CHAPTER 0NE

When Jerome looks back at his own life, he isn’t very much different from the few kids his age who could get lucky because they’d to struggle in order to survive.  He was living in one of the bustling port cities in the continent of Africa doing a hustle job, for the last three years after arriving in the capital city from the countryside, where his family, his father, mother, and four siblings were struggling to make ends meet by working on a small farm they own.  Life was OK at a survival level because it’d always been possible to grow some food and raise a few livestock for meat, milk, and to generate cash by selling some of it.

Like everyone else in the area, his parents had sent his siblings, and him to school as it’d always been customary when the children reach school age, even if they would’ve been useful hands on the small farms. The problem had been no one stays in the small communities once they passed eighth grade because there are no high schools for the most part, with few exceptions.  Everyone leaves for the bigger cities, where life is precarious simply because there isn’t any systematic approach someone can adapt to other than joining the chaotic struggle to survive, where the rule of thumb could be anything goes. Individuals of all ages might be forced to do anything that comes their way just to survive.  It’s only a few who might’ve relatives in the cities who can help them pursue their high school education.

For the rest, even having a decent roof over their heads might be out of the question, while at the same time feeding oneself could also be a challenge. In a situation like this, the line between observing the laws, rules, and regulations, and finding one’s way doing anything possible could be blurred, to the point where the priority would be how to make it through a given day.  It might be possible to find work that mostly has a temporary nature, but at the end of the duration, there’s always going back to where one started and starting again, because permanence isn’t easily attainable, especially when the involved individuals are young.

That’s how Jerome became a tourist guide in the bustling port city he moved to.  The particular field itself is so crowded it’s only those who’re physically tough who can survive and make some kind of a living out of it. Even then it’d to be mixed with other odd jobs that could be doing anything just to put some changes in the pocket so that it’ll be possible to buy the next meal.  Nobody talks about a roof over the head because it could be expensive for most, even if at times shacking up with a few other guys in poorly built and kept shacks could be possible, as long as they manage to pay the overnight rent that isn’t very expensive since what’s offered is the bare minimum; just a place to sleep for the night, and have some toilet facility. Even that could become impossible to afford and the young kids have to live on the streets and use very dangerous and unsafe facilities that could be available around.

One day he managed to meet a guy who claimed to be from the States and he started guiding him around, showing him some of the popular hangouts in the particular port city.  As most tourists go to run-down third world communities to have some natural, down-to-earth good times, and fun, they can use help to save themselves time and spare themselves from some aggressive hassle.  And the fact that Jerome was among the tough guys around because of his natural built and height, the clients he gives service to could maneuver the area feeling a little bit safer because he can also serve as a bodyguard.

The individual tourist who was a black American stayed for two days and he naturally gave Jerome the break he enjoys now and then when he works as a guide.  At the end of the service, he could receive a generous tip on top of his pay, and everyone parts way.  But on this particular occasion Marques, the black American took interest in Jerome and had showered him with a lot of questions, just out of curiosity.

When the time of his departure arrived he casually mentioned to Jerome, “You know young lad, I’d been where you were, and it’s because I was living in the USA that I was able to beat the odds. If you want to do the same I might try to help you out, but don’t expect much, it mightn’t even work.”

“Oh yeah, I’d given up on such hope because everyone I approached told me it could almost be impossible unless I find someone who wants to marry me.  Some said I’m old for adoption and young to find someone to marry me.”

“That figures and they weren’t lying to you. But you know you can come to America and try your luck.  It might be much better than here and I’ll try to help you.  The other thing is if you stay in the USA for five years without anyone knowing you’re an illegal alien, you can get your paper.”

“I’ve heard about that too and the only way to make it to the USA is by stowing away in one of the cargo ships.  Believe me, I might try it someday.”

“That could be risky and you know I might be able to send you a round trip ticket to come there as a tourist, but first you’ve to think about it.  I can leave you my address.  You can come there and see what happens for two or three months.”

Jerome thought Marques had read his mind because there were enough times he’d mentioned it to some of his clients if they could offer him that kind of an opportunity and almost all of them had shied away from it because of the anticipated difficulty. But a few of them had said they might look into it in the distant future and nothing had materialized so far.  But here Marques had stated he’d try to help him.  He’d told him all he needs is the chance and once he finds his way there he can help himself since he’s already become industrious at his age. 

To cut a long story short, Jerome made it to the USA the next month, and he started living in the basement of Marques’ home who works as a city bus driver in NY City.  He went around for two months and he couldn’t find anyone to give him work for the obvious reason that he was an alien with no work permit.  That’s when he met some guy who told him trying Canada might be better to find work although getting citizenship is worse than here because if you manage to stay in the USA for at least five years without the authorities finding out it’s possible to apply for what’s called Green Card, but in Canada that mightn’t work.  However, if you can get married to a Canadian, you can become a citizen in five years’ time no question asked.

