Melissa looked at the real estate agent.
“Can they actually do this?”
The agent didn’t answer immediately.
She looked at David instead.
“I assume you’ll provide documentation?”
“Of course.”
She turned back to Melissa.
“Then my recommendation is that you resolve it before we proceed.”
That was when Melissa finally stopped looking smug.
Grant disappeared inside.
He returned several minutes later.
“Fine.”
Grandpa shook his head.
“Payment needs to clear.”
Grant glared at him.
“You don’t trust us?”
Grandpa smiled.
That might have been my favorite moment all morning.
“No.”
A wire transfer was arranged.
David handled the details.
The photographer remained beside his car, pretending to be deeply interested in his camera settings.
The real estate agent made several calls.
Tommy finished his coffee.
I watched Grandpa.
He wasn’t celebrating.
He wasn’t taunting them.
He almost seemed bored.
Once confirmation came through that everything had been properly received and documented, David explained the next steps for releasing or withdrawing the claim as appropriate.
Grant looked at Grandpa.
“So we’re done now?”
Grandpa nodded.
“Once everything is finalized.”
Melissa stood on the porch with her arms crossed.
“You could’ve just told us yesterday you were going to do this.”
Grandpa stared at her.
Then he said, “I did tell you that you owed me $6,200.”
“That isn’t what I mean.”
“I know.”
Then he turned toward his truck.
As we walked away, Grant called after him.
“You really would’ve caused a problem with our sale over six thousand dollars?”
Grandpa stopped.
He looked back.
Grant frowned.
“No,” Grandpa said. “You caused a problem with your sale over six thousand dollars.”
Then he climbed into his truck.
I rode with him to breakfast.
For several minutes, neither of us spoke.
Finally, I asked, “When she said you couldn’t take the cabinets back, why did you smile?”
Grandpa laughed.
“Because she was right.”
“What?”
“I wasn’t going to take them back.”
“Then what exactly were you planning to do instead?”
“I didn’t need the cabinets.”
