Chapter 203: Agent Luisa Rivera

Thursday, July 8, 1971

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” I said as I kissed Adriana’s cheek.

“What time is it?” she asked after she opened her eyes.

“It’s almost seven,” I told her. “Are you hungry?”

“Starved!”

“Well, I went downstairs and brought us back some bagels and juice,” I told her. “Why don’t I make us some coffee while you get dressed?”

“I’ve got to take a shower, first,” she said.

“Do you need some help?” I asked with my most lecherous grin.

“You can’t possibly be serious!” she said happily. “You wore me out last night!”

I gave her my best puppy dog pout as I went to make the coffee at the bar in my office. I was glad to see that she was feeling better.

When Adriana joined me a little later, she was smiling and making little sounds. I found out that they were exercises for her vocal cords.

“Good ‘orning, Mik-hell,” she told me aloud.

“That’s so good, sweetheart,” I replied. “It won’t be long before you won’t need Vickie or me to help you communicate.”

“The therapist says that it could take several months, but all I have to do is keep working my vocal cords. Did you know that they are like muscles? You have to stretch them and use them or they will quit working,” she told me.

“Yeah. You should have no problem finding people to talk to,” I replied as I poured her a cup of coffee.

“Have you heard from anyone yet?” she asked. She was referring to our family.

“No. It’s too early. They’re not even awake yet,” I quipped as we ate our breakfast at my desk.

“Well, since you’re here, maybe we can get some work done. You have a stack of messages and letters on my desk,” she said as she headed for the door. I watched as she stepped into the office her mother used to use, and came back with a stack of papers. We began to go through the letters first. Once I had told her how to reply to the letters, we started on the phone messages.

“You sure seem to have become popular since the State Dinner. There must be twenty different invitations to parties here,” she said.

“They must have heard about my dancing,” I said.

“They heard about this very good-looking guy who happens to be one of the richest teenagers in the country, Michael,” she said. “For most of them I’ve sent your regrets, but this one is from Harry. He would like you to attend his family get-together in the Poconos in September. I thought you should make the decision on this one.”

“Will it be a party? Like the last time?” I asked.

“No. This will be much less formal. And at his home in the mountains. I’ve never been, but your grandfather would often go. I think he took my mom a couple of times.”

“Would you find out the details? And if I can bring guests?” I asked.

“Sure. And this one is from Mrs. Wingate, ” She told me. When she saw my puzzled look, she added, “Your grandfather’s sister, Nancy.”

The handwritten note on fine stationary was a simple invitation to call on her at her apartment on Park Avenue ‘at my convenience’. I put that one in my pocket.

“I’ll call her,” I told Adriana as we continued through the remaining invitations.

“Michael?” Vickie thought to me. “Is Adriana alright?”

“You can ask her, yourself,” I thought back. “But I’ll warn you, she’s naked and has her mouth full!”

“I figured! I didn’t really want to disturb her if she was ... er, busy!” Vickie giggled. “But I thought I should let her know that we’re on our way up.”

“Michael! Adriana slapped my arm. Then to Vickie, “We’re in his office. And we’re already working!”

Moments later, Vickie walked in with Izzy, Grace, Nicky, Amy, and Shelly.

While Vickie made her way to Adriana, Nicky launched herself at me.

“Oh, Michael. I don’t think I’ve talked to you in forever!” she said as she kissed me. I noticed that Adriana moved to close my office door. It took several minutes to get through the hellos and hugs and kisses. Izzy pasted one on me, as if she hadn’t seen me in a year. Vickie was right behind her with an equally aggressive kiss. However, I was surprised when Amy actually came up and kissed me on the lips. And even more surprised when Shelly kissed my cheek.

I raised my eyebrows at this and Shelly smiled at me. “What? You don’t kiss colored girls?”

I laughed as I pulled her to me, planting a big one on her lips.

“Don’t start any of that colored shit with me. You know that I’m an equal opportunity kisser,” I told her. “Your mom said to tell you hello, and that she’s missing you.”

Shelly’s mom, Mable, was the cook at the ranch.

“Yeah. When I called to tell her about going to the White House for dinner, all she wanted to know was what they served,” Shelly told me with a laugh. “She said she saw you on the television and told me to tell you that you cleaned up good.”

We chatted a few more minutes, and then settled down to discussing the Foundation. Izzy and Nicky got me caught up to where things stood. After that, Amy and Shelly started to review the applications for scholarships and financial aid with me.

“You don’t have to go through all those applications with me. I trust you to make the right decisions,” I told them.

Shelly looked surprised. “You mean you’re just gonna take our word for it?”

“Look, Shelly. You wouldn’t be on this staff if Nicky, Amy, and Izzy didn’t trust your judgment. And so, I trust it as well.”

“Well, I’ll be damned!” Shelly thought to herself. But she was smiling and I could feel her confidence rising.

“I have to get going. I have to get back to the house and get packed for the weekend,” I told them.

“Wilson’s waiting for you,” Grace told me. “And we packed your bag last night. Ileana has the details and said to remind you to bring your sword.”

“Okay, thanks,” I said and then kissed them all goodbye. “And by-the-way, I think you all are doing a wonderful job.”

“Stay in touch with us, Michael. We don’t like you going off on secret missions, like you did in Houston, and not being in contact with us,” Grace whispered as I walked out of my office, carrying the case with my sword in it.

On the drive home, I started reviewing the papers Adriana and Grace had given me, but soon, I felt myself nodding off.

The dream was short and confusing. When I woke up, I realized that I couldn’t have been asleep for long. While I didn’t understand it, it left me with an inescapable feeling that there was danger ahead.

“Are you hungry, Michael?” Prissy asked as I came in the back door of Catherine’s ancestral home called Seven Oaks. Prissy, along with Wilson, her husband, had been serving my grandmother since long before I was born.

“Starved!” I replied.

“Well, go gets yourself cleaned up. You’s got company in the parlor. They look like po-lease men,” Prissy informed me. “I’ll fix you up something to eat.”

I quickly scanned the parlor. Prissy was close. They were FBI. So that’s where I headed.

“Hi, I’m Michael,” I said as I entered and crossed over to kiss Ileana and then hug Anna.

“I’m Agent Simmons and this is Agent Rivera,” the guy replied, indicating the woman accompanying him.

Quickly scanning them, I nodded at Agent Simmons as I shook his hand, but when Agent Rivera offered her hand, I stopped and executed a formal bow, as I had been taught, then taking her fingertips, turned her hand so as to brush my lips lightly over her dark skin.

“La señorita,” I said smoothly.

“Encantado,” she responded automatically. “Oh, my!” she thought to herself at the same time.

“Mr. Wagner, we have...”

“Excuse me, Mr. Simmons,” Anna said, interrupting the FBI agent. “The proper way to address him is ‘Your Highness.”

Agent Simmons looked at Anna, trying to decide if she was serious. I connected Anna and Ileana so that they could see the agent’s thoughts. Anna smiled and Ileana raised her hand to her mouth to cover her giggle.

“Have you told them you’re CIA?” I thought to Anna.

“No. I told them I was your personal doctor,” she thought back.

“Mr. Simmons,” Anna said. “Michael is...”

“It’s Special Agent Simmons,” The agent interrupted automatically.

“And Michael really is a prince, and Ileana really is a princess. This weekend, they have agreed to help the FBI keep the Princess of Monaco safe. Since it appears you are going to be spending time in the presence of royalty, you might as well start getting used to their proper forms of address.”