He told Marques his findings and he told him he’ll try to find him a contact. A few days later he told him he couldn’t find anyone, and if he wants to give it a try he could.  If he doesn’t make it, he can return, and start again.  It’s possible that something might open up for him.

He made it to Canada and found it a little bit slow-paced even if Toronto can be as bustling as any American city. The only difference is after staying for one week he found a job in a garage.  The owner whose name was Riel was from the Caribbean and he told him all the guys working for him are from the Caribbean and if he joined them it mightn’t be easy to tell that he was direct from Africa even if his accent can betray him. 

“You’ve to work on your accent although here you don’t need it since you don’t have to talk to my customers.  I’ll pay you the going minimum wage. I can also throw in a perk and give you a place to live at the back where there’s ample space with facilities,” had said Riel.

He thanked him and accepted the offer. He found a small room at the back and converted it into a bedroom, made a sitting and cooking area, and that was it.  He doesn’t have to worry about renting a place.  The work was an entry-level job where all he’s to do is to keep the whole place in order every day and help the other mechanics, a process through which he’ll learn to become a mechanic in the long run.  Other than that his new employer had suggested that finding him a local partner won’t be difficult, but it could take some time and that could improve his situation if he gets married.

Life wasn’t bad because he was learning fast to become a mechanic and he was also saving money from the meager pay he was making. In fact, he was able to send money back home to his family that would make a huge difference in their lives. He doesn’t know where it’ll lead, but even if he doesn’t make it in Canada and returns to the USA, the skill he’s learning might entice someone to give him work without a paper.

One day he was returning from grocery shopping and someone he recognizes from seeing him at the garage came out of a car.

“So how are you doing?  I hope you recognize me, my name is Lucas,” he said.

“Yes, sure, you come to the garage once in a while.”

“Exactly, hop in I want to talk to you.”

“Alright,” he said. He hopped into the passenger seat and placed the grocery he was carrying on the back seat.

“I thought you were from the Caribbean.  What’s this accent? You sound like you’re from Africa.”

“Yes, I’m from Africa.”

“Which country?”

“That I wouldn’t tell to anyone.  Even my boss doesn’t know.”

“Really, they’re all the same anyway.  I’ve something to talk to you about. Have you heard of underground fighting?”

“Yes, a few times people had joked, and recommended it to me, because they said I’ve got the built.  I just laughed them off because, except knuckle-fighting with bullies when I was back in my country, I’d never fought anyone else.”

“You can’t find out unless you try it.”

“Really, so you mean you can help me get started?”

“Exactly, but you know in this business everyone nibbles. I nibble until I can’t because someone might take you under their wings.  But until then I’ll be your representative and I get a share of what you’re making.”

“What kind of money are you talking about?”

“You never know because you can win, 20, 30, even 50K and more. You just have to give it time.  You can also use training and that’d mean either we’ve to pay their fee or they’ve to nibble too.  But believe me, at one point there’ll be enough for everyone.”

“That sounds OK with me, although risky.  What about the cops?”

“They won’t know about it.  The matches take place in obscured warehouses around the city.”

“So there are spectators involved I guess?”

“Exactly, that’s the main source of the money, since they bet.  And individuals who’re mostly big fish also bet among themselves.”

That was a long time ago and he eventually quit the garage work because even if he could be roughed up often, he started bringing in a lot of money home to the point where he didn’t know what to do with it. And that’s when he landed his would-be wife whom he met casually.  She was from the Caribbean. One day she saw him sitting in a bar and asked if he minds if she joins him.

“I’d heard the guys at the garage talking about you because one of them was dating my friend. They told us you stopped working there and joined the underground fighting clubs. So you know, I know you, the reason why I wanted to talk to you.  You also look lonely. My name is Mia.”

“Hi Mia, nice meeting you, I hope you know my name, I used to work at the garage, but now I just drop by for a chat.  Great people, I can’t forget the favor.”

“I’ve heard that too, but you were doing a tough job there.”

“That was the only real job I got since I came to this part of the world.”

“You could’ve become a mechanic if you’d stayed there with them from what they told us.”

“Yeah, but I can’t make the kind of money I’m making now as a mechanic.”

“That’s true, but you could get killed doing what you’re doing.”

“That’s true too, but I’ve to take a chance”

“You’re also an illegal immigrant that makes your situation precarious.”

“Yeah, but now I’m in a better position to deal with it because I’ve money.”

“Well, I wish you all the luck.”

“Thanks, can we go to another place, I’d like to buy you a drink?”

“Sure why not.  Do you drive?”

“No, I don’t, I can’t have a license you know.”

“Then we can take my car.”

“Great.”

He asked her what she was doing after going to another bar and ordering a drink.

“I work in a department store,” she replied.

“What kind of store?”

“They mostly carry females’ attire.”

“Do they pay well?”

“Yeah, but not much higher than the minimum wage.”

That evening they went dancing and they spent the night at his new apartment he’d rented recently.  They’d been dating on and off for a few weeks and one day the crucial question surfaced.

