Honor Thy Mother & Thy Father Ch. 23

"I will try, Patty, but I wish we could have met under better circumstances." He backed away from her, as he continued, "I could have gotten laid sooner."

Patty took a swing at him as she said, "Is that all you men think about; getting laid?"

Stephano grabbed her arm, and pulled her towards him. He smiled as he looked into her eyes. "No, not really; we think about Food, Football, Baseball, Basketball, and other sports. If we can get laid, while watching a sport, that's when we are the happiest."

William and Jemma laughed, but Patty was incensed. She brought her right foot down on his left instep.

Stephano howled in pain. He bent over to grab his foot, as she threw a punch to his kidney. He fell to the floor, while attempting to protect it. He was down, but she was not through with him, yet. She went after his head with a flurry of punches.

Stephano raised his arms to keep her fists from pummeling him.

Finally, he gathered enough strength to roll her over, and get her underneath him. He grabbed her arms and looked her in the eye. "Patricia, when are you going to learn to take a joke? You use them on me all the time, do you remember? Is it all right for you to make a joke out of me, and not allow me to make a joke out of you, without getting the hell beaten out of me? What do you have to say for yourself; wife?"

Patricia was sweating, due to her over exertion, and did not answer immediately.

"Patricia, I'm waiting for an answer."

"I think I overreacted."

"You think you overreacted; or you overreacted?"

"I overreacted. The thought of making love, while you were watching a sporting event was an anathema to me. I couldn't believe you could even say it out loud."

"It is why they call it a joke. It's the same thing I did with you in bed, when we were in Vail, and you panicked. Do you remember that incident?"

"How could I possibly forget it; I was such a fool not to trust you."

"You did it again here this afternoon. I told a joke, and you took it to heart. Are you ever going to let me tell a joke, and not blow your top?"

"Steph, I am a work in process, when it comes to being a wife. You are going to have to help me along, just like I am going to have to help you along at being a husband. I love you very, very, much, but I am a little set in my ways."

Stephano looked at William and Jemma. "Would you believe that Patricia just said 'She is a little set in her ways.'?"

"My daughter would never admit to being anything but flexible, just like her mother was. Laura did not have an opinionated bone in her body. She just told you how it was going to be, and that was the way it was going to be. There was to be no arguing about it. If you didn't like it, you could argue for a week and she still got her way."

Jemma kissed William and said, "It's the secret of a happy marriage. Just do as you're told and you can never be in trouble."

"Yes, my love, all men are created equal. However women are created more equal than men."

"You are absolutely right William. When God took a side of Adam, he gave woman the better side of man, and left him the side that was meant for laboring all his life to keep his woman happy."

"Dad, did I tell you what mom told me about God?"

"No Patricia, you didn't."

"Mom said that God is a woman, and not a man like the church wants us to believe. It is men that do all the evil in the world, and women who try to right all the wrongs. Soon women will reach 55% of the population of the world. Slowly but surely men will be kicked out of power as women replaced them. Maybe then the word 'Peace' will have real meaning."

"Did your mother talk to this woman?"

"She told me a story where they had a meeting that seemed to last for hours, but when she left that meeting, it was the same time she walked into it. She said it felt like God was talking directly to her and no one else."

Williams replied, "I felt the same way when your mother was lecturing me."

Stephano broke the conversation by saying, "Patty, you have to call Callie, and make arrangements for this evening."

"Oh Shit, I forgot."

Dinner was arranged for 7 o'clock, but Patty and Stephano were going to be Harold's house at 6 P.M. to begin making preparations for dinner.

They left her father's villa in his car, went to the local supermarket, and picked up the ingredients for a Spanish meal called, "Quinoa Beef Picadillo." It had a total of 17 ingredients, but it would only take 10 minutes to do the prep work, 25 minutes to cook, and put on the table. Stephano was going to be allowed to cut up the limes."

Harold and Callie met them at the front door, and relieved them of some of their packages. When they arrived in the kitchen, Patty took out a note that asked, "Is it safe to talk here? I have solved the problem with emissions from cars, and power plants."

Harold wrote down, "I don't know. However, my new computer is ultra-secure; can you show it to me on it?"

