Adam 67
Maxieplus
Mum had dinner ready when we emerged and the kids were in front of the tv, they were finishing up their floss. Dad and Kasey went out to the backyard and were deep in conversation. I helped with setting the table and because it was a nice evening we will dine outside. I noticed the fire pit going and the men stopped talking when I took the plates out.
"Oh please don't stop on my account, whatever it is, the answer will be no."
"Adam?"
"No, it will always be no. Lieutenant, you have a school to attend and a certificate to earn. Any more business you have with the government can wait, then we will discuss what you want to do."
"I agree son, I am only passing on a request."
"I know dad," I stared at Kasey and he lowered his head.
"The answer is no, I have personal things to attend to." He said with a sly grin.
"Good, I will let them know."
"Now that didn't hurt did it, who is up for some dinner?" I smiled.
They both sat at the table and miraculously the boys joined them.
We have a baked dinner tonight with plenty of spuds and gravy, the kids were set up first then mum and I, then the men. One thing about my mum's cooking is she always has plenty. She once told me she got sick of guessing how much dad would eat so she always catered for a full table. Leftovers were unheard of at our place, if it wasn't eaten at dinner time it sure was all gone by the morning.
Sam loved his roast and wanted some more potatoes and gravy, I granted his wish then Billy's.
"Stevie, are you sleeping with us tonight?"
"No little brother, there's no room in your bed."
"We can camp out."
"Let us think about it okay."
"Okay, but you can if you want."
I looked at mum she smiled because both of us knew they will go to bed early, and in Billy's bed.
"Have you been looking at schools, Adam?"
"No mum should I be?"
"Yes son, you need to know what's in your area, and sometimes you need to book in advance months ahead."
"Have you?"
"Of course son, same schools as yours I have Bill already booked in."
"We had better have a look then Kase."
"I think we will talk to the kindy first, like get their take on the schools available. His mates have to go with him wherever they go he goes. Ideally, I would like him to go with Billy, but that would entail us moving down here."
"We can if you want." I offered.
"Sure we can." He winked.
I know if push comes to shove Sam's education is top of the list, but the salon, Jimmy, the museum, and my lovely home would be missed by me, and my boys.
"We also have to find you an office Kasey for when you start your practice. You cant have clients coming to the apartment."
"Use the fed building Kasey, I'm sure the military will do you a good deal."
"I can get a better deal dad, leave it to us."
"Okay son, do what you think is best."
"There's the whole top floor in that building that isn't leased to the military, I believe the views are fantastic. I am thinking Kasey could set up there." I offered my opinion.
"I tried to move up there ages ago but the owners wouldn't entertain a lease. They said it was a personal space they wanted to keep vacant."
"It was where Adele's husband had his building business offices dad, everything was done from that floor."
"How do you know son?"
"We own the building, it's my business to know." Dad dropped his knife and stared at me.
"Another spud dad?"
I moved one onto his plate while mum laughed into her napkin.
"How do you own it?"
"It belongs to the Banks trust, they own a few of the city buildings the federal building is one of them. The military leases it from the trust and Sam Kasey Jimmy and I are the owners of said trust."
"Steven stop telling porkies what are you up to?" His eyes were half shut.
"Nothing dad, we own the building you lease it from us, go look it up. The top floor has been locked up for years, I guess it's just been gathering dust. Jimmy said it was another failure on his part he didn't know what to do with it. I thought Kasey with a couple of his schoolmates could start their businesses up there, maybe move Mick and his men up there to help with the paperwork. It's all in my head at the moment, and it is just a thought."
"It's huge, and it's not dusty I happened upon the cleaners one day, and they let me look through it."
"If you be nice dad, I might let you move up there too." I let out a loud chuckle. Kasey's face was blank but his mind was ticking over.
"Do you have keys?" He asked.
"No, but Bill Walsham will have them." I grinned.
"Do you have a plan then?"
"Of course I do dad, Kasey will be a brilliant lawyer and he needs something that reflects that brilliance." He shook his head and said.
