Chapter 2 - I did not actually live there for free
I moved into Brian and Melissa’s house three years earlier.
Not because I was destitute.
I had:
A pension.
Retirement investments.
Social Security.
Savings.
No mortgage.
After Carol died, I sold our small condo because every room sounded empty.
Brian suggested I live with them temporarily.
Their house had:
Four bedrooms.
A finished basement.
A detached workshop.
I liked the workshop.
They liked that I could:
Pick up groceries.
Meet repairmen.
Cook.
Watch the house when they traveled.
I offered rent.
Brian said:
“No.”
Melissa said:
“Family doesn’t charge family.”
Then two months later, Melissa approached me.
“Would you mind helping with household costs?”
Of course not.
We agreed:
$1,250 per month.
Groceries.
Utilities.
General household contribution.
She had recently started a small business:
Melissa Grant Home Services LLC.
It handled:
Interior-design coordination.
Home organizing.
Vendor scheduling.
Holiday decorating.
She said:
“I can run your household contribution through the company and give you clean receipts.”
I was not thrilled.
But she said her bookkeeper preferred it because she purchased shared household supplies through business vendor accounts.
I signed a recurring-card authorization.
Amount:
Up to $1,500 per month unless additional services are separately approved.
I remembered that clearly.
Because I had written the limit myself.
May you like
The charges on my phone were not $1,500.
They had not been for a very long time.
