Looking up at the building I sighed and rang the bell. Thankful my baby was sound asleep in her stroller as this would take time and I needed to stay calm. I heard the sound of footsteps and the door opened. A older gentleman answered and said, "Maggie?"
Nodding I said, "Well Maggie and Chloe."
He smiled and said, "Welcome. I am Mr Klaus your Grandma's lawyer."
He came out and helped me lift the stroller inside. Pointing to the first door he said, "Let's go in here."
Looking past him I saw stacks of crates and boxes and he said, "You will understand soon I promise."
Looking around I found I was in a small apartment that had a few pieces of furniture and asked, "Mr. Klaus you said this was about my Grandma's estate?"
He pointed to the table and I sat down. He said, "Before we begin how are you doing? The last we spoke you and your husband were divorcing and you just had Chloe."
The tears fell down my cheeks as I said, "Not good, my ex took all the money and left Chloe and I with so little. I had to sell my mom's jewelry I didn't like to keep us going. I have to be out of my home in two weeks."
He handed me a tissue and took my hands as he said, "Maggie he didn't take everything from you. This building and all the contents are yours. This envelope will get you started."
Looking up I said, "I do not understand."
He smiled and said, "You own this building and everything inside of it. The envelope holds five thousand dollars and your Grandmother left you so much more in this building. Cash, jewelry and enough items to sell you can put you and Chloe through college. The apartment we are in is yours. It's not a huge place so you will have to downsize but we can get everything from your old house next week. I understand with the baby it can be hard to move."
"How big is this place," I asked.
He smiled and handed me a list that read.
Basement: Holds Laundry Room, twenty storage units that can convert to bunk rooms. Four bathrooms. Sitting area.
First floor- Maggie's Apartment, Store Front, hall way, four two bedroom apartments 1bath, three one bedroom/bath apartments, three 3 bedroom two bath apartments. 1 common area, 1 library, hallway, two sitting areas
Second floor- four two bedroom apartments 1bath, three one bedroom/bath apartments, three 3 bedroom two bath apartments. 1 common area, 1 library, hallway, two sitting areas, 3 studios with bathrooms
Third floor- four two bedroom apartments 1bath, three one bedroom/bath apartments, three 3 bedroom two bath apartments. 1 common area, 1 library, hallway, two sitting areas, 3 studios with bathrooms
Fourth floor- four two bedroom apartments 1bath, three one bedroom/bath apartments, three 3 bedroom two bath apartments. 1 common area, 1 library, hallway, two sitting areas, 3 studios with bathrooms
four two bedroom apartments 1bath, three one bedroom/bath apartments, three 3 bedroom two bath apartments. 1 common area, 1 library, hallway, two sitting areas, 3 studios with bathrooms
Roof area- two bathrooms, covered roof greenhouse, covered glass atrium.
I read everything and said, "This is all mine?"
Nodding he said, "Yes it is. Will Chloe sleep for a few minutes?"
Nodding I said, "Yes."
"Good come across the hall with me," he said.
We walked across the hall and we were in a room with clothing racks, shelves and a counter with a glass case. The door led to a set of stairs and I said, "A boutique."
He nodded and said, "Exactly. Now I understand you have three storage units with your parents belongings is that correct?"
"Yes," I said. "I have to pay in two weeks or the place will take everything."
Leading me back to the apartment he said, There is room to place your parents things and whatever you do not want to place into the apartment. We can move your parents things to the building anytime. How soon can you pack things to move?"
The things I wanted to keep are mostly packed. The stuff left I was going to sell."
"Well the furniture in here can be taken out if you want to bring your own things," he said. Chloe's room is empty so you can bring all her things. So what I would suggest place notes on all boxes that are to come into the apartment and which room. Everything else will be placed somewhere in the building."
Sitting on the couch I said, "I can't believe this is happening."
He smiled and said, "It is and when you clear apartments you can rent them out. The stairwell is locked until you open up the upper floors. The electric and water have $10000 credit on each and your TV and cable are also credited $4000 each. You will get statements here starting next month."
"Just before the cold weather hits," I said.
He nodded and said, "Each unit holds their own heat and a units. Chloe will be warm and they are electric. When you are ready to rent I will help you set up leases."
He handed me a massive keyring and a small set of keys. He said, "The big keyring is for every door in this place. I would suggest you leave that here. The rest are yours. The keys to your apartment and the doors to the stores inner and outer doors. Remember you can have anything in here taken out but you can add as you sort as well. When can we get your parents things moved?"
"When can you someone to move that from the storage units and my house?" I asked.
"Now," he said.
Chloe slepted as I moved her from her stroller to the car seat and Mr Klaus followed me to the storage units. All four were in a row and I handed him the keys. I told him to place the items throughout the building so I could have good surprises. He handed me two rolls of stickers. Red for boxes,furniture being put throughout the building and green for the items to go into the apartment with the name of the room. Thankfully besides the two bedrooms there was only a bathroom, laundry room and pantry, kitchen, office nook and living room, and shelves storage room. I headed home and nursed Chloe as I tagged the boxes and furniture that was ready.
