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This is the final chapter of part 1 and happiness at last. Part 2 will follow soon, but redundancy is calling my attention elsewhere at the moment. _________________________________________________________________________
CHARACTER LIST --------------
Jared Exley -- Uncle Leon Exley -- Guardian of 13 year old Jared Davy - Was Jared's partner, Diane's best friend Dirk Tobias Matthews - Jared's partner
Peter Barrington -- Steven's cousin and partner in the law firm
CJ -- Jared's grandson / adopted son Christopher Matthews -- Jared's adopted son Mason -- Jared's grandson -- Myles and Ed's adopted son Myles -- Peter's 19 year old son, Ed -- Myles' lover Mikey -- CJ's twin
Mary Gibson -- Matriarch of the family Steven Gibson -- Mary's husband Paul Gibson -- Mary's son and chief of police Jake Gibson-- Mary's youngest son and police officer Dr. Darren Cartwright -- Jake's partner and Jared's doctor.
Judge James Haroldson -- Mary's brother Jennie -- Mary's sister Diane Gibson -- Mary's sister -Exley HR Director - Steven's ex-wife. Kathy -- Diane's partner Stacy --Diane and Steven's daughter. Tracy -- Peter's secretary
Sheila Miranda Easby -- Jared's Aunt William Webster -- Jared's Grandfather John McNicolls -- Sheila's adopted son
Mavis Pratt -- Stephen's wife Bryan Patterson -- Exley and Webster Chief Operating Officer Natalie Walters -- Exley and Webster Finance and Controls Director' Peggy Maycroft -- Opera singer Marcy Edwards -- Head Receptionist Neil Edwards -- Construction Manager Mark Pratt -- Assistant COO to Bryan Patterson Cody James - Overseer and ranch operation manager Ella-Mae James -- Cody's wife -- Davy's friend.
President John McKay Mary-Lou McKay -- First Lady Mitch McKay -- President's father Ester McKay -- President's mother Martin Jefferson - Barb's friend Tony Jefferson -- Martin's brother
Aunty Barb - President of the United States Margaret Williams Jefferson -- Barb's mother Uncle Colin Williams -- Barb' own Uncle Leo Barb Jr -- Barbs adopted daughter Tyler Charles (Chuck) -- Barbs adopted son Devon Ray (Ray) - Barbs adopted son Peter Jenkins - Barbs adopted son Nathan Jenkins - Barbs adopted son
Father Vincent -- blind adopted son Kyle -- Father Vincent's partner Petey -- blind adopted son Nat (Nathan) Thompson Parker Thompson Tony Thompson Gabriel Knight -- Attorney at the village Ross Carter -- Gabe's partner
King Myles -- King of Lizondia Prince Steven -- Prince of Lizondia King David -- King of Chrysland Lord Aquamaine Lady Annabelle Bravender
Carl Davidson -- Jared's security Sean Pearson -- Jared's security Mike Pearson -- Jared's security Agent Steele -- Barbs security Mike Winters-- CJ Security Dave1 Potts -- CJ Security Agent Wilson -- CJ Security Rolling Thunder -- CJ Security and Wilson's partner
There are various other ancillary characters, such as the Pratt family that do not play a major part in the story and so are not listed above.
MOONSIDE MANOR
Chapter 16 -- The village We stayed at the hotel until the President had to return to Washington. We all knew that he felt bad leaving, but he had to get the country sorted and also had to get their kids settled in to their new lives. Watching how they interacted with those kids made everything worthwhile.
With them the president's family as well and it was soon just the family left. Rolling Thunder and I decided that we needed to be honest about our feelings and were surprised when we sat down with the family before leaving the hotel and Myles spoke what everyone was thinking. "So have you two worked everything out? We all think it is great that you love each other. You need someone dad."
Peggy spoke, "I totally agree and I think you make a wonderful couple. Now I will not feel guilty having to go back to Italy tomorrow."
"While we're talking about Rolling Thunder I don't want him risking his life everyday as he is my guy now and I've already lost two. We've talked and I am going to be busy with Exley and Carter soon. Andy actually wants to step into a role in the village and I think it is a great idea."
"What are you thinking dad?"
"Ok... Everyone has their own projects, but there is nothing to gel the village together we need someone with the ability to market the concept and try to help it to grow. You know someone that has the ability to generate the sales that we need. Andy has a degree in marketing and business administration, he can manage the village. The last thing I want is for the money to remain in the stores so there is as you know a courier tally thing in each store that sucks the missiles up and delivers them to the central cashing office. Then twice a day at least the manager will cash up the tills and the till roles will be taken at close of play each night." I paused...