"Pass me the peas son." I did that job for daddy, and mum went to get the rest of the food. Kasey was deep in thought he likes to process everything before he makes a decision. It hasn't always been the case, as we know. He can dart off at any time on a whim. I am eventually going to steer him into starting a law firm with his friends and anything military will be done by all of them, not just Kasey. The first thing I have to do is get the keys and look the top floor over. Jimmy had told me it had been locked up years ago, and I got the idea of taking some space and maybe opening the rest of it up to the public.
That will happen after Sam goes to school, which I will get Kasey to organize.
Dinner became quiet for some time, the kids had their fill and ran into the living room to watch some more tv.
"What other buildings do you all own?"
"Not a lot dad, some office buildings and some apartment ones, a few shops, and a pier down at the docks."
"A bloody pier?"
"Yes dad I think it's leased to the navy, but I'm not real sure."
"We could get a boat lieutenant, go fishing."
"We could, but when will we find the time?"
"We can make time, do you fish?"
"No." Kasey laughed.
Mum had a ball listening to our antics, dad wanted to know everything and it was about time we told them, we had held back because we didn't want to sound like smart Alec, but it seemed appropriate now.
We cleaned up and mum had a glass of wine with me, Kasey was still deep in thought, and by the time we went to bed he had almost placed his desk in front of the biggest window at the fed building.
"Let's go look at it tomorrow Adam."
"If you want, we have to go home anyway. I will need to go see if Jimmy has the keys because I don't think the bank is open tomorrow."
"I like your plan, Adam."
"I thought you might, let's hope it's not another museum in the making, which will stop us."
"Did you bring my bikinis?"
"Yes baby, they are in the top drawer."
He put them on giving me a full-on show. I buried my face in his armpit as he pumped away at me. I like Kasey's man smells the best.
In the morning we all had breakfast together, the tv was turned off and the kids whined, but they did eat their meal, in record time.
"No tv during their eating hours Adam, stick to the rules." She smiled. I guess we have been a little slack with Sam, but I think his routine would be damaged if we started now.
The ride home was long because we had to go see the beach once more, and just a short run up and down in the sand for him. He's not spoilt, it is just that everything excites him at the moment, he will probably forget all about the beach as he gets older.
I unloaded the car and took the trolly up to the apartment where I put everything away. I leave it by our front door and Kasey, Trish, or I replace it in our storage cage for future use when we go to the car park.
Sam was immediately on the phone with Billy, I think they were planning their viewing for the rest of the day, I wanted to go see Jimmy at some stage and Kasey opened his laptop. I made coffee and then planned what we were having for dinner. He got a little excited because he had found the floor plan for the fed building, something I thought shouldn't be available on the web for security's sake.
"It's in the military files Adam, not shared on the web."
"Is it magnificent?"
"Yes, thirty-foot ceilings a huge dome-like structure and the view is fantastic. Please don't get me wrong here baby, but it's too big for what I want to use it for."
"Not very Law firm friendly then?"
"When these buildings were built they were solid, not much room was left for renovations so there are quite a few rooms up there but some are pokey, some huge. The problem is messing around with it all would hide the beauty of it all because we would have to install false walls and ceilings."
"I see, so we keep looking then."
"I think so Adam, I would still like to look at it. Be aware I am only looking because if I think what is up there, we will be looking at a new museum for the city."
"It might not be accepted by the military Kase."
"It has its very own entrance Adam like the one here."
"Why would I think it wouldn't have." I laughed as I placed my foot where it usually belongs. I then rang Trish, they were back at the cabin and she has done five clients today, nothing she couldn't handle.
"Do you mind if we use your room this time?"
"Of course not, just take any of them."
"We want to watch the lights that's all."
"No problem and there are condoms in the bathroom drawer, but be careful they are a few years old." She laughed and said.
"Joe carries his own with him, and I have gone back on the pill."
"Good, have some fun before you plan a family."
"I was talking to Linda, Joe's mum about kids, she's very eager to get some in her life."
"Don't do it for her do it for Joe and yourself, do you want kids?"
"Yes Adam, I want kids but only a couple."
"When you ready, is it pizza tonight?"
"Try and stop us, yes pizza and the chill-out area I am looking forward to it."
"Well have a good night I will talk to you tomorrow."
I hung up and wished we were there with them. My next trick is to talk to Jimmy, he was at home and I said we will be there in a few minutes.
"Do you want to come for a walk to Jimmys with me baby?"