Typing on his new computer furiously, Patty replied, "Let's do this in words only, until we are absolutely sure everything is secure. Depending on your honeymoon plans, we can go to Charleston, and use Dycke's secure facilities for this. Now all we have to figure out what to do about the cows."

"The honeymoon can wait 24 to 48 hours. I have to see what you have done. Oh crap, Dycke and Payne are going to be here for two weeks, and have a vacation for the first time since forever. Let's let that slide for two weeks. We will meet in Charleston, when they get back there."

"That's not a problem Harold. The only place the facts and figures are is in my head."

"Please don't go back into a coma. I will crawl into your head and pull you back out."

"I promise, Harold, I will be a good girl. Besides that, I am pregnant."

"Don't tell Callie I told you, but so is she."

"Congratulations, how far along is she?"

"She is a little more than a month gone. When she missed her period, she knew immediately she was pregnant. She is as regular as a Swiss watch. She got one of those early pregnancy tests, and it turned blue. She danced around the house like a ballerina. I have never seen her so happy."

"How is the father doing?"

"He is as happy as a clam. I never thought I would get married, no less to a beauty like Callie. I also never thought I would have a child of my own. Money is absolutely worthless unless someone is there to share it with you."

"When are you going to buy an airplane?"

"Why would I want to buy an airplane?"

"I just bought one, because Stephano is going to have to travel to Charleston quite often to take care of the business aspects of our Corporation. For you to go to Charleston, Dycke will have to get an airplane to you, fly you there, and then arrange for an airplane to take you back here. Why go through that bother when you can have an airplane of your own at your beck and call. When you know you're not going to be using it for a time, you can use it as a lease for other people to go to other places. It is a business write-off. I bought a Challenger 850 for $19 million instead.

"In other words, Patricia, you bought Stephano a toy."

"Absolutely not, Harold, I bought him a conveyance that will cut at least six hours of downtime away from his family. Instead of changing planes in Washington, or Atlanta, he has his own aircraft to fly to Charleston any time he wants. He does not have to worry about anyone's schedule but his own. We are going to have to get together also. We will have the programs to do the job, but then we have to help design the hardware to get it to work properly. We will also have to be in Washington to push this through Congress. The automakers and the coal industry are going to fight us tooth and nail, because it is going to cost them a great deal of money to retrofit their facilities. They don't care about blue skies and global warming. They will yell about China and India polluting the globe, with their outdated facilities and overpopulation. We have to prove to them that it makes sense to start here, and then move it around the world. The Swiss and Germans will come on-board, after they see the facts and figures. The Scandinavian countries will fall in line with them. It will be perfect for Clark Atwater to announce that all the hardware will be produced here in the United States, and not farmed out to China, Pakistan, Japan, or Indonesia. When he does it, the Congress will have no choice but to pass legislation ordering the automakers, and the coal industry to use our technology."

Harold pushed her away from the keyboard. "How long did it take you to figure out this portion of our problem?"

"Don't you laugh at me, or I will hit you. It came to me shortly after Stephano took my virginity. He was inside me when I experienced my first orgasm. However, when he exploded inside me, everything I ever wanted to know became clear as day."

Harold did not laugh at her. He asked her a simple question. "Are you sure the answer about the cows wasn't hidden in there?"

"I thought about that several times, and I did not see one reference to a cow, or methane. We will have to work on that one together. You are going to need a bigger house with a Safe Room, for secure communications, and a large Cray computer."

"Patricia, everything I had heard about you seems to be true. Callie said you were a bitch, but with a brain like yours, I could not care less."

"Good, let's go see if those two figured out how to murder a 35 minute dinner."

They did.

********

While the meal was cooking, Stephano and Callie got into a conversation, and since Harold and Patty were still talking they forgot about the meal cooking, uncovered, on the stovetop. As Harold and Patty emerged from his study, they saw smoke rising from the pan sitting on stovetop.

Harold yelled, "Fire!"

Callie and Stephano yelled, "Where?" They were so engrossed in their conversation they forgot about the dinner, cooking slowly on the stove. Callie grabbed the lid, threw it quickly on top of the smoldering pan. She pulled it off the burner, and was about to stick it into the sink and put water on it when Patty yelled,

"Don't do it, the hot oil will splatter all over the place."

