AROUND THE HEART IN 80 DAYS

Fifteen

The month was October, the second Monday. It was Thanksgiving and not a lot of people crowded the streets. It was also a little over a month since Jacqueline Hernandez moved to Abbotsford. And a week since she was granted the long awaited loan.

She quickly shared her recent happenings with her cousin Maite and a newcomer Esperanza, who joined her late Grandmother's restaurant almost two months prior. She always spoke in her native tongue when making calls to Mexico, it was pretty much the most Spanish she ever spoke and she was grateful to them, making sure she never forgot that part of her life.

"Send us videos. And pictures. Uncle Sergio will be jealous--"

"--or he could copy you." Esperanza's grainy voice interrupted Maite's. "We keep telling him to add new recipes to keep this diner alive."

"I'll make sure to send. How about your schooling? You and Josue keep me in the dark for too long."

She had to run through the video chat because that very day, she and her special visitor, Martha Griffin chose to celebrate the victory in an open restaurant nearer to East Vancouver, just like they usually did during the earlier years.

"Cheers." Martha raised her clear glass of sparkling wine to kiss Jackie's, making a little 'clink' sound that was pleasing with the occasion. She had come dressed for it, a free white sunflower romper with an over-the-top sunhat and dark shades, putting Jackie to shame in comparison with her grey joggers and XXL black T-shirt.

"Cheers to sooner than later." Jackie chugged on her own glass of club soda. Yup. It was time to start mincing money. "And happy Thanksgiving to all of you guys."

"Thanks Jackie. You have no idea how excited I am to see you. I have nobody to talk to during the weekends anymore."

"I understand. Everyone is a hardworker now. You can chat with Fiona."

"If I can even find her. Your home has been an abandoned building ever since. No movement in and out. Had it not been for the time I saw Amanda take the trash out last week, I wouldn't have known someone still lived there."

"Is there electricity, at least?"

"There is, funny enough. But that shouldn't be our business anymore how they choose to run their living. We should focus on you and your way to making billions. I personally believe that your bakery stroke café will grow to... I guess pizza and shawarma making and all of that stuff that people bake."

"You've been so good. And thank you AGAIN for helping me out with getting the loan."

"I wouldn't be helping if I didn't have faith that my good friend is going to be successful from this."

"I pray. I have to work hard for this money, you know? I want to be able to enjoy all that i feel the world has to offer me. And I was even supposed to check out the gym so I could register as a teacher but I haven't gotten around doing that yet. My neighbour is like my alarm clock, constantly reminding me to go. Now, with a free mind that I have the capital to start the bakery, I can finally give it a shot. Next week."

"Over the phone, you've been saying you would go 'next week'... three weeks ago."

"Hey, I'm as busy as can be. Who would have thought the beginning stages would be this time and energy consuming?"

"It's a norm in every entrepreneur's life."

"And I'll be going to Nirvana today too. The guys said I should come over. Something for me. How I do love surprises."

"I'm totally coming with. And I'll be the one taking you to meet them. I was told earlier than you. So, ha!" Martha pulled back her head, taking the last liquid in the wineglass with her. She set the base of the stem with a slight bang then calmly waited for the liquid to go down. "This means you'll be leaving your little friend too."