Chapter 10
Later that afternoon we are sitting at my dad's lawyer's office. The same one that handled my dad's estate. I didn't want to go alone so Juice and Bill were with me. "Janie, looking at this paperwork, from what I can see, I don't think she really has a case. Has she had any contact since your dad passed?" the lawyer asked me. "No. I haven't heard from her since the day of the funeral. Not until last week." I say. "What happened last week?" he asked. "She showed up at my house when we came back from our honeymoon telling me she needed money. Told me that she owes some men some money and that she needed thirty grand and I told her that I wasn't giving her the money." I tell him. "Well, I don't think she has a case. You have been running the business and taking care of the house and she has not been in contact until recently. I don't think we have anything to worry about. But if she contacts you, just tell her to have her lawyer call me." he instructs me. We shook hands and we all walked out of the office and headed to work.
Once the court date got here, I still had not heard anything else from Liv. Walking into the courtroom, I see Liv sitting there with her lawyer with a smug smile on her face. After the judge spoke to her, me, Bill and Juice, he tells us we are taking a recess for him to make his decision. Sitting outside the courthouse waiting to be called back in, Liv walks up. "I sure hope you have found another place to live, Janie. Because once the judge says that everything is mine, I'm selling the house and the garage." Juice squeezes my hand and whispers for me not to respond. She walks away smiling smugly and I released the breath I didn't realize I was holding and bury my face in Juice's chest. "Thanks for being here babe. I don't think I could handle this without you." I tell him. "Hey, I'm by your side. I got you." he tells me. A few minutes later the lawyer comes to get us to head back in.
Sitting there waiting on the judge to announce his verdict seemed like it took forever. But he finally started talking. "Looking over the information for this lawsuit and to me it looks like Mrs. Ortiz has been living in the house and running the business since the original owner passed away. Miss Summers, I wonder why, after all this time, you decide now that you think the house and business should be yours? Do you have anything else to say for yourself?" he asked. "Your Honor, my brother and I were close. He wanted me to have the house and the business but I didn't want my niece to have nowhere to go after just losing her father. But now I just feel like it has been long enough." she says. The judge looks at me and asked the same question. "Your Honor, I have not heard from my Aunt since the day we buried my father until a week before I was served with my papers. She showed up at my house wanting me to give her some money and when I said no she had me served." I told him. "How much did she ask for?" he asked me. "Thirty Grand." Looking at me a little shocked and then at Aunt Liv, he says "I have made my decision. Mrs. Ortiz, you will be keeping the house and the business. As for you Miss Summers, you are to no longer have any contact with Mrs. Ortiz. If you break this order, you will go to jail. Am I understood?" Liv looks at him in shock but shakes her head showing she understands. Walking out of the courtroom, she hurries away while Juice, Bill and I walk out to our car to go home. But I don't think this will be the last time I see Liv.