Chapter 12 - The Panic Sets In
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The following Monday, my parents sat in a dingy, cramped law office in a strip mall, desperate for a miracle.
They had taken the eviction notice to a cheap local attorney named Gregson, hoping he would find a loophole.
Gregson adjusted his glasses, flipping through the copy of the deed they had provided. He sighed heavily, dropping the paperwork onto his desk.
“I’m going to be completely honest with you, Mr. and Mrs. Evans,” the lawyer said, leaning back in his chair. “You have absolutely no legal standing here.”
“That’s ridiculous!” my mother snapped. “We bought that apartment in 1995. We raised our children in it. She manipulated us into signing it over!”
“Did she forge your signatures?” Gregson asked.
“No,” Arthur mumbled, staring at the floor. “We signed it in front of a notary.”
“Did she hold a gun to your head?”
“No,” my mother admitted bitterly.
“Then it’s a legal gift,” Gregson stated firmly. “You transferred the deed to avoid tax seizure. She paid the liens. By doing so, you willingly surrendered all ownership rights to your daughter. From a legal standpoint, you are simply guests who have overstayed their welcome. The eviction notice is perfectly drafted and entirely enforceable.”
“So what do we do?” Arthur asked, his voice cracking with fear. “We don't have savings. We don't have good credit. Where are we supposed to go?”
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“I suggest you start packing,” Gregson replied unsympathetically. “Because on day thirty, the sheriff will arrive to physically remove you and your belongings from the premises. If you refuse to leave, you will be arrested for trespassing.”
My mother broke down, burying her face in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. The arrogant woman who had pointed at the door and told me to get out was finally realizing she had locked herself outside.
