Marcus almost choked on his coffee. He knew the real estate market in the area, and a home in downtown Richmond, even a simple one, was worth at least four hundred thousand dollars.
«Did you transfer the documentation?»
«We did everything properly,» said Dorothy. «Brian took us to the notary’s office, signed the papers. He said now we wouldn’t have to worry about property tax, maintenance, those things.»
«And where are your documents now?»
«With Brian. He said he would need them to do the paperwork for the new house.»
Marcus felt his blood run cold. All signs pointed to a situation he didn’t want to believe. «Do you have the phone number of any of your other children?»
«We have Regina’s, our oldest daughter,» said Dorothy.
«How about we call her? Maybe she knows something.»
Harold shook his head negatively. «We don’t want to worry her. And besides, Brian asked us not to talk about the investment with anyone for now.»
The doorbell rang, interrupting the conversation. Marcus went to answer and found Sharon, his mother-in-law, standing at the door with a surprised expression at seeing activity in the house.
«Good morning, Marcus. Do you have visitors?»
«Good morning, Sharon. It’s a long story. These are Mr. Harold and Mrs. Dorothy. They needed to stay here last night.»
Sharon entered the house, looking suspiciously at the elderly couple. «Nice to meet you. Marcus, can I speak with you for a minute?»
They went to the porch, and Sharon didn’t waste time. «What does this mean, Marcus? You brought two strangers into your house, with Ethan here.»
«They were abandoned on the road, Sharon. Their son disappeared and left them in a terrible situation. And I couldn’t just leave them.»
«And you thought the problem was yours? Marcus, you have a small child to take care of. You can’t just pick up people off the street.»
«That’s not how it happened.»
«Yes, it is. And now? Are they going to live here? For how long?»
Marcus took a deep breath. Sharon had always been a practical person, but since Emily’s loss, she had become even more protective of Ethan and more critical of his decisions.
«It’s temporary, just until we sort out their situation.»
«Marcus, I help you with Ethan because that’s what my daughter wanted. But if you’re going to turn this house into a shelter, I can’t keep coming here. It’s not a suitable environment for a child.»
«Sharon, please.»
«It’s either this or me, decide.» And with that ultimatum, she left the house, leaving Marcus alone on the porch.
When he returned to the kitchen, he realized from the elderly couple’s faces that they had heard the conversation.
«Son, we’re leaving,» said Harold, rising from the table.
«No, you’re not, you still have nowhere to go.»
«We can’t cause problems between you and your mother-in-law,» insisted Dorothy. «She’s right, you have Ethan to think about.»
«I’m the one who decides what’s best for Ethan, and for now, you stay here.»
Marcus picked up the laptop and began researching the Acacia Gardens neighborhood more thoroughly. He looked for elementary schools, small markets, any reference that could help. After an hour of searching, he found a public school on Flower Street that had a small market two blocks away.
«Let’s take another drive over there,» he suggested.
This time, Marcus stopped at the school and asked the principal if she knew of any Brian who had recently moved to the area. The answer was no. At the small market, the owner had also never heard of Brian.
«Are there any houses on the street that have been for rent or sale lately?» asked Marcus.
«Yes, there is. The house at Number 45 has been up for rent for two months. The owner lives in New York and can’t find a good tenant.»
They went to Number 45. It was a small house with an unkempt garden and a neglected appearance. Definitely, no one was living there. On the way back home, Dorothy started crying again.
«I knew something was wrong. Brian has been acting very strange these past few weeks.»
«Strange how?»
«Nervous, always checking his phone, leaving the house at all hours,» explained Harold. «And lying about where he was going.»
«Did you suspect anything?»
«We did, but we wanted to believe everything was okay,» admitted Dorothy. «He’s our son, right? You always want to believe the best.»
When they got home, Marcus made a decision. «I’m going to call my attorney. I need to understand this situation with the sale of your house better.»
«We don’t want to cause any trouble.»
«It’s no trouble. It’s what any decent person would do.»
Marcus’s attorney, David, got straight to the point when he heard the story. «Marcus, this has all the signs of a scam. Elderly parents, property sold below market value, a son who disappears. It’s a pattern I unfortunately see a lot.»
«What can be done?»
«First, we need to verify if the sale documentation is valid. Second, we try to locate this Brian. Third, if the scam is confirmed, we file a lawsuit for fraud and try to reverse the sale.»
«How much will this cost?»
«For people in their situation, I’ll do it pro bono. I won’t charge anything.»
Marcus felt immense relief. At least there was a legal path to try to help them. That night, after Ethan fell asleep, he sat on the porch with the elderly couple to talk.
«Attorney David is going to help us. He thinks there’s a way to reverse this situation.»
«Marcus, son, you’re doing far more than any stranger should do for us,» said Dorothy.
«You’re not strangers to me, not after today.»
