The will was contested by several shirt-tail relatives but she prevailed after years of court battles. She understood that estates that large were tempting pies to get a slice of but she was the legitimate heir and was finally free to enjoy and disperse her wealth as she chose. The lawyers extracted a healthy chunk but it was worth it to stop the attacks. Signing the papers to purchase her own private island was the first step in building a new life. She never thought about owning property when she was a clerk at Dollar Tree because such dreams seemed a waste of time, but that was before her father won the Powerball jackpot then died a year later. Her mother died when she was in school, and fortunately for her, no replacement mom came along. So, now she was rich and single, and able to leave the ugliness of America behind. She’d considered a lot of countries to relocate to but in the end they all had their problems. When she learned she could buy an island and make it what she wanted, the problem was solved.
After donating everything she didn’t need, she flew to Manila, stayed a few days, then climbed into a pontoon plane that would fly her to the island. Until she could build a house, she’d be camping so she made sure she had enough supplies on board to last a month or two. The plane stalled twice before the engines finally roared to life and they lifted off after taxiing across a choppy bay. She had a moment of doubt about their safety but the pilot assured her they’d be just fine. As they flew, she relaxed and enjoyed the beauty of the chain of uninhabited islands that hers was a part of. As they circled it before dropping into a beautiful lagoon, she marveled at how fabulous it was to own such a jewel. Seeing it from above allowed her mind to designate what might go where and how best to inhabit the island with minimal impact. Having a satellite phone was going to make hiring crews and having building supplies delivered relatively simple but she had to be sure what she really wanted before doing so. The campout would help by letting her truly feel the island’s soul before permanently changing it.
After the supplies were unloaded and the plane flew away, she stood on the white sand beach listening to waves and the whisper of wind through the trees. There was a calmness to the setting that she wanted to preserve. It was a paradise spoiled only by her footprints. Over the next few days she discovered where the wind was most consistent and would be the ideal spot for a windmill to provide power. From there everything would be a steady progression towards the perfect nest. She considered solar but that involved too much technology and maintenance. Keeping things simple would decrease her reliance on the outside world. The first day of rain answered all questions about drinking water when the small depression she’d noted filled to the brim, then spilled over the rocks around it in a prismatic display of natural splendor.
She realized that such isolation could lead to loneliness but she’d had affairs over the years and never met anyone she wanted to be around all the time. During the building process there would be people coming and going so she wouldn’t truly be alone until everything was in place. By then she’d know if a companion or a pet was part of the equation. For the moment it felt good to be free from the hustle and bustle of city life. No crime, drugs, sirens in the night. Lying on the beach and watching the moon transit a star-filled sky was her treasure and she might never want to share it. Selfish? Perhaps, but she’d funded a foundation that would be helping injured and crippled children around the world before checking out. As long as there was war there’d be plenty in need of aid. Here, there would be peace, and someone to appreciate its value.