Callie wanted to kick herself. "I know better than to do that. I don't know what I was thinking. Thank you Patricia, I owe you one."

"No you bimbo, you owe me two. You owe me for this one, and you still have not gotten me drunk. That is Two. I'll take you up on the second one tomorrow night. We can go out and get hammered, while the boys stay at home, and sulk.

Callie was caught between a rock and a hard place. She owed Patty this debt, and the only way to get out of it gracefully was by telling the truth. "Patty, I am not allowed to drink anymore."

"Why, is your liver going bad; are you working tomorrow night, or you have you gone on the wagon?"

"No, it's nothing like any of those things. I can't drink, because I'm pregnant."

"You are pregnant, gee whiz, that's the same thing Harold said."

Callie screamed, "Harold Chase, I am going to murder you."

Harold replied, "She hasn't told you the good part yet."

Callaway looked at Patricia and asked, "What is the good part?"

Patty smiled, "I am pregnant, too."

Callie said, "He fucked you, before you got married."

"Nope, I went to my marriage bed a virgin. However, he had not been laid in so long; my little egg didn't stand a chance against the billions of swimmers that attacked it. I am going to have twin girls."

"You have only been married for 10 days, how do you know all of this?"

"My mother told me this, the last time we spoke before the wedding. She told me that Stephano and I would be fine from this point on, and she would never see me again. She told me about many things, including about my babies, and about things that are going to transpire. You and Harold are going to be very happy together, for a very long time."

"Really, are you sure?"

"Aren't you Callie?"

"Yes Patty, he makes me so happy and I try to make him happy every day."

"If you learn not to burn his dinner, everything will work out just fine."

"You are real bitch, Patty."

"I told you 25 minutes, not one minute more. What did you do; you started talking with my husband and forgot what you had to do."

"Your husband is quite enchanting."

"My husband charmed the panties off many a college co-ed, and their mothers. He will never do that again, if he wants to live."

"Patty, you are so bad."

"No Callie, I am just honest."

*******

The following morning at 11 o'clock, the Gulfstream 650 carrying Payne and Dycke Schneider, plus Suzette, her staff and all the bridal gowns. Harold and Callie were there to meet them, but not Patty. Harold thought it might look suspicious if she was there also. As they climbed into his car, Harold said, "Dycke, Patricia broke the code on number two. All we have left are the cows."

"Why didn't you call me? We could have patented and registered these two parts immediately and held off on the announcement until the time was right."

"Dycke, we didn't have any form of secure communication. We did not want to take a chance of anyone overhearing us. If Celeste could do it, so can 100 other companies trying to horn in on what we are doing. Patty doesn't even have hers written down anywhere. She refused to take the chance."

"She is a very smart cookie."

"Dycke that is the understatement of the year; she did all the computations in her head."

"Are you working on the methane problem?"

"We will start on that after we come back from our honeymoon."

"I don't know where you think you're going on your honeymoon, but you're not going there. I had a friend do some checking around, and we found a place that is perfect for your bride. We are not going to give it to you on your wedding day. We will give it to you at Sunday morning brunch; it will be much more intimate and much more fun that way. I hope you don't mind."

"Why would I mind, Dycke. If she doesn't like it, we just won't go."

"When she finds out who gave us this information, she will go, trust me, she will go."

"Dycke, now you are frightening me."

"Harold, I am not sending you to Russia, China, or the deep jungles of the Congo."

"I am beginning to feel better Dycke, but only a little."

Payne laughed. "Hold onto your balls, Harold, he's out to get them."

"Callie will love our present. She already loves the man who suggested it."

"Dycke, let's not go that far. It's sort of a love hate relationship. Can we go to our hotel room so I can get out of my uniform, and into civilian clothes?"

After privately talking with Harold, Dycke was ready to take Harold and Patricia back to Charleston and have his legal staff do the paperwork to Register, and Copyright the two programs. When he mentioned it to Callie and the group of women trying on their dresses, he realized his life was in danger. He decided Monday would be soon enough. He forgot about his two-week vacation with Payne. When Harold reminded him, he said, "Oh shit."