“So you know, if you can find a female partner your situation could improve.”

“You think so? I was thinking of waiting until I’m done with the underground fighting.”

“When will it end?”

“I don’t know, maybe when I make enough money.”

“I don’t see why you’ve to wait that long because time might be crucial.”

“That’s true.  You’re single and I don’t see why you can’t help me out.”

“I need a little bit more than wanting to help a guy out to marry someone.  And I’d always envisioned my partner will be from where I came from that I call my community.”

“Is that right?  You can at least recommend a friend.”

“What kind of friend?”

“I mean someone who wants to get a break because I can afford to support a partner who can be a homemaker, you know.  And it could be any kind of arrangement as you know it.  Including lump sum money after I get my citizenship or if the relation is workable, I don’t see why it can’t continue for as long as it can last.”

“That’s a good way of looking at it.”

“It must be.  I can see you fit the bill as far as I’m concerned.”

“Yeah, you might be right there even if it sounds outrageous.  I need something like that to do what I always wanted to do.”

“Really, what was it?”

“I want to own my own hair salon and attain my independence.  Almost all jobs that don’t pay much are difficult and demanding.”

“Tell me about it because I’d been there.  I still thank the guy who represented me and in fact, he still does.  Even if I’m not the only one he represents we’ve made a lot of money together.”

“I think you need luck too.  Hard work alone mightn’t cut it.”

“You’re right there too. So are you really serious? Why don’t we join hands and solve our problems?  You never know, it could turn out to be good.”

“It could, I can imagine that.  But you know at times there are promises you’ve to keep when it comes to relations and I’ve someone in my life.  I can’t be happy with anyone else.”

“Really?  I didn’t know and I don’t want to go into anyone’s way.  I hope you can introduce me to someone since we’ve become friends and you should naturally have female friends.  This someone in your life mustn’t be around considering that we’ve been seeing each other for a while.”

“No, he’ll be here soon; we’re working on it. I can introduce you to a few girls and one of them might develop an interest in you.”

“Really, you can do that?”

“Sure I can and I’ll work on it.”

When they met the next time she told him, “This could be our last time together because I’ve arranged a blind date for you.”

“That’s very nice of you.  When can I meet her?”

She gave him all the details including her name that was Marian. They spent the evening together without saying that’ll be the last time they’ll meet.  On the mentioned date he went to the place of the appointment and started waiting. After a few minutes his friend Mia showed up and sat at the table he was sitting at.

“So Marian wasn’t able to make it or she changed her mind?”

“No, she didn’t change her mind, my name is Marian, nice meeting you,” she said stretching her hand out.

“You’re Marian? I don’t think you’d believe me if I tell you that I’d have done anything for something to happen so that I wouldn’t meet Marian.”

“Really?”

“Honestly because I know even if it sounds wearied, I’ve developed some liking toward you.”

“Well, it’s unfortunate that that liking mightn’t evolve into loving.”

“Hey, you never know, we’ve to give it time considering that we’re both stressed-out individuals who mightn’t have full control over our mental faculty.”

“Really, I don’t know, but I just wanted to help you out after I heard about your situation.  And the fact that you’re doing well makes you attractive because to tell you the truth I don’t like what I’m doing.”

“You aren’t the only one; there are a lot of people who don’t like what they’re doing. It seems that if you want to make a living you can’t be too choosy. You’ve to do whatever is available. It isn’t my fault or my parents’ fault or the fault of the community I was born in because I don’t have higher education.  That’s how things are.  If an ambitious guy like me gets a chance to get a higher education, I’d have grabbed it by the horn, but here, me and you, we’re struggling to make ends meet.”

“True and at times even education mightn’t avail you what you want.  At least going into business if you can afford it might make a difference. The rest are just survival tactics.”

“You’re right about that too and in my short stay here I’ve learned a lot. Anyway Mia, how are we going to celebrate? Believe me, you won’t regret it.”

“Alright, believe me, you look like a gentle giant to me, so why don’t we make the best of it?  If we start things rolling quickly at least you’ll get some crucial papers including a driver’s license.”

“We’re almost there and my first thank you would be you can start your hair salon anytime you want it.  But I suggest it might do you some good if you take some break.”

“Thanks, I might need it, and I guess I’ve worked for it, didn’t I?  I’m supposed to be ashamed of myself.”

“No, you shouldn’t because you’re changing the life of someone who wouldn’t know how to pay you back.”

“It’s good if you’re looking at it like that.”

CHAPTER TWO

And the rest was history.  They knew that the wedding had to be glitzy with a good number of guests, photos, videos, and of course, at least a two-week honeymoon with all the records somewhere, preferably in the Caribbean so that it’ll add to the legitimacy of the marriage even if it naturally is a utilitarian or a convenience marriage of a sort for now. The catch is except for a circle of friends no one else is supposed to know about it.  In fact, it’s only the two of them who knows for real there could be someone waiting in the wing for Mia at the end of the arrangement, a situation that might not materialize. As a result, they tacitly have agreed that they’re joining hands in a holy matrimony, and are hoping to become a happy couple. 

