Dances with Whales - 4. Chapter 4

It’s been 8 days since we arrived in Oahu. The three of us had a blast between meetings and phone calls. More than once, Amanda took Logan out for the morning and lunch so I could work. Thankful for the time difference as I could work from 6 am to 12 pm and catch almost the entire workday, which my boss always liked. That was fine with both of them as they were becoming friends, which I might regret later on.

Two days later, we were on a flight to San Diego. Amanda was coming too, for support, or so she says. I think she is concerned that I would really go after Logan’s ex-boyfriend. I wouldn’t. I don’t have any reason to. There have been several charges laid on him and the supposed friends. Filing a false report is just the beginning with operating a boat while intoxicated. Where I wanted attempted murder charges. The DA wouldn’t go for it. That doesn’t mean they get away scot-free. Logan is seeking damages. Millions in damages. When we had our sit-down with the lawyers, we informed them we would let the charges continue forwards and also file a civil suit for damages. I laughed at the look on their lawyer’s faces when we informed them that was the direction we were going. Even after trying to have it thrown out. The judge commented that they were lucky it wasn’t an attempted homicide before he upheld it. Alex’s parents were less than happy with the entire issue and wanted to settle. They didn’t have deep enough pockets for me and after my Texas law team explained it to Logan; he gave me the nod.

“You know. You might walk away with close to 5 million after all is said and done.” I said.

“I’ll need to find an investment manager. Do you know anyone that could handle that amount of money?” He asked jokingly as we walked down the beach in La Jolla.

“You know. I just might.” Which made him laugh softly.

“How long?” Logan asked. I shrugged.

“Depends. If they think they fooled anyone. If the insurance company may pay a portion. They’ll just run you around for a few years before they pay off. Hoping you’ll forget about them, but my team in Texas knows how to handle them. I think before the end of this year, unless they want to push it to January.”

Logan

I listened as Eric explained it all to me. He did something illegal by checking out the different family’s finances. But. He said, once you know where to look, it wasn’t hard to get court orders for the information. He doubts anyone will figure out where the information came from. By the end of the year, he should be able to invest my money for me. We were both happy and the dust has now settled.

“You know? I was warned about you.” I said. He looked over at me with raised eyebrows and I stopped walking. Placing my hands on his hips as I spoke. “Yeah. Amanda said I should tell you what to do when the lawyers first contacted you and just get out of your way until the dust settles.”

“And has the dust settled?” he asked curiously.

“I think it has.”

“What happens now?”

“She said I should kiss you if that was what I wanted long term.” I said as I watched his eyes widen in surprise.

“Do you want long term?” He asked, smiling. I smiled back as I leaned in and placed my lips on his for the first time.

Logan

Amanda was right. It was like opening the floodgates on the largest dam in the world when I kissed Eric. Each kiss, from the first to the latest, overflowed with the love I longed for. He demonstrated his love in many ways including making arrangements for me to see one of the best therapists in the city. Twice a week. I’m still not sure what magic he used to pull that off, but I am sure I don’t want to know the cost. My insurance picks up the sessions at least.

It was 6 months later in San Diego when I arrived home at the condo from work early and found the note on the table. Pack a bag for the weekend. I’ll pick you up at 12 pm. Which is not unusual. He is always grabbing me for a long weekend some place and we were on a private charter jet by 12:30 pm. I turned to Eric.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Home.” He said, and I was confused. He had been jetting back and forth to Houston. Never gone than over more than three days. Until I looked out and there was nothing but water under us. I smiled as my hand gripped his.

Six hours later, thanks to the time difference of two hours, Eric has me on the Hawaiian Island of Molokai. Standing on an outcropping of rock, feeling the salty mist thrown up by the waves impacting the rocks below. Turning us, so I was looking out over the Pacific Ocean, he gets down on one knee, holding out a box towards me with a beautiful ring in it.

“My beloved merman Logan, who plays with dolphins. Will you marry me? Spend the rest of your life with me?” He asked. What only felt like a heartbeat must have been longer, as my brain finally understood what he asked me. Those eyes piercing mine as I heard another voice that knocked me out of my shocked state as I realized we were not alone. I looked over my shoulder.

“Just say yes so, we can go eat. We’re all hungry here.” Said Amanda, who was standing with her girlfriend. My parents, Eric’s parents, my friend Ryan and his girlfriend, as well as Reuben and Harold.

Whipping my head back to Eric. “Yes.” I stammered out as Eric lifted, placing the ring on my finger and lifting me off the ground as he kissed me while twirling us around. All to the applause of our family and everyone that wandered over to see what was going on.

Everyone hugged us both before Eric pointed up the trail. Which is where everyone headed, as he took my hand and followed behind. We turned off the trail to climb a set of cement steps on the cliff side and it clicked. I looked at Eric and he smiled a nod.

“You bought that house on the cliffs!?”

“I did.” He said slowly as that smile formed with all the mischievousness he could muster.

We had been talking about moving out here permanently but hadn’t looked at houses together yet. He had me circle a few in a real estate catalog when we were out here a month ago. And this was one of them. When we walked through the back gates, the staff was lined up to meet us. 4 people. Eric quickly introduced me to them so they could get back to dinner prep. Since it was getting dark, I was hungry too. He motioned for everyone to enter as he led me around the house to the cliffs.

“Living here.” He said as he pointed down to the rock outcropping, he had just proposed to me on. “We can walk out there every day and talk to your dolphins when they stop by to check on you.” He said before his lips meant mine. I returned the kiss with all the love he gave to me.

