Twice Over

Chapter Seventy Four - Inaugurate

inaugurate
verb
1. begin or introduce
2. admit (someone) formally to office
3. mark the beginning or first public use of (an organization or project) with a special event or ceremony

Wallace and especially my mother wouldn't let me move out. They hated the idea of pushing me away from the family unit, but at the same time they sort-of agreed with what I had to say. Being the professionally educated psychologist and mental health practitioner that I am (NOT!) they felt that my advice was worth thinking about. I did tell them to seek professional advice as I wasn't and would never be Eyva's doctor – nor friend but I didn't tell them that. I also suggested they talk with Eyva about it all, when she wasn't drunk off her face. I left them in the lounge room and went to bed.

So, the night drama passed and the next day arrived, the launch day of my Antique & Arts App, and it looked fantastic. Sleek, easy to use, professionally design, and well put together. There were things about the app that I didn't like from the timeline 'before', like the colour scheme, but I decided not to change it too much. They had obviously done their research for what worked to attract clientèle for their app aimed at those interested in arts and antiques. The browns and tans used had a lime green added to them, just to give it a modern splash of colour.

Believe it or not, I actually had a launch party, an online party for those of us who were involved with its creations. All seven of us were included, and I say seven as I had to include my mother. Patricia, Grant and I ended up together at the estate in the entertainment lounge. Grant hooked my laptop up, duplicating the screen onto the huge TV. We connected with Freddy and even invited Wallace, my mum and Mr Anderson to join us online.

"All set up?" I asked Grant as the duplicate screen appeared before us.

"Yes, but let me check the sound connection." He signed in to our chat room using his phone and left the room. A moment later his face appeared under mine on the group chat app that we tucked onto the side of the web browser so it was out of the way of our app publishing launch. Patricia sat next to me and waved at Grant.

"Hi, I seem to be coming through via video, OK. How about the sound?" He asked then moved towards the kitchen to collect a tray of refreshments that his mother had arranged for him to bring back earlier.

"The sound is coming through the laptop perfectly fine, but not the TV." I shrugged. It didn't really matter to me all the same. I could still hear him.

"Hang on, I'll have a look at the speaker options once I come back in." He placed his phone, camera side up, on the tea tray and carried it into the entertainment room. We saw everything from his chest up, including the ceiling and lights and tops of curtains as he walked along.

"Nice view of your nose, Grant." I laughed.

It didn't take long for the audio to be connected to the TV. Then one by one, Mum, Freddy, Wallace, then finally Mr Anderson arrived via video. They were all at work, Freddy was who knew where, and we chatted and said hello to each other. Then I thanked everyone for being here with me.

"This is my first project for Pyrus Projects. The Antique & Arts App was an inspired piece of programming and without all of you here today, it wouldn't have got off the ground. Thank you to my team: Grant, Mr Anderson and Patricia for driving this project. You have been the core of my new company and I am proud to work with each of you. Patricia, I especially want to thank you for your dedication and friendship. You are seriously a goddess, as everything you touch turns to gold! I'm planning on giving you a plaque to that effect sometime in the near future." We all laugh at my lame as joke, but I really hoped that my words showed even an ounce of gratitude for my personal assistant.