This could work.That hopeful thought stayed in my mind as I finally drifted off to sleep. It was fragile hope, but it was still hope, and after the week I had had, it felt like something precious.
Monday afternoon,I stepped into the restaurant and walked straight toward Jack. I wanted to speak with him privately, and I quickly realized that no one else was there except the man sitting in the corner.
“Jack, I would like to know if I can be a part of your restaurant?” I asked in a business-like tone.
“I don’t understand what you mean, Jiya.” He looked at me while rubbing his chin. “Would you like a job here?”
“No,” I replied and bit my lip. I quickly rephrased my question and blurted out, “I would like to co-own your restaurant and run it with you.”
His frown turned into laughter. “You think this is my restaurant?” He continued laughing. “Honey, I just work here.”
“Oh!” I jerked my head back in surprise. “I assumed you were the owner. I’m sorry.” I shook my head before asking, “Do you think I would be able to speak to the owner?”
He pressed his lips together. “Why don’t you tell me what you have in mind, and I can let him know and get back to you?”
I smiled widely, excited to explain.
“Well, for starters, I would like to renovate this place and employ a few more people.”
His eyes widened. “Do you have any experience at all running a restaurant?”
“I have worked as a waitress in two restaurants—one in Dauphin, Manitoba, and one in Vancouver,” I said as I handed him my résumé.
He scanned it briefly. “What makes you think you would be able to run a dead restaurant like this and bring it back to life?”
His question sounded harsh, but I understood it. I needed to convince him just as much as I needed to convince myself. I needed him to believe me.
More importantly, I needed to believe in myself.
The stakes were high. With nothing to fall back on and having lost the only job I had, I was determined to make this deal happen. This was not just about ambition. It was about survival. It was about building something stable enough to hold my children and me.
“I have a degree in Hospitality Management. I have studied this field, and my experience along with my education will prove to be valuable to this project that I hope to undertake,” I said confidently, straightening my shoulders and lifting my chin.
“What do you plan to do to attract customers?” he asked, his brow wrinkling.
“I will hire a restaurant expert who will transform this place and market it toward both locals and tourists. The restaurant would be shut down for about six to eight weeks.” My pulse quickened as I continued speaking. “The renovation process would begin first. Hiring and training staff would begin two weeks before the grand opening, which would be around the fourteenth of December.”
I held my breath.
“Well, what about Will and me?” he asked.
“I want both of you to still be a part of this. I would like Will to be the head chef. And you,” I paused before continuing, “I would like you to be a Manager… a proper Manager.”
The silence inside the restaurant felt thick enough to cut with a knife. My heart pounded loudly in my chest as I waited for Jack to respond. I could hear the hum of the refrigerator behind the bar, the faint clink of glass, even the sound of my own breathing. I had not even taken the laptop out of my bag yet to show him the presentation.
“But what about the budget to do all the renovations?” he asked, leaning against the bar counter.
I was ready for that question.
My research over the weekend had been extensive.
Despite spending time searching for information about my mother—which had still led nowhere—I had managed to gather a significant amount of information about renovation costs. The lack of progress about my mother still hurt, but I had pushed it aside long enough to focus on this.
“I estimate it would cost approximately $150,000, but I believe that number could decrease. Once the expert and designer examine the place, they will likely see that it only needs an uplift rather than a full-scale renovation.” I continued carefully, “Everything would be split in half between the owner and me if he agrees. All costs, profits, and losses.” I licked my lips nervously. “What do you think?”
He looked at me thoughtfully and then sighed. “God knows this place could use more customers and more business. Let me talk to the owner and get back to you.”
“Do you think I would be able to have a word with him? I have a folder and a presentation that I could discuss.”