Both babies said yes and were standing by the door in record time. The lift ride was smooth and Jimmy grabbed Sam as soon as he alighted. There was some staff waiting outside to do a twilight tour of the museum, but no sign of Chloe. Jimmy told us she's only doing the three days, then some filming when the guys had time.
He flicked the tv on and I noticed he had purchased a bigger one, I guess he's sick of the small screen he had.
I looked at Adele's photo over the fireplace and kissed my fingers before I touched it.
"Your book sales are through the roof, we have started opening up orders worldwide. I expect to get some mail about it so we had better get onto the next one Adam. I think it should be her work contracts, have you had the time to look through them, Kasey?"
"Yes Jimmy, we can use them without any problems."
"Now you are staying for dinner I will order the pizzas," Sam screamed.
"It's okay I found an old fashioned place that delivers. Have a look through the menu boys."
"I didn't think there were any around here."
"I asked at the museum and they put me onto it, old Italian family old school pizza. I didn't think they existed anymore until I had the one at the cabin." I smiled at him.
"Have we got you hooked?"
"Yes and no, I haven't had a decent one for years, but the one at the cabin started me thinking I should do some research or ask someone." He chuckled.
"The second question is are you here to just visit or is it business?"
"Visit always but we do have a question."
"Ask away."
"The top floor at the fed building." He groaned.
"I'm sorry Adam another big failure on my part. I was going to talk to you both about it after the documentary was finished. But now is as good a time. As you probably know it's vacant, I didn't move anything or touch anything up there. I get it cleaned every four months and every time I go look at it I get overwhelmed. I was going to leave the contents to the museum."
"So everything is as it was?"
"Yes." He laughed.
"Sorry I am not really into looking through miles of plans and notes. Fred wasn't fond of tidying up his offices so there is stuff everywhere."
"We had better call our researchers in then, I thought it might be a good office for Kasey's Law business. But now I'm thinking of a new museum."
Jimmy smirked and he went to the kitchen drawer. He placed a set of keys on the table.
"Go have a look it's enormous, maybe too much room for Kasey's business, and anyway there is plenty of office space at the bank."
"I will end up working for them." Kase protested.
"So, you are starting a law firm, and you are knocking back work already?"
"I get your point."
'So what am I going to find?'
"A lot of vintage stuff, desks and chairs, old wooden file cabinets. Plenty of architectural drawers are filled with plans. A large men's room and a lady's comfortable lounge. It's very masculine Adam but some very nice features and windows twice the size of these." He swept his hand around the large room.
I wrote down what I wanted and Sam will have his usual, Kasey took the menu and started reading it.
"Do you mind if I order two family ones?"
"Not at all lieutenant, get an extra one to take home."
Kasey smiled again.
"So if we find it will be a viable business venture we should involve Cody Mitchell, he has his grandparent's original building plans and the interior fit-outs his grandmother did. I'm sure he will donate it all to the museum and be involved in some way."
"Yes, he has to be asked because they were a vital part of making this building and the fed building what it is today."
"I will get onto our ladies who helped us with Adeles they will know someone who can help."
"Go see it first, Kasey may like it as an office, but it is rather grand, and big."
He rang the pizza shop and we waited for the delivery.
Sam was watching the big tv and I walked around looking at all Jimmy's treasures and the features of the apartment.
"It's all Adeles Adam, nothing has been shifted much over the years, updated yes, but all the features are right where they belong."
I sighed and wanted so much to go back and live in my Adeles era.
"Apartment one." He yelled, Sam jumped.
"What?"
"Apartment one, here in this building is perfect for Kasey's business. A little smaller than yours but the two bedrooms can be turned into office space, the family room can be divided and Kasey gets a big office tea room and waiting room."
"Keys?"
"Coming up." He laughed.
"Kasey you are going to do off-the-street clients, as well as government, and now bank ones?"
"Yes Adam, I am looking forward to working with local clients."
"Good because from what I know about apartment one it's perfect for what you want, it has large windows and only a short lift trip or steps to its front door."
The doorbell rang and Jimmy scooted off to grab the pizzas. He came back with a stack, and looking through it he handed Sammy his special one and of course, Kasey already had his selected.
I laughed at Jimmy's face.
"They love their pizzas."
