Chapter 7: Dining with Uncle George

“It's actually quite safe as long as one’s pin code is secret,” Richard responded to Joan’s question. "I keep telling you to let me help you understand these things,” he added, shaking his head in frustration at Joan's reluctance to learn new technology. She suspected everything, according to him.

He then began to walk off in the direction of the palace’s side entrance.

“You still didn't tell me what you bought,” Joan complained as she rushed to keep pace with him.

“I will tell you tomorrow. Let me get to the dining room before it's too late,” Richard responded.

“There’s still enough food on the table if you're hungry. But the company is thinning out,” Joan remarked as she shook her head in disbelief. "It's gone from five to three,” she concluded.

“Five? Do we have visitors tonight?” Richard asked in surprise.

“A middle-aged couple from town,” Joan replied. "They must be gone by now,” she added.

“Business people?” Richard asked.

“I really don't know. Ask your uncle,” Joan replied as she turned out to go to kitchen.

“She shouldn't know that it's me who ordered the dancers,” Richard told himself as he quickly checked his phone for Salicia’s message.

“Best get this done with now,” he said as he looked around and unlocked the study door. He slipped inside quickly and put the light on.

There it still was, posing unscathed. His bird robot. His sister Raylene was the only one in the family who knew about his activities in robot building. The rest assumed that he was only keeping himself busy with games.

“I must tell my uncle about you so I can get an investment,” he said approaching the robot. "That will be so much more than getting a sports car,” he continued. He smiled as he began to send money to Salicia’s bank account because she had just sent him the quotation for the dancers as well as her banking details.

“Gosh! I forgot to warn Joan not to tell anyone about my online purchases,” Richard sighed. He was very happy about the fact that he had his own bank account ever since his parents had died in the motor accident. Sir George had insisted on it.

"When Raven finds out that it's my surprise gift to him he will no doubt tell people,” Richard told his bird robot when he was done with sending the money to Salicia.

He then walked to the dining room to go and explain his whereabouts during dinner.

“Oh, there you are,” Sir George remarked when Richard finally walked into the dining room.

“We're all done here, but where have you been? Sir George asked as he began to rise and leave the table.

“I was out consoling Raven,” Richard responded.

“Oh? But is he unhappy about the car? I understand that it has arrived?” Sir George asked with a confused look on his face.

“He was not so happy before the car arrived,” Richard remarked without thinking much.

“Oh, then he must have thought that it was cancelled,” Sir George guessed.

“I'm off to see the amazing machine that everyone is soon gonna be talking about,” Raylene, Richard’s elder sister announced. She was already walking away from the table.

“Okay, then, I will see you there in a bit,” Richard responded.

“I have to tell her about Raven’s strange story so she can be ready when necessary,” he told himself as he seated himself at the table. Sir George sat down again.

“Try the dessert. It's divine tonight,” Raylene recommended before she exited the dining room.

“So, what was Raven actually so upset about that you had to console him?” Sir George asked while Richard began to help himself to some of the dishes on the table.

“Can I tell him before I tell my sister?” he asked himself.

"He's just over-stressed about the birthday party and the significance of the birthday itself, I think,” Richard replied.

“First of all, it's important to keep one's education up to date. That's what he should stress about,” Sir George commented.

“Yes and it's also important to pursue a dream rather than have everything mapped out for you,” Richard remarked in between mouthfuls of food.

“Well, not everyone can do that. Other people have to serve the community as their ancestors did before them,” Sir George commented with a serious frown on his brow.

“I have to tell Raylene about our other brother before she goes to bed,” Richard promised himself.

***

Raylene could not believe her eyes when she saw the shiny, sleek blue sports car in front of the garage.

“Doesn't one have to earn that?” she asked herself with her arms crossed in front of her chest.

Raven was now posing for photos with the car. The car valet was very busy clicking away and trying to get the best kind of photos for his young boss.

She was still looking on in amazement when she heard a commotion up in the driveway.

“What now? Is there more?” she asked from where she was.

“More cars? I don't think so,” Raven replied. He did not pause from taking his photos.

Raylene then heard a familiar laugh and voice behind her.

“Salicia? At this time of the evening? It's a week night so it's about bedtime now. Did she also hear about the birthday gift?” Raylene asked herself and turned around.

What she saw was totally unexpected. A stream of girls dressed in colorful costumes came walking behind Salicia, down the driveway.

“What is Salicia busy with?” Raylene asked herself. "Who gave her permission to bring all these costumed ladies here?” she asked into the air where no one heard her because from somewhere the sound of music was starting and the girls who accompanied Salicia were now dancing.