Continuing "I know it is all online now and zooms off to the cashing office straight away but we need a manual take as well in case there is a BCP incident that causes the tills to go off line. That way everyone will be protected. Andy will responsible for organising the cash and banking and making sure that all of the financial reports are produced for Ross on a timely manner. He will create his own roll as each of the stores has their own management, but he is going to manage the whole centre."
"Jared I might not be part of the Village yet, but I think it is a cracking idea as I was worried about CJ and Chris with all that money. I want to see if any one has a floor available as I would like to open my own recording studio and it would be great to have it on site."
"Peggy we have part of the warehouse that wasn't converted with the gym as we felt that there was just too much space for the swimming pool otherwise. It's a small single unit size on three levels. You could have your studios on one floor and I know you want to do voice coaching that could be on another. Say yes please, as we would love you to be nearby."
"Chris how can I say no when it sounds perfect. We just need to get it sound proofed and decorated."
CJ went and hugged her, "You don't mind do you?" He just shook his head and hugged her tighter. "I mean it young man you break up from school soon and we are going to answer your adoring fans and produce a couple of CDs. The way you sang you need to be recorded."
"I'm too young to be one the road though and even though I love singing it is not what I think I want to do with my life. Sorry..."
"No need to be sorry as long as you are the best at whatever you do. Also think on this ... Don't go on the road. You make music and put out the CDs and DVDs and then do TV appearances and I have a perfect show for you to appear on. ZCTV want me to have my own show in the summer and I want you to star on the show with me. We'll do an eclectic mix of music from Opera to country and I would love to get an original song or two written just for you to see how they go down."
Jon looked at her, "Do you mean that? I sort of play the guitar and have written a couple of country style songs since being with my new mom."
"Honey, why didn't you say? Do you have them here?" Sheila asked.
"They are on my laptop with the words; I'll get them and my guitar and see what you think."
With that he ran to his room and came back with the laptop and sat down and tuned his guitar. "I never thought this would happen as I hate to sing, but I love to write. This one was sort of written with CJ in mind. I wrote it the other night when we were thinking about Dirk. Stuart was already asleep."
Peggy moved the laptop over to the piano area and played the tune as well. They played it once and CJ listened to see where he felt all of the emotion should go. Then Peggy nodded and he started `We miss you daddy'. As he sang the words they hit everyone with such force that we were all in tears. He looked at Peggy with a pleading look.
"That's it Martin call ZCTV and ask for the recording studio they let me use the other day. Have you got any others we can use?" Jon, CJ and Peggy played about a dozen more most of them she liked and there was one that CJ loved the word and the tune for but wanted to do a slightly different style.
He asked Peggy to just follow his lead and he sang Jon's song in swing. It was fantastic and then he tried another and soon with the mix of classical swing time songs and handful of country they had what we thought would be passable CDs.
She looked at CJ and just said, "Book ZCTV recording studio for two days. I'll get my people organising the release of the CD and let's see what happens. I'll also book the same orchestra we had the other week for the swing album and Jon do you know country band we can book to back CJ with your music."
"We'll pull players from the orchestra they have experience and I think it will work, I'll lead on guitar."
Everything was organised and she was right it took a total of a day and half to record the soundtrack for the CD and then they also agreed the artwork in that time.
That was the easy part as Chris revealed a series of CJ that he had done while CJ was looking into the distance and others like that. The front cover for the Country album we all agreed would be the where he was sat on his horse looking over Peekes Point and for the swing album a picture of him leaning on the side of the stage which was taken at the Gala evening.
I was surprised how soon the two CDs were complete and ready for shipping. Next was to send copies out to the all of the stations and get a couple of talk show spots for him.
All through the week Peggy stayed with us, pushing the shipping to get them out and appeared on talk shows with him. By the end of the week he was number one in every state and the fans were crying for more.
Peggy helped him choose his own team and got an agreed time slot whenever we needed it at ZCTV studios, but she wanted her own studio.
Peggy had now returned to Italy and called as she got there as she was shocked to see that he had gone to the top of the charts in not only the UK, but also France and Italy as well. Everyone was crying out for more. What shocked her most was that they were both at the top in every country. This little lad was making history.
Chris took on a type of managers roll as he could tell anyone if CJ had the time, but also the energy to do what was being requested. The more things started coming in the more he needed help and he turned to one of his brothers. Peter, who used to be Barb son took on the responsibility and soon had them running like clockwork. I also found out that he did a similar role for Peggy when she was here.
On the day of the opening of the Village the family Limos arrived on time and out stepped CJ to the cheers from his adoring fans. What amused us was there was a good collection of the blue rinse brigade and country fans as well. What shocked him most was that the President was standing at the side ready to open the village, but he had a large frame in his hands.
