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photograph by
Eva Rinaldi
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Chicago Executive Airport (KPWK)
"Excuse me, ma'am?" the gentleman said, looking at Oprah, "Are you waiting for Ms. Kidman's flight?" even though, he already knew the answer, since no one else was in the exclusive waiting room.
"Why, yes. Yes, I am." Oprah replied, putting down the magazine she had been reading.
"They radioed that they would be here shortly to pick you up, for the flight out."
"Thank you." Oprah replied.
Ten Minutes Later
As Nicole Kidman and a fit looking gentleman walked into the lounge, Oprah stood up and walked to her. Hugging each other, Nicole said, "Oprah, it's a great pleasure seeing you again. You know Jeremy?"
Shaking Jeremy's extended hand, Oprah replied "Yes, I do." looking into his eyes and smiled.
Jeremy smiled back, then asked "Is that your bag, ma'am?"
"Yes, it is."
Releasing her hand, Jeremy walked over, picked up her bag, and proceeded to the door. Holding it open, the two ladies walked through the door, holding hands, to the waiting aircraft.
"Nice jet, Nicole" Oprah said as she admired the Gulfstream G7000ER sitting with its door open and loading ramp waiting with a fit looking lady and a preteen boy at its base.
"Thanks for noticing. Tom bought it for me and the kids, so we could visit him, next year" Nicole said as they walked closer to the newest and unadvertised airplane in Gulfstream's line of exclusive planes.
"That was sweet." Oprah said then asked "But, I thought you and Tom weren't speaking?"
"Oh, we are. To be in fact, we're meeting him at Racca's Pizzeria Napoletana in Denver for lunch." seeing Oprah's eyes widen, Nicole continued, "Oh, Katie is going to be there, too."
"Really?"
"Really!" Plus, you get to meet the new baby." Nicole said, as she squeezed Oprah's hand and finished with "Godmother." in a long, funny drawl.
They both laughed as they walked up to the foot of the stairs. As Jeremy bounded up the stairs, Nicole continued, ignoring the two people standing at the foot of the stairs, climbing the steep stairway. Pausing then continuing Oprah quickly climbed after Nicole.
Walking through the open door, Oprah noticed another fit young man standing just to the side of the doorway with a pair of binoculars.
Looking back, Oprah saw the two people still waiting at the base of the stairs, then continuing after Nicole, as her friend motioned for her to follow further into the plainly furnished aircraft.
Seating down, Nicole patted a seat next to her and said, "Oprah, sit next to me for take off, please."
Feeling perplexed, Oprah replied "Sure" then asked "Why are Connor and the young lady waiting at the base of the stairs, Nicole?"
"Remember. You asked to see some of our family's preparations for tough times. This is one of them." Nicole replied.
"I don't understand?" Oprah asked, looking quizzedly at Nicole.
"I'll tell you about it, after we get out of here. So buckle up" Nicole said as she winked at her longtime friend.
Being able to see the bottom of the stairway and the doorway, at the same time, Oprah noticed that the two still outside didn't climb the stairs until it had been hooked up to the tow-away vehicle. She also noticed, once they were in, the G7000ER started to move, as the gentleman at the entrance, closed the door.
As they moved, Connor walked back and took a seat next to another teen, this time a girl, about seventeen, who gave Connor a thumbs up.
Several minutes later, the airplane was airborne, headed to Denver International Airport.
Barely containing herself, Oprah looked at Nicole then requested "O.K., tell me everything."
"First, let me introduce everyone, then we can move the seats around and do some talking. O.K.?" Nicole replied.
"O.K."
Standing, Nicole said, "You have met Jeremy." pointing to the young lady that was at the foot of the stairway, "He's married to Angie. They are the parents of Stella" pointing at the girl next to Connor, "and Justin" pointing at a hand waving from the front of the plane. "The HeMan that we passed on the way in is Ulysses. He is married to Samantha" pointing to another waving hand, "They are the parents of Rodger and Abigial." pointing to the back of the aircraft, towards two teens sitting with Isabella "Lastly, you know Connor and Isabella." as they both waved and smiled at their step-brother's Godmother.
Smiling, Oprah waved back.
'O.K., let's turn these seats, so we can talk" as Nicole stood up and reached under her seat, pushing down on a lever, as she moved the seat to face backwards, towards the seats behind her. Nicole said, "Oprah, there's a little lever, push down and ... twist."
Being a quick study, Oprah did just that, as Nicole reached over to the wall of the airplane and raised a small, concealed table.
Sitting down, Nicole asked "Who do you want to talk to first?"
Thinking, Oprah said "How about you and the two other ladies, first then we can talk to the men then the children."
"O.K. Let me get Angie and Samantha" as Nicole walked away.
A short while later, the two ladies sat down, one next to Oprah and the other across from her, leaving the seat next to the aisle open. A short moment later, Nicole returned with a carafe and four glasses with ice. Handing the glasses around, she sat down and poured everyone water then handed Angie the carafe of water.
Siting the nearly empty water carafe on the small table, Angie looked at Nicole then asked "Does she get 'whole' story, or ..."
Nicole tilted her head, and replied "Oprah's almost family. Just leave out specific locations and capabilities."
Before Angie could reply, Oprah asked "May I ask my first question?"
"Sure" Samantha replied.