The good news is, so far, both of them had developed enough liking for each other and there’s a good possibility they’ll enjoy their time together and wait for the time when Mia will be in a position to liquidate the relationship.  That means if she wants to continue to live with Jerome after six or seven years had lapsed it’d mean that they’ve become real husband and wife.  When the time comes to approach the government officials, their marriage certificate, and any evidence they’ve have to be convincing to the point where no one should tell that it was all along a convenience marriage. The reality is they both knew they’ve at least to live together for six years minimum in order for Jerome to claim his citizenship. And both were ready for the long haul. They both know what keeps them going will be what they will be doing and whatever kind of social life they choose to immerse in.

The wedding was fantastic and everyone Jerome knew in his short stay had been invited.  Riel and all the guys working at the garage were present.  In fact, his groomsmen and his best man were from amongest them.  Marques was also invited and he was among the amazed guests by the turn of events who’d enjoyed the wedding. He couldn’t invite his new-found friends, his promoter, and some of the guys who’re responsible for his training because it could end up being a sellout and an evidence for the authorities even if the fighting itself isn’t illegal as long as the two contending guys have mutually agreed.  But benefiting from the fight through betting might’ve got a different interpretation by the authorities who want any entity that wants to engage in betting to be registered. And of course, the matching also has to be among those that’d been given a legal status.  Other than that they always try to clamp down on clandestine activities such as gambling and probably underground or street fighting that takes place in a big number in obscure places even if they manage now and then to discover a few of them.  Consequently, underground fighting would also fall under a similar category and could be outright illegal.  This shows that a lot could be taking place under the table and it requires a lot of footwork on their part to catch these kinds of activities red-handed.

Nevertheless, inviting those guys, and exposing them at the ceremony that they’ll use as an evidence of their marriage will be outright shooting oneself in the foot and was avoided.

Mia also had invited her friends some of them locals and some of them from the Caribbean.  Since her parents and relatives are back in the Caribbean it was decided for her to visit them while she goes there for the honeymoon and if they want they are always welcome to throw some kind of a party that’ll add to the evidence of legitimizing their matrimony.  

Things had gone smoothly and as time goes by they were both busy being industrious and of course prosperous too. Luckily, at the end of the fifth year, he was able to get his citizenship after meeting all the requirements head on and their relationship continued blossoming.  One day she told him that the keeping a promise aspect was real and soon they should part ways.  That really broke his heart but he knew there wasn’t anything he can do.  They’d enjoyed their relationship up to the last minute and they’ve become life-long friends and family members, while leading their own individual lives. He’d kept his part of the deal where he’d given Mia a lucrative golden parachute for the favor she’d done for him and the divorce took place according to the postnuptial agreement they’d signed when they got married.

By the time he and Mia parted ways, Jerome had already quit the underground fight clubs after two years because it was getting very dangerous by the day.  Weightlifting was a popular subject at the garage and there were ample equipment at the back he’d been dabbling with.  He was never serious about weightlifting even if he’d developed some muscle definition when he started fighting at the underground fighting clubs that helped his image.  Once he joined the clubs he was training five days a week because of the recommendation of his promoter.  In fact, if he wants to survive all the beatings he was taking, he knew that it was crucial to be as strong as possible.

The problem is that wasn’t enough because there can always be someone bigger and stronger than him, and what was coming to his rescue was hard training and learning new fighting techniques.  He’d counted three times he firmly believed he’d escaped death.  He escaped the two incidents by pretending to pass out once he was knocked down.  For the third one he’d to run out of the warehouse even if the other contender had to chase him showing that some of the fighters are very capable and deadly dangerous.  On top of that, there were two regular fighters he’d always avoided if he wants to prolong his fighting days and in fact his life.

After two years of heavy fighting that almost involved three fights every week, he thought that he’d made enough money to get started in a business.  And that was the advice Mia gave him too.  Then he’d started to search for what he can do since he’d accumulated money he never ever thought would come his way.  Finally, they both decided that he can start a sports bar in one of the neighborhoods where there’s a sizable cosmopolitan community.  That’s when they chose the northern part of Toronto.  He found an abandoned building that used to be a bar that was available for rent and it took one month to renovate it and convert it into a sports bar. 

And the rest is history because he never looked back.  In fact, after a few years, he was able to buy a sizable property in the same community, built a new building from the ground up, and moved his sports bar there.

While he and Mia were living together as a couple, she was running a popular and profitable hair salon, while he was running his sports bar. Three years after he and Mia had gone their way he’d bought a rundown property where a few small businesses were running business from.  Eventually, he tore down the older structure and built a sizable warehouse imitating some of the warehouses he’d been fighting in.  However, he wasn’t planning to open a warehouse and compete with the other underground fighting facilities. His plan was a bit different and he’d well-to-do dormant partners who’d advised him and promised him to promote the business as long as he was willing to run it suggesting explicitly what he should do.

