Isabel’s product was passed round and when manager Chris tasted it, he asked her to wait outside.
‘We’ll let you know the result in an hour,’ he said.
Isabel’s heart raced as she waited.
But when she was invited back into the office an hour later, she heard the good news.
“We like your product, Isabelle, and we want to discuss next steps.
However, we need to visit your factory and do a hygiene check.
If you meet our standards, will you be able to produce 10,000 packs a month?” – Chris asked.
Isabel couldn’t say no because she didn’t know when the next opportunity would present itself.
Leaving the office, she went into a café and began to think about how to organise things.
Chris’s inspection was scheduled in a fortnight.
Her phone vibrated, snapping her out of her thoughts.
‘Hello, Aunt Georgina,’ she answered.
‘Honey, your mum’s taken a turn for the worse,’ Georgina said worriedly.
It turned out that there was an error in Linda’s medical report and she urgently needed an operation within a month.
‘But how could the doctors have made such a serious mistake?’ – Isabel was outraged, inwardly worried for Linda.
‘I wish there was something I could do to help you both…’ – Georgina sighed sadly.
Isabel knew there was only one way to help her mother.
She went to her former classmate’s father, Mr Navarro, a wealthy businessman.
She told him about all the difficulties she had encountered in producing her first batches of jerky.
“But I know you’re a real businessman, so I’ve come with a proposition.
If you invest in me and everything goes well, I can offer you 35% of the factory’s income.”
‘Business is business, my dear,’ Mr Navarro smiled.
“So I have one condition: I’ll take 35%, plus one-third of the sale price of your foreclosed home.
Agreed?”
Present tense…
“Mr Navarro and I made a deal.
I passed Chris’s inspection and got my first cheque.
It helped us get the house back and I was able to pay for my mum’s medical treatment.
We outlived Dad.
But I can’t stand betrayal, so you don’t work here anymore.
Wait for me behind the warehouse.”
About fifteen minutes later, Isabel came to meet William, but not alone – a worker was carrying two boxes.
‘Open them, Daddy,’ she said as the worker handed William the boxes.
Inside he found old kitchen equipment and an industrial oven, the remnants of his and Linda’s failing business.
“I think we’re even now, Dad.
You’ve got everything you need to start your own business, to grow and change your life.
Just trust me.
I’ve been through it myself,” Isabel said with a smile and walked away.
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