* * *

We waited until after the trials had started. Moving surprisingly fast, but I think that is because it is such a high-profile case. Eric has been watching my reactions at every news article that comes out. There was some surprisingly accurate information in those. I asked Amanda about it. She thinks Eric is crucifying them in the court of public opinion, but he'll squash anything that upsets me. And there it was. Eric was putting out all of that information. I sighed softly as I cuddled into his side on the couch after putting the paper down.

Shortly after we started our court proceedings, Eric sat me down with the lawyers and I signed the non-disclosure agreement. Which forbade me from discussing anything about me or Eric. With anyone. That took Eric’s lawyer, explaining that is how Eric stays secretive and can travel freely as nobody knows who he is or what he is. Then there was the absolute shock I had at the signing of the pre-nuptial’s agreement. Which basically said, what was Eric’s or mine, before the wedding, will be ours individually? What happens after that is we keep our financials separate. Our new home on Molokai is owned by both of us, even though Eric paid for it. He gave me the condo in San Diego, which we both use. He kept everything else. And that list rocked me back on my heels on top of the corporate ownership he had. Our Hawaiian home was set on 10 acres but surrounded by almost 56,000 acres. One third of the island, the old Molokai Ranch, was owned by Eric. Like Amanda said. I did not know who I was dealing with, and I didn’t until now. I couldn’t even imagine it. Eric Cox was a multi-billionaire. Eric never mentioned anything he owned or exactly how much he was worth before. He doesn’t have flashy homes, but condos. Lots of condos around the world that he owned. Not rented, as he sometimes tells people. Like that one in Waikiki.

I had trouble with that at first until Amanda took me to a lawyer. She and he explained everything to me. Basically, what Amanda said was, Eric is Eric, and you are his merman that he loves more than anyone in the world. He’ll be there for you for the rest of his life. The only thing he wants from you is your discretion. Anything you want will be yours if he goes unnoticed. Once the news outlets find out anything, they will hound the both of you and you’ll never have any privacy. That was when it all clicked for me. That was why he had money but kept a low profile, so he could live, and he wanted the same for me, for us.

Here we are, 18 months later. The trials have ended. Everyone settled the lawsuits in January, as Eric thought. Alex and the other four of them ended up with reduced sentences, a total of 18 months in prison, for filing a false report and operating a boat under the influence. All because they panicked when they couldn't find me and had no idea where I fell off or if I jumped off. And that was his excuse. He thought I jumped off and committed suicide. I thanked Alex. If it wasn’t for him, I never would have met Eric. Eric also invested my money here in the US and in Singapore. We are flying out there so I can get my second passport. My Singaporean passport, just like the one he has.

Our wedding was delayed, and that was only because of where we wanted it. We wanted to have it in front of a Glacier in Alaska. Eric had to charter a Silversea Cruise Line’s vessel and three different charter flights to get our entire group of 270 people to Vancouver and back. A logistical nightmare to arrange for everyone. Eric didn’t mind. He called his law team and told them what he wanted. In a week, they had assembled a team from around the country to put the cruise together. Including having them sign Non-Disclosure Agreements. Just as all the guests will have to do as part of the RSVP. No signed NDA, no invitation or tickets to board the aircraft and ship. Again, I was shocked until Eric sat me down and explained it. He didn’t want any pictures of us or news stories popping up, except what we released. The cruise line agreed to do the same with their crew, too. In the end we invited 320 people in total, 270 are coming. Eric smiled when he told me that was less than 2/3’s of the ship’s capacity.

The cruise agent was ecstatic, having the knowledge of dealing with groups and large families. We had a hotel specialist that booked multiple floors in a Vancouver BC hotel and bus service to the hotel, as well as tours planned. A specialist in air charter for large groups arranged the charter flights. The cruise departs on Saturday, and everyone arrives on Thursday. Friday is a free day with tours available.

Everyone waited as we both made our way to the upper deck to say our vows. Eric and I stayed in different cabins last night. Our personal travel bags are back in our cabin thanks to our group of helpers and family. This is the first time I’ve seen him today. The wedding march played as we moved in step together towards our families. Eric’s and my parents. I also had my friend Ryan, as well as Eric had Amanda, standing with us. We brought our own Priest. The words were written by us, for us, with a part of free verse if we decided or, like Eric said. Could we remember what we wanted to say beyond our betrothal vows?

 * * *

It was a sunny day as everyone invited gathered on the sun deck. The soon to be happy couple were making their way down the center aisle as everyone stood waiting for them to step up onto the platform installed for everyone to be able to see them. The ship was in its final maneuver to bring it into position so the Glacier would be directly behind them as they gave their vows to each other. They stopped and greeted each other’s families before they turned to each other and the Priest spoke.

“Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two souls for the rest of eternity. Eric Cox and Logan Stapleton have written their own vows before God, which we will use now.” The ceremony was brief and to the point. It was about love. It was about dedication to each other. For the free verse, they both laughed as they only wanted to say, I love you more today than yesterday and I will love you even more tomorrow than today. It ended with an exchange of rings and a kiss.

20 minutes later, they were standing on their private balcony dancing to soft music while waiting to go to the reception. It was a slow dance as they kissed when they both heard the splash of water. Moving quickly to the side of the balcony, they found an Orca Whale feeding. It made 3 more lunges up out of the water before it disappeared.

Eric laughed, and Logan looked at him with curiosity until he spoke. “My beloved merman. I just think it’s funny how dolphins guided me to you and now that we are married, we are dancing with whales.” Logan smiled as he leaned in and kissed his husband.

The end.