As we took our place the President stepped forward. "Ladies and Gentlemen we seem to have been here in the past me thinks. Hopefully this time all will go well. Before we open `Webster's Village' I have the very great pleasure in presenting CJ with this his FIRST of many Platinum discs. I can now announce that his CDs are number one, if not number one and two in every state of America, but also UK, France, Ireland, Italy and most countries in Europe and South Africa and getting there in Australia.
"I have never known an album be so successful so quickly and I think young CJ is making history. Well done young man. Here to present it to you is Peggy Maycroft who has recently retired from the touring world to concentrate in opening her own recording studio and encouraging young artists to step forward. Peggy."
Peggy presented the frame to CJ and addressed the camera. "I have been in show business since I was a little girl younger than CJ I think that I deserve to retire and enjoy life now. We do intend to work together so there will be more music from both of us and we have signed the contract last week for the `CJ and Maycroft Show' it will be aired in the near future so watch this space."
The President then stepped up and with CJ and Peggy cut the ribbon and the village was open. The Gallery was the first stop and as we enter the place we were stopped bythe manager begging for more pictures as everything that CJ and Chris had done had sold on the first day of opening. We wandered around the swimming pool and the gym on the second floor to make sure they were running smoothly and CJ listened to everything that his people were telling him. Both CJ and Chris were clearly not happy about something and turned to Peter to make notes.
Once they had completed that they raced upstairs to the men only section which we knew meant trouble as CJ had said they would not enter that area. They turned to rolling thunder and Growling Bear, "Stop anyone from leaving. Dad with us now, you too Wilson." With that there was a business man, suit draped over a chair with a boy tied down to the small bed area. "What the hell are you doing?"
The man clearly taken aback tried to say "He's my son." I had untied the child and called Paul on the phone. Apparently he was known to them, but they had never been able to capture him in the act as he was into travelling sales.
CJ looked at Paul and said follow me, in the two other rooms were similar situations and both men were arrested. Mary called the Foundation and soon had people here for the boys. CJ looked at the boys and said, "Who let them in?"
"I don't know his name but he had blue shirt and trousers with a logo on the shirt." That had to be the floor manager as he was the only one with that uniform. CJ looked at the crowd that was with us.
"Make yourself scarce as we are going to attract his attention." Looking at the boy and heading back into the room closest to the staff room he said I want you to scream and shout and make all of the noise that you can."
Sure enough this man came through the door doing up his own trousers and barged into the little room. "Can't you keep that little brat quiet?"
Suddenly there was a look of disbelief on his face as CJ looked at him and said, "Who the hell are you? I never interviewed you. Where is the man that we took on?"
His face went pale and he tried to turn and run only to come face to face with Rolling Thunder and the end of a gun. "The boy asked a question and you will answer it or your knee caps will meet my bullets. You have five. One ... Two ... Three ..."
"He never turned up so I was taken on."
"That is the wrong answer, and if it is the truth who interviewed you?"
"...Four..."
"The kid was my stepson before he went and died a few days ago. So I took his job not expecting the Brat to turn up and inspect the place on the first day."
"How did he die and where is he?" As they were leading him away they found that the mother was dead, but her son who was supposed to be the manager had been killed which gave him the ability to run this little operation.
CJ called Bryan and told him he needed a new manager of the complex. He turned to Paul and said that the twenty year old Marcus was supposed to be staying in the apartment as they were both impressed with him and had made him manager over the Galleries as well. He gave Paul and Kyle the access code to the place and we stood with bated breath.
Sure enough Marcus was in there beaten, but alive. Darren was called to help. Darren took him to one of the small rooms and started treating him while we looked around the flat. There wasn't a thing out of place, boy was this kid tidy. I liked him already. As we were looking around CJ saw and envelope addressed to him and Chris.
Kyle carefully opened it and there was a letter telling how he was afraid for his life as his father had found where he was and he knew that he would come after him. Once Darren had made sure the lad was Ok and Rolling Thunder made sure that he knew of no other reason why the place should not open we were able to open again.
CJ sat and talked with Marcus and was again impressed by the lad. With Bryan and Rolling Thunder they reviewed the staff list and decided that security needed to be onsite at all times. Jake was called in and asked for his best men that he could assign to the site permanently. There would be two downstairs and one on the third floor to ensure that everyone felt safe. Jake was able to find the two for the entries downstairs immediately, but failed with the one for the men only floor.
Rolling Thunder looked at CJ and said that his brother in the clan had lost his parents young and that he had bought him up... He was nineteen and had never been good in school, but loved manual work and liked keeping things neat and tidy. HE was also very much like him and was quite big and muscular. CJ asked when they could see him and he was told that he was in the audience today as he loved the CD CJ had released and wanted to see him.
