“I don’t know how you do it, Ike.”
“How I do what?” asked Isaac.
“Well, see, I run MOE Productions, and run a regular TV show that’s actually on break between seasons at the moment and look at me!” he shook his head in dismay.
“You need a holiday, that’s what you need.”
“Well, considering Kel is due any day now I don’t think I’m gonna get it,” he stared at his brother. “I will never know how you manage a wife, twenty kids and half of Tulsa.”
Isaac laughed.
“I don’t own half of Tulsa. Babs needs no looking after. I work at home at any rate, so making time to spend with Babs and the kids ain’t hard. There’s Nat, Lori and Jack to look after stuff. Xavier is on tour, not that we have to support him anymore. Rogue and Storm are now on tour. Half the kids are at school. And as for the businesses, well, most of them we simply own, some only in part. Nathan - you’ve met him right? He takes care of most of the nitty-gritty with those businesses, so all I have to do is read the reports. If I think anything’s amiss, we work it out. But Nathan’s so good there’s hardly ever a problem, and even when there is,” and here Isaac smiled slyly, “Babs has no problem sorting it out.”
“I can believe that.”
“And then it just leaves MOE Records to look after - which occupies most of the time I spend working,” Isaac shrugged. “Believe me, when you have that much on your plate, you learn ways to cope. I don’t know how I managed to survive when Babs was in a coma before Nat came. Man, I was stressed.”
Zac nodded.
“Who’s that personal assistant of yours?”
“Josh?”
“Yeah. Is he just with IMHBITD?”
“Technically he’s now employed by MOE Productions, why?”
“Why don’t you try seeing if he can deal with more responsibility? Or if he’s not, see if he can find people how can deal with it?” Isaac gave him a fiendish grin. “Just because you’re at the top of the food chain, does not mean you should eat yourself to death. Besides, MOE Productions is big enough to get itself some middle management.”
Zac laughed.
“Well, I’ll sure look into it. Thanks.”
“You’re always welcome. I don’t want to see you work yourself to death. Besides, I own MOE too.”
“I see, first Tulsa, then the world.”
“No, first Tulsa, then Oklahoma, then the USA, then North America and then the world.”
“I see. You’re going to take it over gradually.”
“Yes, the idea is that people will get so used to things being owned by me and Babs that when we do take over the world, no one will care. We’re gonna sneak up on them.”
Zac laughed.
“And when you and Babsie go to the big industry giant in the sky, who gets to take over?”
Isaac paused.
“That reminds me, we should update our Will. We haven’t in years,” he considered this then grinned at Zac. “I have no idea who would take over. Twenty kids make up a lot of people to divide an empire amongst. Let’s see… I think Xavier can have Norway, and Esme can have -”
Zac cracked up laughing.
“But in all seriousness, at this stage I couldn’t say who would get what. It would really depend on the kids. Like, I guess Carmen would be a logical choice for MOE Records, but having said that, I don’t think she’s all that interested in the business side of the music industry. You get what I’m saying? It’s something we’re just going to have to feel our way through, and hope we live long enough to make the right decisions.”
“I get what you’re saying, man. How old’s your youngest now?”
“Zeke and Audrey are six.”
Zac gave a low whistle.
“The years have gone.”
“Sure have.”
“I remember when Marie was born. And now she’s married and going to college.”
“Xavier’s engaged.”
“It’s all very shocking huh?”
Isaac was about to reply when Jacqueline popped her head in.
“Zac? Kelsey’s going into labour.”
**********
A few hours later, Zac called them from the hospital. His image on the screen displayed him with a tiny baby wrapped in a pink blanket.
“Hi everyone!” he greeted. “I want you all to meet Pippa Ingrid Hanson.”