«Why are you helping us so much?» asked Harold.
Marcus was silent for a moment, thinking of the answer. «When my wife passed away, I felt abandoned by the whole world. People offered help, but after a few weeks, everyone went back to their normal lives. Only Ethan and I were left.»
He paused to breathe before continuing. «You were also abandoned by your own son, and I know how much it hurts to feel like you have no one in the world. If I can keep you from feeling that, I will.»
Dorothy held Marcus’s hand. «You’re an angel, my son.»
«I’m no angel at all. I’m just someone who understands the pain.»
The next day, Attorney David called with alarming news. He had investigated the house’s history at the County Clerk’s office and discovered that the sale had been recorded for only $150,000, not $200,000, as Brian had told his parents.
«Besides, Marcus, I checked with the Internal Revenue Service system. Brian Thompson Williams hasn’t filed any taxes in the last two years. There’s no record of legal professional activity.»
«What does that mean?»
«That the money from the house was probably used to pay off his debts. And from the history I found, he has pulled similar scams on other people.»
Marcus felt a deep anger growing in his chest. How could someone do this to their own parents? «What now?»
«Now I file a lawsuit alleging elder coercion and fraudulent sale. But it will take time, Marcus. Legal proceedings aren’t quick.»
When Marcus shared the news with the elderly couple, Harold broke down. All his dreams of a peaceful retirement had been destroyed by his own son.
«Thirty years of work gone to waste,» he murmured. «How could I have been so foolish to trust?»
«You weren’t foolish, Mr. Harold. You were a father, and fathers trust their children.»
«But what are we going to do now? We have nothing left. No house, no money, no documents.»
Marcus was about to respond when the phone rang. It was Sharon.
«Marcus, I’ve decided. If these elderly people stay in your house, I’m not coming back. That’s my final word.»
«Sharon, for God’s sake—»
«No, Marcus. You chose strangers over your own family. Now live with the consequences.» She hung up.
Marcus looked at the elderly couple, who had overheard the conversation.
«Well, now we’ve caused the fight between you,» said Dorothy, starting to cry. «We have to leave.»
«You’re not going anywhere. Sharon is the one being irrational.»
«But what about Ethan? Who will take care of him while you work?»
This question hit Marcus hard. He really hadn’t thought about the logistics of the situation. He couldn’t miss work, couldn’t take Ethan to the office, and now he no longer had Sharon to help. «We’ll figure it out,» he said, though he didn’t know how.
That night, as Ethan cried and Marcus tried to calm him, Dorothy knocked on the bedroom door.
«Can I help?»
«Mrs. Dorothy, you need to rest.»
«Rest nothing. Let me take care of him.»
And so naturally, Dorothy took over caring for Ethan through the night. She had the right touch, the necessary experience, the patience that Marcus sometimes felt he lacked. The next morning, when Marcus woke up rested for the first time in months, he found Dorothy in the kitchen with Ethan in her arms, calm and smiling.
«How did you get him to stop crying?»
«Colic, my dear. Just the right little massage on his tummy and a few drops of chamomile.»
Marcus realized at that moment that maybe the situation could work out better than he had imagined. Dorothy knew how to care for babies much better than Sharon, who had always been more rigid and impatient with Ethan.
«Mrs. Dorothy, how about we make a deal?»
«What kind of deal?»
«You take care of Ethan during the day, and I take care of you at night and on weekends until we resolve your housing situation.»
«Marcus, we can’t accept charity.»
«It’s not charity. It’s an exchange. You’re helping me as much as I’m helping you.»
Harold, who had overheard the conversation from the living room, approached. «Marcus, are you sure about this? Taking care of old folks isn’t easy.»
«You’re not old, Mr. Harold. You’re experienced. And I need that experience.»
And so began a routine that none of the three had planned, but which brought a strange sense of family to that house that had been living in silence and sadness for months. Marcus went to work in the morning, knowing Ethan was in good hands. Dorothy found a new purpose in life, caring for the baby, who reminded her of her own children when they were small. Harold, little by little, began to get involved in household tasks, fixing small problems that Marcus didn’t have the time or skill to handle.
Two weeks later, Attorney David called with an update.
«Marcus, we found Brian.»
«Where is he?»
«Arrested in Durham. He was detained trying to pull the same scam on another elderly couple.»
Marcus felt a mix of relief and anger. At least now they would know the whole truth.
«And the house?»
«We’re still investigating. But it seems he really sold it for one hundred and fifty thousand and spent it all. The buyer will have to return the property, but it will take time.»
«How long?»
«Months, maybe years. Legal proceedings are like that.»
When Marcus shared the news with the elderly couple, their reactions were quite different. Dorothy cried with relief to know her son was alive, even if in prison. Harold felt a deep anger for having been betrayed in such a calculated way.