I continued to sign wherever Adriana indicated.

“And you said to remind you about the fountain,” Vickie said as I waited on the overseas connection.

It turns out that Uncle Harry had been in negotiations with Eastern and they had finally offered him their lowest price. Not being able to reach me, he had went ahead and accepted it on my behalf.

“I realize that it might have been considered unethical, but I just couldn’t let their offer pass,” he told me.

“Well, just consider yourself authorized if you ever need to buy another airplane on my behalf,” I told him. “Now tell me. How much did it cost me?”

“Nine and a half,” Uncle Harry replied. “And I moved the money out of your personal account, if that’s okay?”

“You mean we bought a customized Tri-Star for nine and a half million?” I asked, amazed.

“Not we. You own it lock, stock, and barrel, as they used to say. The Tri-Star is currently back at Lockheed in Burbank, California, undergoing an inspection. Lockheed is responsible for any problems. Once it passes, Eastern will deliver it wherever you say. They are even throwing in a flight crew for thirty days. That will give you time to start your aviation company and hire your own pilots.”

“My aviation company?”

“It was my understanding from your assistant that this was not a Wagner Industries purchase. Was I misinformed?” Harry asked cautiously.

“No, sir,” I replied. “I’m just surprised. That’s all. I didn’t know that owning a plane meant I had to start another company.”

“Protection, my boy. Insurance and taxes. It’s all about the insurance and the taxes. It’s a good thing you own an insurance company. I must say ... I wish I could see the face on the underwriter up in Hartford when he discovers that a sixteen-year-old is buying an airliner. Ha!”

“I guess I should say thanks for all your help, Uncle Harry,” I told him.

“Don’t thank me, my boy. It was that gal assistant you’ve got that really made it all happen. I hope I never have to compete against her. And if she ever decides she wants to jump ship, I’m sure I would be willing to pay more than you do,” Harry told me.

“That’s only because you’re not running up your phone bill with these overseas calls. Bye Harry.”

After hanging up, I just looked at Grace.

“What?” she asked.

“C’mere,” I said as I pulled her into my lap. “Have I told you that I love you?”

“Not lately,” she replied with a big smile.

“Let’s get back to work, guys. Jessica needs him next and I can’t wait until he sees what she’s done to our new home!” Vickie said. And just like that, we went back to it.

I continued to sign the stack of papers as they went through their list of things that needed to be addressed.

“What do you want with a fountain?” Adriana asked.

I told them about the Imperial Gardens and how it didn’t have any water features and how I thought it might be a good gesture, on the part of the new prince, to have some installed.

“Okay. I’ll get with Kalani on it,” she thought.

“Great. Just tell her not to tell her daughter. I want it to be a surprise,” I explained. “Also, there’s something else that just came up yesterday, but I’ll need you to keep it very quiet. Do we have any company geologists?” I asked.

“We have a small division of our oil exploration company that has several,” Adriana said off the top of her head. “Why?”

“Is there one or two in particular that you trust to be discrete?”

Adriana paused for a moment. She truly was a filing cabinet full of information on the company.