The warehouse-like fortified building was supposed to have three fighting rings where kickboxers will be fighting and a clandestine betting was going to be established that’ll be promoted by his clandestine associates he met through one of them whom he met at his bar.

The suggestion was simple where if he can start the fighting arena, there could be a good number of prominent individuals who’d take interest in a clandestine betting that will take place online.  It made sense to him because while doing research he found out that he can invite a number of junior contestants, and promise to pay them a certain amount of money, whether they win or lose, where they’ll make more money if they win. 

What comes next is filming the contest and posting it somewhere online by restricting access to those who’ve password who’d be required to pay a membership fee, in addition to participating in the clandestine betting where he’ll be the bookmaker.  Since he’d been part of it and had gotten his break from there, it’s something he’d enjoy doing while at the same time make money because although a bar business looks glamorous, he doesn’t even net close to 100K, whereas on more than a few occasions he was making close to 100K from a single fight.

Therefore, if he really wants to make more money he’s to wreck his brain to come up with new ways of making money and he thought this could be one of them. He can always make money on the odds or sometimes lose too on top of the fees he’ll collect as the book owner. That’d become a success story from the inception.

Then he decided to expand again and decided to open a small sports car repair garage.  Thanks to the short stunt he’d with the garage he wasn’t a total stranger to how a garage works.  Since he doesn’t need to make a lot of money what he focused on was on repairing expensive sports cars and whenever the need arises converting them into racing cars, a niche he thought could have some potential.   He bought a mid-sized garage that he knew will need work to accommodate what he wanted to do and right there the fact that he owns the property meant another lucrative real estate investment and when he bought the garage that was his third real estate investment; not bad for an immigrant who started his ascent haphazardly.

It’s around that time he met his future wife Averie through Mia who must be having the time of her life because her hubby Ted, now he’d met and know very well had arrived in Canada and they were married a while back. In fact, the couple is really doing well because he’d also opened a hair salon with a barbershop and they both are busy industrious business people.

He remembers lending him money when they came short even if Mia had lent him too, and he also had borrowed from a bank by using Mia as his guarantor.  All in all, they were all success sorties already when Mia introduced him to Averie who was one of her regular customers.  From what she told him, while they were gossiping she’d asked her how she got started and she’d told her what’d happened.  Averie was impressed and wondered if these kinds of guys really exist. 

“Of course they exist, you know, all you’ve to do is go to the right places, and keep an open eye and mind,” had said Mia.

“Well, I know I’ll never meet that kind of a guy but I hope I’ll meet a partner because I don’t want to get old alone.  I also need a family.”

“In fact the same guy I told you about whom I helped out and who compensated me generously is still a staunch bachelor. It’d been more than three years since we went our ways and he’s become prosperous.  He runs three businesses that I think are profitable.”

“Really, so if he’s the means he should find someone, or he could be in the process of finding someone.”

“Yeah he’s from what he told me, but he hadn’t found anyone yet.”

“Very interesting, though I wouldn’t want to have anything to do with immigrants.  In fact, they scare me.”

“I know how locals feel about immigrants, but a good number of them are marrying newcomers.  You should meet this guy; I know you’ll like him. In addition, it’s good to marry someone with money even if you hadn’t gone head over heels for him.”

“Are you serious, it’s good at least he’s black, but from Africa?  Give me a break. Even if I know my ancestors came from there, those guys scare me.”

“Why don’t I introduce you so that you can talk to him?  You don’t have to do anything with him.  The most it might take will be to make him a friend and go to his bar.  You’ll get a superb service and you might meet someone there, in a friendly atmosphere.”

“That might sound good.  Do you go to his bar?”

“Sure one of the best places to go to.  We go there with my husband.”

“Well, I don’t know, it won’t do any harm to see the place.  I’m not really crazy about going to bars, although I go sometimes with my friends, but never on my own.”

“You should or believe me you’ll get old alone.”

“There you go again, when do you go there next time anyway?”

“We can go tonight after work even if Saturdays are very busy.  If he knows I’m there he always comes for a chat.”

“So you’ll pick me up or I’ll pick you up?”

“I’ll pick you up at your place at 7:00.”

“OK, so your husband is coming?”

“Sure he might, I’ve to find out.”

When they made it to the bar she showed her who Jerome is.

“You mean that’s him, this guy is big, it’s no wonder he was a fighter.”

“Don’t forget you’re tall too, it could be a nice match.”

“You amaze me; you’ve already made yourself a matchmaker.”

After a few minutes later someone must’ve told Jerome that Mia is visiting he came to say hi.

“How come you’re alone?  What happened to Ted?”

“When I told him I’ll have company, he said he’ll visit some of his friends since I won’t be alone.  And he knows we’re coming here.  Meet my friend, her name is Averie.”

“Well, nice meeting you, I can easily tell you’re local.”

“Yeah, that’s kind of hard to hide.”

“The same goes for being an immigrant, it’s easy to tell.”

