100 Days With Mr Romero

“So what shall our next lesson be? ” Emma wondered out loud while rolling her eyes around the bar.

“Before then. ” began Sam.

“The role of business associates in any business is fundamental. ” he said.

“When your business partner falls, you go down with him hence the need for you to strengthen one another. ” hinted Sam to Emma.

She nodded.

“I think I should be jotting these points down. ” Emma told Sam after chuckling.

“You are a smart woman. ” Emma he professed.

Emma blushed and lowered her head.

“Here comes our next lesson. “announced Sam pointing to a chubby short man who just walked into the bar.

The man approached the bar tender who directed him to the spot Emma and Sam sat. Sam waved at him and he quickly began walking towards them.

The man then pulled a chair next to Emma and sat.

“Hello Sam. ” he said extending his right hand to Sam.

Sam immediately shook him and responded.

“Hello Tom.”

“This is Emma. ” Sam introduced Emma to Tom while pointing at her.

Emma bowed and silently uttered “hello.”

“Emma this is Tom. ” Sam said to her facing Tom.

Tom smiled at her brightly and Emma immediately noticed his cigarette infested teeth.

“I got your text message Tom. ” Sam began still facing him

“It’s a good thing I’m in the city that’s why I suggested we meet here today. ” he told him.

“What can I offer you? ” Sam asked him.

“No am good. Am fine. ” objected Tom.

“Are you sure? ” Sam asked him and he declined again.

“If you say so. ” Sam maintained.

“You can go ahead Tom. Emma is a friend. ” Sam said.

Meanwhile, Emma had been looking intently at Tom from the moment he sat close to her. He wore a tight shirt and she could see the different folds of his fat belly from it.

“Thank You for inviting me Sam. ” Tom began after heaving a deep sigh.

“Sam if I don’t get this money I’ll perish. My wife and kids Sam. Who will take care of them? ” Tom lamented.

Emma noticed how the cheerful fat man who just walked into the bar a moment ago had transformed to this emotional broken personality before her.

“It’s okay Tom. ” Sam consoled him with few taps on his shoulder.

“You’ll be fine. I’ll have the check signed and sent to your office with immediate effect. ” Sam promised.

Tom immediately cheered up and his sudden gloomy face began to light up.

“Thank you so much Sam for this act of kindness. I’ll never forget this. ” Tom swore and left the place after shaking both Sam and Emma.

“Tom is one of my business associates in Los Angeles. He texted me last week requesting for two million. ” Sam revealed to Emma.

“What for? ” she inquired.

“The man has a terminal diseases and he needs all the money he can get his hands on for an immediate surgery. ” Sam replied while pouring more wine into his almost empty glass.

“Oh my God that’s bad. ” Emma commented with a sad expression.

“Tom owns one of the vineyards that farms and supplies wine to us in Los Angeles.” Sam further explained to Emma while extending to her the bottle of wine. She took it from him.

“He got ill and it seems his income can’t cover up for his health demands so he reached out to me. ” he said.

That’s sad Emma thought.

“And you just loaned him some money? ” Emma asked Sam after pouring wine into her glass.

“No. ” replied Sam.

“But you just did. ” she pointed out.

“Later, I’ll call him after sending him the check to inform him that it isn’t a loan but a gift instead. ” Sam revealed.

“Oh my God Sam. ” Emma said slowly.

He winked at her and sipped his wine. Emma looked at Sam and smiled inwardly at his act of kindness. Sam is such a generous man she thought.

“Don’t look at me that way. ” chided Sam.

“I’m not the first man to gift out two million to someone. ” Sam told Emma.

She smiled and said “I love how your business operates Sam. ”

He smiled back and lifted his glass to her.

“Cheers. ” they chorused clashing their glass together.

Before they got into the car and headed for the penthouse, Sam educated Emma more on the concept of customer service and working with business partners. He gave her practical examples and clarified her on issues she had problems with.

After that, he taught her how to different passionate business partners from the cheats and opened her eyes to the realities of fraudsters.

Emma’s prior knowledge from Gideon’s business about the bar and her theoretical knowledge of financial accounting made her easily comprehend how the business works within a short while.

After they got back to the penthouse, Emma offered to assist Bryan in the kitchen which he found pleasing. Together, they made lunch and Emma ensured Bryan joined them at the table.

“What’s up for later? ” Emma asked Sam after they were done eating and were relaxing in the living room.

“That’s all for today. ” Sam replied while operating the remote.

“Oh come on. I want to learn more. ” insisted Emma.

“Why don’t you focus on the book I gave you. ” suggested Sam.

“With time, you’ll learn more. ” he told her while supporting his head with a pillow. Emma was seating adjacent him on the carpet.

“There are some things you will only learn when you start running a business. ” Sam outlined while yawning.

Emma realized Sam was dosing off on the sofa.

He must be stressed out she thought.

“Why don’t you get some rest. ” she offered turning down the volume of the Television.

“You sit here and enjoy your movie. ” Sam told her.

He immediately got up and stretched himself lifting his hands up to the sky.

“I’ll rest inside. ” he said then started hurrying upstairs.

Emma smiled and watched him as he made his way upstairs.