"According to my research, I though you two were hired help, Nannies. But, Nicole went and got you, Nicole returned with glasses and water, and Nicole isn't doing any of the explaining."
Looking at the other women, Nicole replied by calling Oprah by her private nickname, "O, there is much, you have to learn." as Angie continued.
"As you know, Tom is a Sceintologist. What you don't know is everyone on this plane, including the pilot are Scientologists. We are really a front for a large survivalist organization started decades ago by Lafayette Hubbard, better known as L. Ron Hubbard." Angie explained
Shocked, Oprah asked, "Really?" looking at Nicole.
Nodding, Nicole replied "Really."
Angie continued, "Lafayette realized a long time ago, a single person or family couldn't survive a big disaster, without a large organization, so he started one."
"Why the secrecy?" Oprah asked.
Angie replied "As you and Stedman are finding out. If people know, people, unprepared people, will take your supplies ..."
"... And leave you to die." finished Samantha
"First lesson. Every secret is wrapped up in two more secrets. Take Scientology.
It is advertised as a religion, known as a cult that only a select few are allowed to join then we throw in the crazy lizard coming from outer space stuff.
Nobody would believe you, if you told them we were survivalists." Angie lectured
"Of course, Tom know about the organization after he first joined in '83. Lafayette quickly realized Tom would make a great addition to the organization, so he let Tom in on the real secret" Nicole continued
"But, what about the self-help techniques and other mental exercises?" Oprah asked
"The self-help exercises are real.
Lafayette correctly figured the more mentally prepared people are for uncertain events; the better prepared society is for big disasters.' Nicole replied to Oprah's question.
"But, what about this?" Oprah asked, as she swept her hand around.
"Once Tom and Nicole became famous, they quickly realized they needed extra help" Angie said, then continued "At first, they thought hiring some people would work, but we quickly found out. They had to have more than hired guns." Angie said.
"They had to have family." Samantha added
"That's where we come in. It has been a growing process but we have been able to work through most problems with Tom and Nicole willing to be the financial providers and the rest of us providing the years of training and knowledge." continued Angie.
"How did you meet?" Oprah asked
"We are all Scientologists." Samantha explained "At first, we go through the mental exercises or get recruited by someone in the organization."
"One thing led to the next, and we end up with two former Special Air Service soldiers, one Austrilian, one British, and an american actor. Three girlfriends, who became wives, then nature takes its course, and we have seven children." Nicole said, laughing.
"Add a crazy love, hate relationship, a divorce, and two weddings later. Now, we have step-children, step-mothers, and step-fathers galore" Angie said, throwing up her hands.
"Sometimes, I wish we were normal" Angie added.
"You say that because you're in charge of security" Samantha pointed out.
"That's true, but you have to patch everyone up after we have a family meeting." Angie said, winking at Samantha.
"Let us keep on track, girls" Nicole said, smiling at the three other women.
"So tell me about the group, please?" Oprah asked
Looking at each other, Nicole said "You know we'll have to kill you after I tell you. Right?" then laughed
Feeling concerned, Oprah asked "Kill me? I thought I was an invited guest?"
"Oprah, she's joking. If we didn't want you to know about this stuff, you would have never been invited to fly out to Denver with us." Samantha replied "Plus, since we have a bunch of former military, sometimes we tell military jokes."
"It's maddening with this bunch." Nicole said as she got up and walked towards the back of the airplane.
"As I said earlier, Jeremy and Ulysses are former SAS. They train us on defensive techniques and firearms. I'm a former U.S. Army Physician Assistant, so I deal with aches and pains and train everyone on medical care. Angie is a former FBI investigator and supervisor with certain skills, so she deals with the legal side of things." Samantha explained.
"In other words, I'm a lawyer with a gun." Angie expalined
"And, lots and lots of management skills, to keep us going." added Nicole as she walked up with napkins and a plate of sandwiches.
"Thanks, Nicole." everyone said.
"What about the children?" Oprah asked then took a bite of the cucumber and cheese sandwich.
"Like any other family, the children were taught at an early age to be independent. They learned outdoor skills, how to safely use a firearm, and lots of other things" Angie explained
"Like, make their own lunch." added Nicole
"We also teach them about money, opera, and other cultural subjects." Samantha said
"Like, make their own beds." Nicole added.
"We also educate the children in traditional subjects, such as mathematics, reading, history, the sciences, and ..." Samantha said.
As Nicole added, "Like clean their own bathrooms." laughing
Laughing, Samantha added "Wash their own clothes."
"Load the dishwasher." Oprah added, laughing
As the four women laughed, a young woman in uniform approached the group.
"Ma'am, Denver International has requested we divert to Pueblo Memorial. Is that O.K?"
"Sure Meagan" Nicole replied, then added "Oprah, this is Meagan. She is one half of our flight crew."
"A pleasure to meet you, ma'am" Meagan said, shaking Oprah's hand then looking at Angie, asked "Do you want me to notify the receiving team about the diversion, ma'am?"
"Sure, Meagan." Angie replied then remembering added "that is all, Meagan."
As Meagan turned and walked away, Oprah looked at the other women and raised an eyebrow.
"She takes her duties very seriously." Angie said in explanation.
The women continued to talk until the plane's pilot spoke over the intercom.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are starting to make our desent in to Pueblo Memorial, so please configure the cabin for landing."
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