Chapter 8: Family dinner

Tech haven....

Time seemed to be moving slowly today . Her colleagues kept glancing at her in a weird way. Well there was a dress code at tech haven, and specific colours to be worn in the work place.' talk about smartness and order ' , well Lean was wearing the correct colours but her clothes seemed too expensive. Their salaries were not that much but manageable, but her suit looked really expensive ,it could qualify as a designer suit.

Since she couldn't repeat the clothes she wore yesterday. Debra surprised her with this suit in the morning so she had to wear it . She couldn't stop smiling at the thought of waking up next to Debra seeing her messed up hair and her slightly open mouth . And especially the part when she saw how her suit was .

Lean didn't bother to look or mind the staring eyes, she was trying to focus on the lines of codes in front of her but her mind was elsewhere when a message suddenly popped up on her phone. It was Debra ...' sorry I can't pick you up from work . Something came up ...'

' okay it's fine. Be safe ' lean replied,but her message was never opened. Maybe she is busy she thought .

She had to take a cab home she couldn't afford to wait for the bus. Lean tried ignoring her phone, but eventually gave up and answered it without checking who was calling . " Lean speaking" she answered with the irritation in her voice one couldn't miss .

" Oookay ... I guess you have forgotten about me " flip lean said inwardly....it was Trinity. " Oh hey , I'm sorry for being MIA lately. I'm just dealing with a lot. I recently got fired and reinstated so yeah . Anyways how have you been " lean said .

" Well now that I'm talking to you , I feel much better . And im sorry about this whole thing ...you losing your job and getting it back must have been a depressing situation. " Trinity said with sympathy in her voice

"It was something else,but I'm glad it's all in the past now "

" Well can I take you out for dinner tomorrow. I know you are a busy lady " Trinit,y added

" Umm Trinity I don't know, I don't think going out for dinner is what I want right now . " Lean honestly answered. " She felt like she was about to cheat ,yet she wasn't even in a relationship with Debra.

" Lean please , I promise you won't regret it " Trinity pleaded

" I'll inform you before I sleep,I gotta go" Lean immediately cut the call as she had arrived her destination.

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" Ladies " Lean said with a wide smile as she saw her housemates in the kitchen.

"And where have you been " Natasha asked with a raised eyebrow.

" Well I slept at a friend's place , and I'm sorry for not calling guys . " Lean said acting sorry.." since when do you sleep at a friend's place. I mean the last time I checked you don't do friends" ..Artin said being a nuisance again . " Even Debra didn't come home aswell " Artin added .

" Oh is it ? " Lean answered while rolling her eyes. "Anyways will see you guys later " she said leaving the two standing in the kitchen.

" So Lean and Deb were in two different locations?" Natasha said .... " If there's something going on we will soon find out " she added.

_______

Time moved ,but Deb still didn't open her message, her call was even declined, frustrated Lean texted Trinity ...' I knock off at five thirty, you know where I work . Goodnight' with that she switched off her phone and tried to get some sleep.

On the other part of town Trinity was smiling widely after receiving lean's text.

Meanwhile at Mr Harrison's Mansion____

" Guess who's here?". Bella Deb's little sister said loud enough for the people in the house to hear . She's a loud one . And very much spoiled. "Did you really have to announce my arrival that way". Deb said pushing her aside making her way inside the house.

In the living room were her two brothers watching football, at least they loved her ,though sometimes they behaved like their father . "Boys " Deb playfully said while passing the living room . "Sis you here " Donald the second born said with a wide smile plastered on his face ,while concentrating on the football match .

" Glad you came , we had missed you. " Stephen. The oldest said ...." Yeah you should thank mom for convincing me ".Deb said while chuckling as she got inside the kitchen where her mother was preparing their dinner with the family chef .

" Mom " Deb said announcing her arrival.

" Hey baby , you look so thin and pale . What's wrong ?". Mrs Harrison looked at her daughter with sad eyes .

" Mom I'm okay . Im just busy lately at the studio so I rarely get time to eat and sleep well . But it's only for this month . Im totally okay " Deb said making sure her mother's doesn't worry about her any further.

" If you say so . Glad you came . I had missed you . Go and get ready , and change your clothes . You know your father doesn't like your tomboy dress code . I just want this to be a proper and joyful dinner without fights . So I bought you a beautiful vintage dress , the ones you liked when you were a teenager. " Mrs Harrison said sounding excited.

" Sure thanks mom . I'll go and get ready " Deb said making hervway to her room .

" You three get ready ,it's almost time for dinner,and switch off my television. Donald you hear me " ... Mrs Harrison said loud enough .

____

Deb felt like she was looking at someone else through the mirror. She looked different waering a dress with a bit of makeup to avoid fighting with her father. He still hasn't accepted the fact that I'm gay but there's nothing she can do about it, she will wait for him to accept her as she is .

The dining room looked lovely today . The atmosphere was perfect with no bad energy lacking. The crystal chandeliers were casting shadows on the polished table . The helpers quickly put everything on the table ensuring that everything was in order. Mrs Harrison couldn't stop humming as she was feeling so much joy in her heart. All her children were in one place and her husband is going to present aswell. She was dressed in a beautiful velvet dress that hugged her body perfectly.

" You looking beautiful mom ". Debra said with a smile while looking at her mother .

" You really look gorgeous, Deb is right " Donald said aswell .

" Thank you my babies you all look good aswell . Let's settle down . " Mrs Harrison said as the five of them sat on the dinner table waiting for the man of the house. While they talked about how tasty the food on the table looked.

Their small party was soon cut short as Mr Harrison walked gracefully down the stairs wearing a black tuxedo,while keeping a straight face.

" You came " that's all he said while looking at Debra for second, as he quietly took his fork and knife ready to eat when he had sat down .

" Yes I came " Debra answered looking at her father . Her eyes sparkled ,she looked young wearing the vintage dress.

No one was talking only the sound of the silverware clinking could be heard . " Dad I heard tech haven's finances are not going so well . What's happening" Stephen said breaking the silence. Deb looked surprised as she wasn't informed about it.

" Well a lot of people are now venturing into the world of technology,so we have lot of competition lately , I will make a plan , we have to stay on top , we need investors rolling in " Mr Harrison said while keeping a straight face in his dominating voice.

" I think we should buy another plant for our production. We need to manufacture more gadgets we have software engineers we are paying to do all the work . " Stephen said.

" I agree with Stephen" Donald said.

" Urgh you guys . Didn't you hear what dad said ...we have new rivals in the industry. We can't be buying plants for production. They are costly and we don't have that kind of money . Instead we can clear out all the computers manufactured at the beginning of this year , including other phones aswell , the money we will get is strictly for new projects and gadgets we have to make perfectly,to beat the other tech conglomerates " Debra said while focusing on her piece of chicken.

Mr Harrison smiled inwardly but kept a straight face . Mrs Harrison knew how much her husband loved Debra. She was his favorite,they both have the same character, stubbornness ,intelligence ,and very business minded. Mr Harrison saw his younger self in Debra she has what it takes to take over tech haven . And her, being gay was not a coincidence ,she was man enough. Though she chose art over codes , she knew she couldn't escape it , codes ran in her blood as much as art did.

" Debra I need you to draw up a plan on what you just said . You will be in charge of the project" with that Mr Harrison stood up heading to his office,leaving a stunned Debra ...