“Exactly, so you must be from Africa, which country?”

“I won’t tell that to anyone.”

“Really?”

“I haven’t told Mia for example, and we’d lived together for more than five years.”

“She’d told me.  It’s amazing she didn’t use all the levers she’d.”

“I think she’d told you we used to be a couple.”

“Yeah, and you should’ve stayed together.”

“Well, Mia has to do things her way, and all a poor guy like me can do is comply.  But you know when I see how Ted and her are happy together I’d say to myself she knows what she’s doing.”

“Well, why do you hide where you’re exactly from?

You know, some people could suspect there might be something you’re concealing.”

“That’s not my problem as long I don’t have to talk about where I came from.  It saves me from some aggressive hassle, that’s all there’s to it, although it mightn’t mean anything to you.”

She remembers what Mia had told her.

“I don’t have to say where he’s from, but I know, and I can tell.  It might be because I’m an immigrant, but I won’t talk about it with him.  Me and Ted, for example, have our suspicion about where he’s from, and his not admitting it doesn’t make a difference.”

“What makes a difference is he’s a successful businessman for an immigrant if he owns three businesses.”

“You bet he’s”, had said Mia.

Now sitting with him and Mia together chatting she asked,

“I know that you’ve three businesses and the third one is a garage, and what are you doing with the second one?”

“I train fighters since I’d something to do with it myself.”

“Really, it must be profitable.”

“Not really, it doesn’t even pay the mortgage, but the real estate is a valuable investment.  The garage generates a decent income, which is another real estate investment, and of course, the bar is OK, but not that stellar.”

“Averie is a teacher and my regular customer.

We’re just out to have a drink and made it to a friendly territory,” Mia added casually.

“Yeah, nice meeting you, and you ladies have a great time.  All your drinks will be on the house and Mia knows the rules here.  Have a nice evening and if you stay long I might drop by for a chat.”

That was it and he suspected that Mia might’ve deliberately brought Averie to introduce her to him.  He came a second time for a chat.

“So you ladies are enjoying what goes on here I guess?”

“Yeah, we’re trying.  Averie is single and if you two want to know each other better, all you’ve to do is buy her a drink someday when you’ve time.”

“Really, I’d be obliged.”

“Well, I don’t know, you never know, I mightn’t mind going out for a drink, although I’m very cautious.”

“You don’t have to worry about anything.  In fact, Mia might’ve to join her husband, while me and you visit other bars or a club.”

“Really, what about the bar?”

“I’ve other guys to run it.  I’m here most of the time to talk to some of the customers I know.”

“Alright, and you’ll have to drive her to her place at the end.  Believe me Averie, it’ll do both of you some good and help you maybe fend off being alone.

I know he’ll take good care of you.”

“It’s alright, it’s easy for you to say that.”

“Mia is always right and if she says something will go smooth, believe me, it’ll.”

“Alright, whenever you’re ready we can go somewhere else.

Mia could come with us too if she doesn’t want to go home to her husband who mightn’t  be there.”

“There’s one way to find out, I’ll call him.”

“So where are you, Ted?”

“I’m with a few guys.  Are you headed home?”

“Yeah, I’m going to be in a few minutes.”

“Alright then, I’ll be heading home too.”

“Great then, see you in an hour.”

“So Ted will be home soon and you two guys are on your own.”

“Alright, but we never agreed to abandon me to a guy, and you disappearing from the scene.  How about if he kidnaps me to Africa?”

“Since Jerome is a gentle giant, I know he’ll make you change your opinion about immigrants.”

“Alright, I know almost all immigrants are great people.”

“Then you saved him some tedious work.  OK, you two guys, I’m leaving you here, and enjoy the rest of the evening.”

“We should accompany you to your car,” Jerome said.

“No, I can find my way out.  Hey, call me tomorrow or today, OK Averie, have a good evening,” she said and left.

CHAPTER THREE

Once Mia left them alone Jerome told Averie, “My car is parked at the back and I’ll show you which way to go when we’re ready to leave.”

“Well, I don’t see why we shouldn’t leave now.”

“OK then, we’ve to go to the back,” and he led the way to the office area.

They were driving along the street and Averie said, “You must be a successful immigrant businessman.  I don’t think many blacks are doing what you’re doing.”

“You might be right there.  You need something to give you the break you need and I found it where I never thought of.”

“You mean the underground fighting, Mia had mentioned it.”

“Exactly, and there was also the horse race track, and the few casinos that were the source of my seed money.”

“You’re lucky you survived it.”

“The timing and being chicken are crucial.  I mean I was doing it for the money.  I don’t like fighting.  Once I get what I thought was enough, it wasn’t difficult to quit.  By the way, what do you do for a living, we never came to it although Mia might’ve mentioned it?”

“I’m an elementary school teacher.”

“That’s a good-paying job.  That means you’ve a college education.”

“Exactly.  What about you?”

“Me, well I’ve only completed eighth grade back in Africa when I was young, and here I never had the time or the comfort to look at advancing my education.”

