Dinner Disasters: Sebastian and Layana

Chapter 17 (Sebastian): Another Step

Copyright © 2024 by GroveltoHEA

"Why are you talking so quietly?" Layana's voice asked through the phone.

"Just a sec," I said quietly, walking fast until I was out of my office and had closed the door behind me so I could talk normally. "Sorry, sweetheart, the marketing team came into my office ten minutes ago for an unexpected meeting. I just walked out of the office so I didn't disturb the debate on the latest campaign."

"You didn't have to answer," she said.

"I wanted to," I told her. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. The doctor's office called and had to switch my appointment to tomorrow at four, so I was calling to tell you. See if you could make it."

"Of course," I said, already rearranging my schedule in my head. 

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"It's not a problem, Layana. I promise."

That was the truth. It wasn't a problem. For the last twelve weeks, I'd been discovering just how much of a problem it wasn't to prioritize my wife over the business. I let Layana know my schedule each day, I never turned off my phone and I'd drastically reduced the number of dinner meetings I had. 

But a few days earlier, Layana had sat down with me and had given me her first glimpse into her therapy. 

"I just want you to know that I've noticed everything you've been doing the last three months to make sure I feel safe and secure, and I've been thinking about a lot of things. You know, Sebastian, I never had a doubt about your business meetings over dinner before Renee. I've been talking to my therapist about this, and I want you to know that it'd be fine for you to continue like you always had before. Renee was extreme. The weird outlier after years of normal. You can't refuse to do business dinners just because the person's a woman. That's not right."

"I don't want to make  you feel uncomfortable, Layana. After what happened --"

"You going out for business dinners is not what bothered me. It was Renee herself, and that was because I sensed something about her, sensed her interest in you just from that first time I saw her in the restaurant with you. That was the real trigger. That and you not believing me about her."

"I know, and that's why I've been implementing these changes. So you know that I've heard you and you know I'm listening when you tell me that you have a feeling about something. I've been thinking about the business dinners, too, Layana, and I really do want to cut down on all dinners, whether they're with men or women, not only because of what happened, but because it takes time away from us as a couple and soon as a family of three. I'm trying to handle everything during business hours, and it's actually made me work more efficiently, get more streamlined and become better at delegating to my team." 

She gave me a tentative smile. "Well, I just want you to know I'm not going to have a meltdown if you have dinner with a business associate, regardless if it's a man or a woman."

"I appreciate that, Layana, I do. But since I've been delegating, I've been making any lunches or dinners more of a team effort, so one-on-ones are morphing into collaborative meals."

Layana smiled at me. "I didn't mean to make you re-do the way you run your business."

I felt like she'd taken one step toward me with that smile.

"Honestly, you should feel the mood at the company since I've been making changes. This has had a really positive effect and morale is soaring. Everyone feels more invested, part of it all and has more buy-in. People who normally wouldn't are suggesting leads and ideas they have and there's an excitement that wasn't there before."