Chapter 7 - The Closing Table
December 29th, 9:55 AM.
The conference room of North Georgia Title & Escrow in downtown Blue Ridge looked like a scene out of a boardroom drama.
The room was paneled in dark, rich mahogany, centered around a massive polished oak table. On one side sat the buyers—two slick, expensive-looking real estate developers in tailored suits accompanied by their own corporate counsel. On the other side sat my father, my mother, Lauren, and Grant, looking like condemned prisoners walking toward the gallows. Their faces were pale, their hands twitching, casting terrified glances toward the empty chair at the end of the table.
I walked in at precisely 9:58 AM, wearing a sharp charcoal blazer, my hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail, carrying a leather portfolio case. I didn't look at my family. I walked straight to the empty chair, pulled it out with a crisp scrape against the hardwood floor, and sat down.
At the head of the table sat Rebecca Lawson, the senior closing attorney, a sharp-eyed woman in her late forties with wire-rimmed glasses and a crisp business suit. She was opening a thick manila folder, laying out settlement statements, deed transfers, and wire routing instructions.
"Good morning, everyone," Rebecca announced briskly, looking around the table. "We are here to finalize the conveyance of Pine Hollow, parcel ID 482-B, for the agreed purchase price of $1,600,000. Before we begin signing, I need to verify all ownership parties are present and accounted for."
She ran her finger down the title manifest, her eyes scanning the names listed on the master deed.
Richard Carter. Present. Diane Carter. Present. Lauren Carter Reed. Present.
Rebecca paused. Her finger stopped at the fourth line. She adjusted her glasses, frowned slightly, and looked up from the paper, scanning the room until her gaze landed squarely on me.
May you like
Then, she looked directly at my father, her expression a mix of professional confusion and mild annoyance.
“Wait a minute,” Rebecca asked, her voice ringing clear and sharp in the silent room. “Why didn’t you tell us Emily’s name is on the deed?”
