A Rich Couple Refused to Pay My Grandpa $6,200 for Their Renovation — He Looked Around, Smiled, and Said, "Okay" / Chapter 4 / 10

Chapter 4 - The DrivewayAt 7:46 a.m., my phone rang. It was Grandpa. I answered immediately.

"Where are you?"

"Their driveway."

"Why?"

Then he told me who was standing beside him. "David."

I sat up when he named his attorney. "And Terrance."

"Terrance who?"

"My old apprentice."

I was already reaching for my keys. "What are you doing?"

"Come see."

When I arrived, four vehicles filled the driveway. Grandpa's truck. A black sedan I assumed belonged to David. Terrance's work van. And a white SUV I didn't recognize.

Grandpa stood near the porch in his usual work clothes. David was beside him holding a leather folder. Terrance leaned against his van, drinking coffee.

"What is happening?"

Grandpa smiled. "Morning. I was wondering how long you'd take to get here."

"That's not an answer."

Terrance grinned. "You're about to enjoy yourself."

Terrance had worked for Grandpa nearly 20 years earlier. Back then, he was a skinny 19-year-old who could barely cut crown molding without swearing. Now he owned one of the largest residential carpentry companies in the county.

"What are you doing here?"

He pointed toward the house. "They called me yesterday about another job upstairs."

I blinked. "They tried to stiff Grandpa and then called his former apprentice?"

"They didn't know."

Grandpa smiled. "I taught him everything except modesty."

Terrance ignored him. "I recognized the address."

That explained one part. Not the lawyer. "And you?" I asked David.

He held up the folder. "Paperwork."

Grandpa had called him almost immediately after leaving the previous afternoon. Not because he wanted to sue right away, but because he'd already grown suspicious a week earlier when Barrett started making comments about their renovation budget. So he asked David what his options were if they refused final payment.

David reviewed the original contract. Grandpa had done everything properly — written scope, approved change orders, invoices, payment schedule, and where required, the proper preliminary notices already handled. Grandpa wasn't improvising. He knew exactly where he stood.