“Is that right, you wouldn’t be the only one. Especially in the sports world, you don’t need a lot of education.  All those champions mightn’t have more than a high school education.  But some of them could’ve because they might have received a scholarship.”

“That’s what I heard, and maybe if not in Canada, in the USA that route is very popular.”

“Well, you’re lucky, and it was a good decision you came to Canada.”

“Oh yeah, because I might’ve found it difficult in the USA because they’re afraid of hiring undocumented aliens.  I don’t know what could’ve happened to me.  If it didn’t work out, I’d have gone back to Africa.”

“What would you be doing there?”

“I don’t even want to imagine it.  But in the USA all I’d to do might’ve been disappear from the scene and go to any city where things could be taking place.”

“Which means you wouldn’t have returned to Africa?”

“Unless I’m deported by force and even then I might choose to fight.”

“It’s that bad there you mean?”

“It could be for some, I mean for a big majority, while there are a few who could be doing well.”

“What about now, you’re saying you’ve money?”

“Now for me and my family things have improved a lot.  We’ve bought a big farm and my three siblings are running it with our aging parents. So you see, if I return there now things will be different. I also have sponsored a brother to come to Canada who’s going to university after completing his high school here.”

“You mean you can become a farmer if you go back there?”

“Sure, I can also be doing the same thing I’m doing here you know open a bar or start some other business.  If you’ve money there are things you can do, but they won’t be at this level, the reason why I wouldn’t look that way. The money you make there will be enough for you to live there because of the lower cost of living and the like.  But the money you make there can’t compare with money you make here when seen from the buying power aspect.”

“What about the other business you’re running?”

“That isn’t a big deal, I’m actually renting rings for training purpose only, and what I make doesn’t even pay the mortgage. But it’s a very sound real estate investment for the future.  Here’s a nice bar that I like and it’s a known cosmopolitan hangout.”

“Like your bar?”

“That’s what I want it to be, but most of my customers are black.  I was just lucky I started working with Caribbean guys and I’m popular among them.”

“What about local black guys?”

“They come in a big number too because almost all the staff are also black, a mix of immigrants and locals.  You know we live and work together.  People need a nice place to go to where there isn’t much hassle and that place is hassle-free.”

They already have sat down and ordered drinks.

“By the way, do you guys had supper or you were straight from work?”

“Mia came straight from work to pick me up and I’d eaten a good snack I’m not hungry right now, but I don’t know for how long.”

“I know a good place where we can go and eat,”

“Alright, I’m not really busy on the dating scene, so any new venture is welcome.”

“Well, don’t worry, we might’ve some future.”

“You think so?”

“I assume so even if I don’t usually interact with professionals.”

“Why not?”

“There are businesswomen like Mia, you know who run small businesses, and we speak the same language, and amazingly have similar backgrounds.  Now you might’ve thought that I at least have a high school or some college education and I don’t know how you feel.”

“Believe me, there are illiterate individuals who could be doing well, you know.  In your case at least you’ve to be able to read and write to run the business.”

“I also have help for the accounts, I can’t handle the books alone.”

“You should at least complete high school.”

“I might think about it.”

“So, my not being well-educated won’t affect you,” said Jerome while they were eating their supper.

“You look like you’re well-informed to me, do you read?”

“A lot, you know I started with newspapers of all kinds, and now I’m graduated to reading books.”

“What kind of books do you read?”

“Most of them are how-to business books, there are a lot of them.”

“That’s why, you sound well-informed to me.”

“Oh yeah, I’ve also made very interesting friends.”

“They come to the bar?”

“Yeah,” he replied and he didn’t want to tell her some of them are his business associates.

“Well, I was just curious because Mia had told me a lot about you and just wanted to meet you.”

“I think, in my opinion, I can tell we could be good friends if we work on it.”

“Sure, why not, as long as you want to spend your money on me.  I’ll buy you dinner  sometimes too.”

“Sure why not, we might even like each other.”

“You think so?”

“I know so. Why don’t we go dancing?”

“Why not, I hope you know a good place too?”

“Exactly, it’s owned by a black couple.  They’re exactly our age.”

“Great then, it isn’t going to be toxic.”

“It wouldn’t.  We’ll also visit some popular joints, but we’ll be swarmed by local guys, mostly white folks.”

“Sure why not, if we can last together that long.”

“We should last long I guess.”

“You sound too sure, aren’t you?”

“Well, let’s just say some people know what they want.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“You don’t have to know it immediately.  Today is our first date and we focus on having a good time.”

They dated for continuous three months and gradually Averie persisted in the skeptical stance she deliberately chose to take. She knows what’s exactly in store for her in the near future because everyone around her including her own family are working on attaching her to someone who’ll gain their confidence and respect to be her life partner.  Her mother had told her to hang in there and it could happen anytime since this is the best age to get married for a woman.  And she knows for sure who her life partner would be.  Probably he’ll be from the same teaching profession she’s in because she’s a few smoothly ongoing relationships that are on and off and one of them could get traction.  She also has an on-and-off relationship with a few other professionals and one of them might be ready and propose soon.