"I know, so do I." He smiled.
He asked Kasey all about the stuff he was currently doing for the navy and the military, he wasn't being evasive he just said it's in Canberra being looked at. There will have to be some alterations done, he expects that but at the moment he hasn't much to do except the documentary.
"We will get you started I will speak to Walsham, you need clients."
"Thank you, can you hold off for a few days I want to see the apartment first then I want to talk to the schoolmates who are local to see what they are going to do."
"No problem when you are ready."
"Do we own the apartment?" I asked.
"Is the pope a catholic?" That would be a yes.
The food was awesome and I got the pizza shop's card from Jimmy before we left. Sam was getting a little tired and I wanted to go into the museum to watch the twilight tour.
Jimmy locked up and we entered the apartment. Twenty or so visitors were in there with two tour guides and surprise surprise Chloe was there all dressed up. I moved to the side and listened, they were filming and I could see Gloria and Marko in the back. I didn't know they would be working tonight but I also was pleased the camera crew have it all in hand.
She spoke for twenty minutes, all about her life as a supermodel, her home, and her family, I was gobsmacked at her likeness and her hand gestures. She smiled when she saw us and she moved slightly over and made another small speech. One was about her beloved son's lover and the other was about her very best friend Adam.
The applause started after she introduced us by name. Sam had fallen asleep in Kasey's arms, he was either bored or its time for bed.
I thanked her for the nice words and spoke to my staff.
"Didn't you know?"
"Know what?"
"Kasey has hired us to be Chloe's assistants three nights a week."
"No he didn't tell me, don't get me wrong I am pleased as punch he did that, are you both okay with it?"
"We sure are she's lovely to work with and we get a generous bonus for it also." Marko grinned.
I followed them into the games room and the door was closed behind us, Chloe was helped out of the evening gown and Gloria started taking her make up off. I noticed Chloe was smiling and she was getting all the attention she wanted by these two gems.
"Why aren't you at the cabin?"
"Joe told me to stay away tonight. I think he has a special dinner planned, look." She passed her phone over, a photo of Trish and Joe having a candlelight dinner in our chill-out area. I noticed the champagne, crystal glasses, and the candles. The odd thing out was the pizzas on their plates.
"He's trying to keep it all real, I'm so proud of him"
"Has Trish worded you up on the Myer event?"
"No what's happening?"
"Whoopsies, better ask her honey it's not my place to say anything."
"You are a terrible person Adam Sutton, tell me just a little bit." She stared at me.
"That revenge you are looking for is becoming a reality, thanks to Trish."
"What revenge?"
"Christine Revlon counter."
She laughed so much that Gloria slapped her hand.
"Stay still."
"I had better call in on the way home then."
"I wouldn't do that by the look on Joe's face it's going to be a big night."
"You're coming clubbing with us anyway," Marko said.
"Oh, so I am. I forgot for a moment." She giggled.
"We had better go Adam, Sam's light but after a while, he gets a bit heavy," Kasey whispered.
We said our good nights and Kasey had a brief talk to the two film guys on the way out, they said they have plenty of footage. Mick and his men have finished the first chapter. I wondered if we will get to see it before it's uploaded, but Kasey said we are going to have a special viewing soon.
He told me because of the Myer thing, they may as well launch it at the same time.
"But it's only been six weeks."
"That's enough Adam, it's not Gone with the wind."
"Well I want to see it before everyone else does, there are things I don't want in it, and things I do."
"Coming up." He waved a memory stick in front of me.
"Jimmy passed it to me, he is watching his copy now. He also wants to be alone with his memories while he does."
Sam had been put to bed and we sat on my grandpa sofa. Kasey had taken Sam's spot and I was pulled in for a final cuddle before the doco started.
The opening moments were incredible, they had found old footage of Adele. I didn't think it even existed, Cannes, Paris catwalks, London streets, even one bit with her husband and little boy. It morphed into Chloe Jimmy and myself, then the apartment museum. The opening scene was Chloe's rendition of the fabulous life she has had, and a rundown of what the viewer was expected to see. It then switched to all of us around the cabin table telling Chloe what we wanted her to do. Her transformation into Adele Banks was so beautifully done as Trish applied her makeup and Marko did her hair in the salon. Tears flowed as old footage of Adele appeared and Chloe was watching it, and mimicking her actions.