******

Wednesday afternoon, Celeste and Philip Castronova arrived. After their initial greetings, and the questions about her baby, she asked about the progress on the second program. When she was told Patricia had finished it, and they were waiting until Monday to fly back to Charleston to have it copyrighted, Celeste said, "No." She picked up her cell phone and hit a speed dial number.

In New York City, a lawyer dove for his phone, and said, "Shackleford."

"Thomas, you know how I hate when you keep me waiting."

"Celeste, didn't I just get rid of you four hours ago? I'm sorry let me rephrase that; Celeste, darling, didn't you just leave here four hours ago?"

"I liked the second one much better Thomas. What is the name of that Contracts lawyer you considered the best in town?"

"He is the best in the business, Celeste. No one beats the quality of his work. His name is Theodore Nugent."

"Do you want to know where the three of you are going to be by 7 PM tonight?"

"Should I guess Sedona, Arizona, and start packing?"

"Why are you still on the phone with me Thomas? You will be staying at the Hilton. Goodbye."

Shackleford hit his intercom button and said, "Jim, we are going to Sedona. Grab your bag, Celeste wants us there by 7 PM."

"Did she say what's going on?"

"No, she just said we had to bring Ted Nugent with us. I am calling him now."

******

"What do you want now Thomas?"

"Ted, do you know my client Celeste Mezner Castronova?"

"Yes, I am quite familiar with her."

"She wants you, me, and Jim, in Sedona Arizona by 7 PM tonight. I don't know what's up, but it must be very big to require your personal services. You are on the clock from the moment you stand up to the moment you sit down at your desk, whenever that is. Grab a bag or go shopping and buy some clothes. We will pick you up in front of your office in one hour. I have to call and arrange for a jet."

"Tom, I can't leave today; we have tickets to the Opera tomorrow night."

"Give Trudy my condolences, but one way or the other you are going to be on that airplane with us. I will not lose Celeste as a client. I have the Pfizer case coming up within the next six months. It has taken us almost 11 years to get this far; and I am not going to let it fall through now."

"Alright Thomas, I will be downstairs in one hour. Thank goodness we will be in the air; otherwise my wife would kill me."

"Tell her to take my wife with her to the Opera. My darling is not going to be very happy with me either."

*******

Celeste asked, "Is there any place that is absolutely secure, where we can talk freely."

Callie said, "Let me ask Alan, if anyone would know, he would know."

Callie made the phone call and asked if there was a place to do it.

Alan said, "Let's not discuss it over the phone. Let's meet at the quads and discuss everything there. I will have the place cordoned off, just in case someone wants to listen in."

Callie shook her head at how smart Alan really was. The whole world could have been listening in and only she knew exactly where they were going to meet.

Patricia and Stephano were the last to arrive at Sergeants' and Cassandra's home. When they walked in Patricia exclaimed, "This looks like 'Old Home Week.' What is going on?"

Harold said, "I told Celeste you figured out everything for the second problem."

Celeste continued, "I want you to get everything that's in your head onto a computer, so we can Register and Copyright them by close of business Friday. Can you do that?"

Patty replied, "It's not a problem, if you can give me 30 hours on a Cray 5 computer. Otherwise, it will take me a week and a half, on any other mainframe."

Nonplussed, Celeste reached for her cell phone and went through her directory. When she found the number she wanted she pressed dial, and put it on speaker.

"Mr. Ungaro's office."

"Tell him Celeste Mezner Castronova is on the phone, and I don't want to be kept waiting."

"Mam, he is in a board meeting."

"Tell him if he wants to remain CEO, he had better pick up the phone."

Moments later, "Celeste, what the fuck is your problem this time?"

"Frank, did you just curse at me? If you did, your days are numbered. I own 6% of your company. I will buy so much more stock; I will have a controlling interest. I will dismiss the entire board, and kick you out on your ass."

"Alright Celeste, you've made your point; what can I do for you?"

"I have someone here that needs unfettered access to your fastest computer, for up to three days. I don't want to hear the word, 'No.' Do you understand me?"

"Does she have government clearance?"

Patty said, "He can call the head of the FBI, Michael Free, he will vouch for me."

"Frank, what goes into that computer is top secret. If word of it gets out before we have a chance to copyright it, your company, your board, and you, will be sued into oblivion. If you cooperate, they'll be a lot of work to do afterwards."