Or she herself  might’ve to do some nudging eventually because she knows for sure who she wants to be her life partner from the guys she’s flirting with, but for sure it wasn’t Jerome.  Because she couldn’t imagine how romantic their relationship would be even if one of them want to bend over backwards.  She also has a hunch why someone like Jerome wants to marry her because it makes his life easier because of all the pressure he’s to go through while running his three lucrative businesses being a recent immigrant that he downplays.   He’s told her indirectly if not directly.

One day he said, “So, Averie, do you’ve anyone in the wing waiting to take your hand?”

“Well, you never know.”

“Really? You mean you don’t know?”

“Not off the top of my mind, but I was born and grew up in this community you know.  I know a lot of individuals and you know that’s how you forge a long-term relationship, with someone you knew for a long time.”

“OK, so you mean there are that kind of guys in your life?”

“You bet; a good number of them.”

“So how come it didn’t happen so far?”

“I don’t know, but I’ve got a hunch it’s a matter of time.”

“What made you say so?”

“Because I’ve got a large family and all that we do is gossip, you know, guys and gals.  So we know what takes place in the grapevine, such as who wants to do what, when, and how, who divulged their needs, problems, shortcomings, concerns you know.”

“That makes sense, but the thing is your future partner doesn’t necessarily have to be someone you’ve known all your life.”

“You’re right about that unless you don’t want to look at the likelihood.”

“The likelihood is someone like me who’d been dating you for a while, and who’s the means maybe better than anyone else who might’ve got an interest in you.”

“I know what you mean, but why’d an immigrant like you would want to marry someone like me when you can be better off with your own kind, I mean someone who’s from where you’re?”

“But you’ve to look at it from a different perspective considering that without my wanting it I’ve become a successful businessman with a lot of money.  And that ruffles a lot of feathers and if a member of this community becomes my life partner it might straighten out some wrinkles.”

“Well, so you mean that you want me to sacrifice my future to straighten out your life wrinkles, whatever they’re?”

“Not exactly, but you’ll be part of the windfall that came my way, and believe me you’ll help us both become more successful. The end result will be both of us will become successful and lead a happy and resourceful life.”

“But the school I’m from states that there’s to be some human element, feeling, or love in any matrimony.”

“That’s only a theory and it might work in a rich region like the one we live in.  In most parts of the world, it’s arranged marriage that’s practical because people could develop love after they joined hands.  And in our case thanks for living in such a rich and advanced region, we’d the opportunity to know each other for quite a while to tell if we can put-up with each other and become a successful couple.”

“Well, I don’t know, but just out of curiosity how rich are you?”

“For that, you might’ve to take my word that you mightn’t find anyone who’s the kind of money I’ve among the milieu you must be dwelling in.  Someday you’ll see my tax return, which declares part of my income that comes my way just because I encountered a good natural fluke. You know it doesn’t work like that for everybody.”

“So you mean you don’t declare all your income?”

“I didn’t mean that, but looking at it will give you an idea about how much I make. I also have lots of investments that I don’t have to declare.”

“Well I don’t know and I don’t mean I’ll marry you for your money alone, but when there’s a good amount of money involved it makes things easier.  For example, you told me you own three properties and you’re paying a mortgage on them. What about a home?”

“I just recently bought a house too, but I haven’t decided to live in it.  I’m renting it out.  But I can assure you, we don’t have to live in my apartment, we can buy a house anytime together in any neighborhood that’ll be accommodating to us.”

“And pay a mortgage on it?”

“That’s a convenience you can take advantage of at our capacity anyway. We can take advantage of it instead of tying up a lot of money with a property that appreciates slowly, but if I want I can pay cash for a good-sized house.”

“I don’t know, you’re the one who’s pushing the envelope here.  I don’t want to struggle in life if I can avoid it by marrying someone like you despite our differences who’d obviously become successful.  Naturally, joining hands with someone like you will facilitate living because you’ll be in a position to afford leading a good life, but it could always be prone to unseen problems that we could regret.”

“You see what I mean; we’re on the same page. Problems are part of life trust me and all they need is diligent solving. In my humble opinion, the important thing in life is to work hard if the possibility somehow avails itself to you and enjoy life.”

She’d said to herself you’re right about that, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying life.  In addition, when she looks at the route she’ll be taking if she marries one of the professionals she’s anticipating joining hands with, it’s the same old route where they’ll spend the good part of their life paying a mortgage. They might buy decent cars but they mightn’t be new cars straight from the assembly line and even for those decent used cars there might be payments to make.  So life after all is a labor of love because despite the difficulty there are so many good things to enjoy such as socializing, interacting with the like-minded people, and be part of a big flourishing community.  Here too, if she marries this stranger who’s an immigrant and who’s become a successful businessman, they could be happy with less stress that having a lot of money facilitates.