I felt love and sadness at the same time as my dear friend passed through the screen making cameo appearances.
I looked at Kasey and thought once again, what a brilliant mind he has and I was so grateful for what he has done for us all.
A message came through from Jimmy, it said.
"I am amazed and saddened at the same time. What a great tribute to our dear friend."
I wrote back and said much the same, I was overwhelmed by it all. It went on for an hour and a half, I was wrung out emotionally and when Kasey turned it off he said we will watch it again when we have our friends here.
"Take me to bed baby." He nuzzled my ear.
"You got it."
I wanted to message Chloe and tell her it was amazing but he said she will probably be here for breakfast, and we could talk to her then. He also said Trish will get a copy in the morning. Wilson and Eva are going to drop it off.
"So there are going to be four more?"
"No Adam, six episodes maybe. There is enough content to stretch it, this first one is just a rundown on how it all came about and a lot of background, the next one will be more detailed. Wait and see you will love what they are doing with the story."
"Thank you, now what would you like to do tonight?"
He gave me a rundown of his favorite things for me to do to him, so I started checking stuff off his list.
Sam was already up in the morning, he sat quietly while I kissed his head and made him some breakfast. Chloe's face appeared on the tv, Kasey must have installed a camera.
"Aunty Chloe." He yelled then headed for the door. She looked great, I suppose it wasn't a big night but then again I thought when I was doing the clubs I cleaned up well in the morning.
"How was your night?"
"Great Adam, I came home around one. The shows were amazing and Gloria's man turned up, he's such a hunk."
"He is baby, we watched your movie last night." She stared at me.
"You watched the Documentary, how when where?"
"Here, you were fucking superb." She looked around the room, Sam helped her. I made her a coffee and sat her in front of the tv, the credits rolled.
"Aunty Chloe, you look beautiful," Sam said. I looked at her face and yes we have tears, she would be filled with anticipation at the moment.
Kasey came out in his baggy greens, his member was almost standing at attention and I grabbed it and said.
"We have a visitor, better put the bathrobe on. I will get back to you later." He went to do that job then came out again, kissed me then grabbed his coffee then he sat with the others.
"I can't believe it's me, do I for real look like that?"
"You are beautiful aunty Chloe, of course, it's you." Sam always has the right words. I took the tissue box over to her then I started breakfast. I was watching it from the kitchen and yes, it was amazing the transformation was subtle but full on. Sam has kindy so we can't watch it all, I wiped him down with some warm water and he had one eye on the tv.
At one stage Chloe broke down and Kasey cuddled her. I told Sam he could watch the rest when he gets home so he went to get his backpack and I dressed. I kissed them both and said I was going to walk Sam to school, but apparently, that's not my job because Kasey paused the movie and went to get dressed. He kissed me and left with Sam. I unpaused the movie and we sat and watched it together.
"Adam I had no idea how big she was, how great she was and kind, so kind to others she came in contact with."
"You play it well Chloe, Adeles words are your words never forget that you have that kind of soul inside you. This is natural acting because you don't have to act, just be Adele."
"I'm trying not to be a baby Adam, but thank you for your kind words."
"Can I take this up to show mum?"
"Of course you can, Kasey will have other copies somewhere and I want to play it on repeat at the salons too. My customers that knew Adele will get a kick out of the early preview."
"What has Trish got in mind?"
"She has spoken to her friend at Myers, he is letting her place a big movie poster of you being Adele, on a wall opposite the Revlon counter." I winked.
"Shit, so she will have to look at me every day."
"Yes, but it gets better."
"Oh dear." She giggled.
"For the launching of the said movie, there will be a book signing for a couple of days, you dressed to the nines as Adele signing your name to my coffee table books. You get to sit and stare at her all day for however long as you want."
"Revenge is so sweet Adam, God I love Trish she's so good for me."
"She is baby, and you will pull it off beautifully, I might even get Kasey to organize a perfume in your and Adele's name she will be looking at that forever." I laughed, I am a very naughty man when I get going.
"When?"
"In a week or so."
"I will speak to Trish then."
