Before he could explain, another car turned onto the street.

The white SUV suddenly made sense.

A woman got out carrying a tablet and a large tote.

Another vehicle pulled up behind her.

A man stepped out with a camera bag.

I looked at Grandpa.

“Who are they?”

“That’s why we’re here early,” he said with a smile.

The woman approached the front door.

Grant opened it before she reached the steps.

He wore slacks and a polo shirt.

Melissa appeared behind him.

Then both of them saw Grandpa.

Grant stopped.

“What are you doing here?”

Grandpa glanced at the woman with the tablet.

“Morning. Looks like we all got an early start today.”

Her face lit up.

“Oh! You must be Frank.”

Grant looked at her.

“You know him?”

She smiled.

“Of course. I’ve seen the built-ins. They’re gorgeous.”

Grandpa nodded politely.

“Thank you.”

Melissa’s expression changed.

And suddenly I understood.

They were listing the house.

The woman was their real estate agent.

The photographer was there to shoot the property.

Grant stepped off the porch.

“Frank, I thought we were done.”

Grandpa nodded.

“So did I.”

Grant looked at David.

“Who is this?”

“My attorney. I asked him to come with me today.”

That wiped the smile from his face.

Melissa stepped closer.

“Why do you have an attorney?”

David opened the folder.

“Because Mr. Wilson has an unpaid balance for completed work on this property.”

Grant’s jaw tightened.

“We have a dispute.”

Grandpa tilted his head.

“No, we don’t. There’s nothing left to dispute here.”

“Yes, we do.”

“About what?”

“The bill.”

Grandpa looked at me.

Then back at Grant.

“You signed yesterday that the work was completed, accepted, and that you had no complaints regarding the workmanship.”

Grant stared at him.

Melissa’s eyes widened.

“That isn’t what that paper said. You never mentioned any of that.”

David calmly removed a copy.

“It is.”

Melissa grabbed it.

She read.

Her face changed.

Grant snatched it from her.

“You tricked us.”

Grandpa shook his head.

“I didn’t trick you. I asked you to read it.”

“You said it was paperwork.”

“It was.”

Grant looked furious.

Then David explained what would happen next.

Grandpa was taking the necessary steps to secure his unpaid claim against the property.

Depending on the legal process in their jurisdiction, that could include a mechanic’s lien or similar contractor remedy.

David chose his wording carefully.

But the part Grant immediately understood was simple.

An unresolved contractor claim could create a serious problem when they tried to sell the house.

His face went white.

“What lien?”

Grandpa looked toward the huge front windows.

Then back at him.

“The one attached to the house you’re trying to sell.”

The real estate agent slowly lowered her tablet.

“Grant?”

He turned.

“This is nothing. Frank’s just trying to scare us.”

David looked at her.

“It’s an unpaid $6,200 balance for completed renovation work.”

She stared at Grant.

“You told me all contractors had been paid.”

“They have.”

Grandpa raised one eyebrow.

Grant snapped, “Except him.”

A long silence followed.

The real estate agent’s expression said enough.

“You cannot list a property and just not mention something like this to me.”

Grant rubbed his forehead.

“It’s being handled.”

Grandpa nodded.

“That’s why we’re here.”

Then Grant noticed Tommy.

“And why is he here?”

Tommy pushed away from the van.

“I’m here because you called my office yesterday.”

Grant frowned.

“For the upstairs?”

“Yes.”

“We had a ten o’clock appointment.”

“We did.”

“Then why are you here with him?”

Tommy looked at Grandpa.

“He trained me.”

“What does that have to do with our quote?” Grant asked.

“Everything.”

“You’re refusing the job?”

“Yes.”

Melissa stared at him.

“For what reason?”

Tommy shrugged.

“I like getting paid.”

I had to bite the inside of my cheek.

Grandpa shot him a look, but Tommy only grinned.

“What?” Tommy said. “It’s true.”

Grant’s voice rose.

“This is ridiculous. You’re all trying to gang up on us.”

“No,” Grandpa said. “I’m trying to get paid for work you already agreed was done correctly.”

Melissa crossed her arms.

“You’re doing all of this over $6,200?”

Grandpa looked at her.

“No,” he said. “You did all this over $6,200.”

Yesterday, $6,200 had apparently been small enough for them to take from an old carpenter.

Now that the unpaid bill might interfere with a property worth well over a million dollars, it suddenly mattered.

Grant tried to pull Grandpa aside.

We could all still hear him.

“Come on, Frank. We can work this out.”

Grandpa nodded.

“We could’ve worked it out yesterday.”

“I’ll give you the $6,200.”

“That’s exactly what you already owed me yesterday.”

Grant looked at David.

“What else does he want?”

David answered.

“Nothing unreasonable.”

Grandpa had already incurred legitimate expenses dealing with their refusal to pay.

Attorney time.

Filing preparation.

Administrative expenses.

The contract also allowed certain collection-related costs where legally recoverable.

David had itemized everything.

No invented punishment.

No ridiculous penalty.

Just actual costs.

Grant looked at the new figure.

“Six thousand eight hundred and fourteen?”

David nodded.

“This morning, yes.”

Grant nearly shouted, “That’s over six hundred dollars more!”

Grandpa shrugged.

“Yesterday it cost $6,200.”

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.