Within minute Dances in Moonlight had arrived at the office and even though his name was Evan he liked to be called Dances. CJ loved him from the start and questioned him over and over about what he would do if something was wrong and if he needed backup. At the end of the interview they agreed that he was right for the job. Marcus looked at him and said that he had a spare room and if he wanted as they could share. It was still new for him to be living alone. Dances jumped at the chance and so CJ had the best management team that he could want for his Gym.
Rolling Thunder and I made sure that everyone was happy with the staff and with what was happening. As we walked past the alley way next the Foundations Doctors office Shade barked and barked as hard as he could and took off. Wilson and Kyle tried to follow but he was gone. It was minutes later he appeared, We never did find out what had freaked him out.
What we could not believe was that the little chap was injured and collapsed at the feet of Growling Bear, who scooped him up in his arms and carried him in to the vets. We hadn't thought to hire a new vet since everything had happened so we saw a nurse who looked after shade.
While she was doing that CJ called the office of Dirk's main surgery and asked if all was well. We found that the main office was over staffed if anything and that one of them would love the opportunity to work for the foundation.
He was a married man and offered to take the position as he cared about what the foundation were doing. Once CJ had a chat with him we gave him full rein to take on the staff that he felt the centre needed. He soon became Uncle Graham to CJ and Chris and his kids started going to their school.
We ensured that each of the family members had chance to look around their shops or clubs, rental flats or B&B and with each separate section there was so many ooos and ahhhs as the public saw the quality of the stock that we carried.
The First Lady even spent money in Marty's clothes shop on the kids as she loved the clothes that he had in. President got a new Armani suit as well. They were loving life being able to be normal people.
We were chatting about the toy shop when CJ just looked at the back wall and could not understand it. The place looked smaller and there was no reason for it. We had walked through to the warehouse on the other side and that still did not answer what he could see.
He walked along the whole wall and looked Chris followed and they call Thunder over to them and got him to reach up and sure enough there was a latch hidden in the alcove. As Rolling Thunder pulled the lever the section of the wall opened up and there was a panic room. There was also full security surveillance of the premises from this site. I'm glad that no press were in this shop as it was the main security operation for outside the stores.
All of the stores had their own security cameras and such, but Jake needed a place other than his office to have a station as well in case of emergencies. Marty had agreed and liked the idea and so built it into the design of the store. This meant if whoever it was thought they had everything covered then as long as someone could get into the room there is an emergency contact there.
The lever which Rolling Thunder found was completely covered with advertising poster as there was a lower less obvious entrance. No one would see you going into this even if they were watching the shop. Once you were in there you could lock the entrance so no one could get in.
In all of the shops CJ had been commissioned to take pictures of the main items of stock and we had a team put it all together in an online and catalogue business as well. These catalogues were available in each store and also the pictures formed the in store advertising as well as it gave the whole village a single theme and it worked and looked good.
The third floor above the club had been changed into a call centre to handle all of the calls for ordering from the catalogue and there was a small team taking all of the online orders off the internet as well. These orders were then given to a team of in store shoppers and they were responsible for going into the warehouse at the back of the Music store to pack and ship all of the orders for the day. The call centre then billed each business according to the number of orders per month. Deliveries to and from the village were handled at the back of the premises so only clients should be wandering at the front.
The two stores that CJ tried to avoid and hide while we were going around were Marty's departmental Store as his DVD was selling like hot cakes and Bobby's music store, `ConCon Music' was selling out of both CJ's and Peggy's CDs. CJ was a humble kind of guy and his face was splashed right across everything advertising his CDs. As we entered the music store we soon had Andy and Kyle organising line for both CJ and Peggy to sign autographs.
To bring the opening to a close and allow everyone to shop we had a street party catered for by Myles and Ed's restaurant and everyone was welcome to come and join us. It was a real family feeling as the shoppers were coming over and paying for their servings and chatting to people that they would never get the chance to again.
The security were having a hay day as The President was mingling with the crowd and really having a good time and yet listening to the opinion of his people. Things he learnt today he would draw upon most of his presidency.
The shops opened open late, at 10:00pm we walked round to the car lots only to find that it was just as busy. People were going mad, cars were selling just like everything else. All we could put it down to was that it was a success and CJ and Chris had a real feel for what would work.
We now had some tired little ones on our hands and we found ourselves carrying them to the limos. I actually think that the President enjoyed carrying CJ and he really snuggles into you when you carry him.
"You are not travelling back tonight are you?" I asked him.
"No we were rather hoping we could bunk down at the Manor somewhere if we can. You know with the success of the car lots we need to start thinking where we want the next one to be."
"I know. The way it went today we have a success on our hands."
That's all for now folks for now. Part 2 is well under way even though I did not realise it. Lord Aquamaine has been a labour of love and I hope you will love it as much as I do. He will be very important to CJ.
Before that I need to take a break as I have just been notified that I am being made redundant. I will be back, but need to get my head around things first.
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