"You do that, and tell her you had to pinch it out of me." I made more coffee and she wanted to watch the first ten minutes again. I am sure this won't be the last time she will watch it today. She finished up and grabbed the memory stick. She couldn't wait to show her mum so she hugged me and then left to go home.
Kasey came back and I took care of that snake in his shorts, it has grown some since I saw him last. He said Sam was excited to tell everyone about Chloe being in his papa's movie.
"Do you have other copies baby?'
"Yes two more, do you need some?"
"I gave Chloe our copy she wants to show her mum, and I would like to start playing it in the salons just for my clients. A poster wouldn't go astray also."
"They are ready and I'm having some framed, one big one for Myer's event, one for Chloe, and one each for you and Jimmy. Will you need the salons framed?"
"Yes please."
"That will be eight then, one for the cabin salon so the locals can be involved. There is also going to be a big surprise before the event Adam."
"What have you done?"
"The ABC is in talks with the Banks trust they want to premier it on channel two."
"Are they paying?'
"Only for the one run, we will still own the Copywrite. When it's done we then will talk to Netflix or a movie distribution company. Whatever we do we will still own it. I have to get Chloe to sign another contract to make me her manager, she can't go into this without some representation."
"You have been reading a lot then."
"Yes, I am full of that kind of information now."
"Well let me fill the other end and then you will be fully stuffed and ready for anything."
He moaned as I kissed his ass.
I got two phone calls, one from Trish, and all she said was 'bigmouth' then she hung up.
The other was from Linda Joe's mum. She was beside herself and she started crying on the phone thanking me for doing such a wonderful thing for her daughter. I told her to thank Kasey and Trish and she will ring them both soon, they have watched it twice and now the farmhands are watching it so it will probably be passed around the town by this evening, it will be good to see their reactions.
We sat with Jimmy and he was overwhelmed with the attention to detail, he knew it would be good but never in a million years thought it would be this good. The poster was presented to him the following night by Kasey, he will find a special place to hang it soon, we also had one for the museum.
They were beautiful, all of Chloe sitting in one of Adele's chairs with a photo of my dear friend on the small table next to her.
A Casey Banks production. Being Adele Banks starring Chloe Merchant as Adele Banks. A stunning performance and story of a well-known Australian supermodel and social identity. There was more but in small print and it mentioned the filming boys and Mike's men the editors and production assistants me and Jimmy.
The one for Myer was six feet tall and had already been shipped there awaiting installation.
The next day I took two down to the car and will ship one to Melbourne, they were packaged up beautifully and were behind glass so I had to be careful.
Trish and Joe had arrived home the night before and she wasn't mad I had told Chloe, she was pleased because now I can be blamed if something goes wrong. Joe said his mum rang three times and they had watched the movie twice and will watch it again with us because Sam has to watch it again. I sent a memory stick home with dad for them to watch it and when Marko had to go to the other salon to do a bride, I made him take my car and the poster over.
In all this fuss I had forgotten the fed building and apartment one. Kasey had sidetracked me with the movie and then the posters.
After we set up the salon to play the movie, and I found a special place for the poster, I took a walk to see my dad.
"Come with me."
"Where are we going?"
"To the top of the building."
I walked him around to the alleyway and sure enough, there was a lift and entrance hall. When we got to the top floor it opened into another entranceway. Opening the big heavy doors I stepped back in time. I was silent as I stopped and stared at the grandeur of the space, it was magic.
"A bit big for a lawyer's office Adam."
"Yes, it looks like the museum wins again." There were drawers and drawers of plans, big models of buildings, some I recognized some I didn't. A huge table had a whole town made out of cardboard and paper. The huge windows let the light stream into the space making it seem eerie. Pens paint pieces of steel, some samples of tiles, cornices, plaster, reinforcement, everything a builder needs to operate. A photo of Adele and Johnny on the huge desk, and more photos of buildings throughout the world on the walls. Bookcases covered one big wall, all to do with building and engineering. The operations manager, safety manager, Union manager and others that I never knew existed were painted in gold on office doors.
"It's amazing dad. I can't even imagine what's in those drawers hidden away."
"Plenty I think Adam, so you think it will be a museum?"
"For sure, it can't be anything else."
"Will Jimmy be pleased?"
"Oh yes, he will be jumping up and down I should think." I grinned.
maxieplus@hotmail.com
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