Chapter 15 - The Ultimatum
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On day twenty-five, the desperation hit a boiling point.
I was at my office space, finishing up a freelance editing project, when the front receptionist buzzed my desk.
“Laura, there’s an older couple here demanding to see you. They’re causing quite a scene in the lobby.”
I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. “I’ll be right out.”
I walked into the glass-walled lobby to find my parents standing near the reception desk. My mother looked disheveled, holding a plastic grocery bag, while my father looked pale and exhausted.
“Laura!” my mother cried, rushing toward me, trying to grab my arms. “Please, you have to stop this! We couldn't find a rental. Nobody will take us without a massive deposit.”
I stepped back, avoiding her touch. “You shouldn't be here. I am at work.”
“We have nowhere else to go!” Arthur pleaded, his pride completely shattered in front of my coworkers. “Just give us six months. Let us stay until we can figure something out.”
“You had five years to figure something out,” I replied coldly. “You lived rent-free for half a decade on my dime, and you used that time to belittle me and throw my daughter's food in the trash.”
“It was just soup!” my mother screamed, tears streaming down her face.
“It was never just soup, Mom. It was the absolute lack of respect.” I signaled to the building security guard standing near the elevators.
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“If you don't leave right now, I will have you escorted out,” I warned them. “You have five days left to pack your belongings. If you damage the property on your way out, my lawyer will sue you for vandalism.”
The security guard approached, placing a firm hand on Arthur’s shoulder. Defeated, my parents turned and walked out of the sliding glass doors, entirely out of options.