When Chloe was fed, burped and changed I placed her in her swing and kept packing items. When the movers arrived with Mr Klaus I told him the green were labeled but I would pack more when everyone left. He said he can come back to get everything else as soon as I called and I can go back to the building whenever I want as it is my home.
When they left and I looked around I realized there was not much left. The doorbell rang and when I opened it Chloe's dad was at the door. I shut the door and went to my purse closing it to make sure what little cash I did not put in my new bank account was hidden inside my purse. He rang the doorbell again and I answered it and said, "What Justin I am busy packing."
"I came to see what was left that I can take," he said.
"No," I said. "You were told to get everything by last week and most of the stuff has been moved to my new place. Visiting Chloe for the next year has to be at the visitation center. Now please leave I do not want to call the police I have a lot to do so I can get everything moved to my new home. I want to be settled before the end of the week. This stress is not good for Chloe or myself. You can communicate with me on the visitation and child support app."
He went to step in and I heard, "Now Justin do not give me a reason to use my new gun."
My best friend Sarah stood there with her hand in her sidearm. Justin looked at her called her a bitch and went to his car.
She walked in and said, "Pity. Now you better tell me what's going on."
As she lifted Chloe out of her swing to hold her we went to the kitchen and I told her about my day. When I was done she laid a sleeping Chloe in the bassinet and said, "Well I guess we have work to do. Let's pack the rest of the garage while she is sleeping then we will label the totes placing everything in the garage and out of this dump."
Looking in my freezer I pulled out a frozen pizza and smiling asked, "Hungry."
Smiling she said, "Like old times."
We spent the rest of the day packing and when we were done late that night I had everything packed, tagged and ready to be picked up the next morning. With three baskets with the stuff we would need for the next two days plus two baskets for the fridge and freezer for the next morning ready to be loaded I laid on the couch next to Chloe's bassinet ready to start our new life together.
The next morning Mr Klaus arrived with the movers and saw Chloe awake in her swing. He said, "If you want to go to the apartment complex we can load everything up. We can check all rooms and closets before we leave and lock the doors behind us."
Sarah showed up and said, "No need to lock up I am here to clean and meet the landlord with the keys. Maggie I will drop the security check to the bank and meet you at the new place to help unpack. Mr Klaus I went to the building is there a dumpster for the building?"
"Yes," he said. "There is a recycle and trash chute at the side of the building in the stairwell. I will show Maggie when we get there. If the stairwell is blocked we will move the items. Safety first."
Hugging Sarah I said, "I have a order to pick up for pricing supplies and a Walmart order ready to be picked up for the new place I will see you both there."
Picking up both orders took less then ten minutes. Pulling up to the front of the building I took a sleeping Chloe and placed her in her crib the moving crew placed in her room. It took me ten minutes to bring everything in and while she slept I started to put everything away. I had just put all the food I brought in and made my bed when I heard Mr Klaus come into the apartment.
He said, "Sarah was almost done cleaning the upstairs when we left the old place. She should be here soon enough. The stairwell was blocked so you will see the door now so you can do recycling and garbage runs without going outside."
The men were bringing boxes into the apartment when a young man came out saying, "Your little one is in her crib talking to herself."
Laughing I said, "She does that. She is probably hungry so I will get out of the way and feed her."
Mr. Klaus said, "I will find you when we are done and I will make sure all the stairwell doors are clear."
Picking up Chloe I changed her and nursed her in her room. When she was burped and happy I put her in her swing with some toys to play with while I started to unpack the kitchen. When I emptied some boxes I took them to the stairwell and followed the instructions. Place the boxes in and shut the hatch. I read as long as there is no movement after items are added they will be crushed in ten minutes. The garbage had the same instructions.
After thirty minutes Mr. Klaus came in and said, "Well everything is in the building and ready to go. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Where can I get inspection reports for the sprinkler system and elevator?" I asked. "I know the elevator is for items only but I want to make sure."
"It is in the built in filing cabinet in the office nook," He said. "Everything is labeled."
Chloe started to get fussy and I said, "Thank you I will look and call you if I have more questions."
As I walked him out Sarah came to the door and said, "She is calling my name."
Going inside I heard her say, "Lord child what did you eat."
Mr Klaus left and I locked the front door to the building going back to the apartment. Sarah grabbed a pumped bottle from the fridge and was heating it up for Chloe as I moved the seasonal totes to the hallway. I continued to unpack and when Sarah finished feeding Chloe she laid her in her bassinet.
For the rest of the day we added boxes to the hallway that I needed to sort and finished unpacking the apartment. By the time she left that night we had unpacked or moved everything else, hanging pictures and decor. When I walked her to the door she hugged me and said, "Take the next few days and relax, then start to work on this place. You have money and a way to make more. Be a new Mom."
Sitting at my kitchen table I thought about what got me here. I thought things were good with Justin and I and when I was five months pregnant I found out he was having an affair. With Sarah in the kitchen I confronted him in the living room. He started to scream and yell saying it was my fault because I was fat. I said I was pregnant not fat. He slapped me hard and Sarah came running out of the kitchen. She pushed him away and got between us. He went to lunge at me and she dropped him fast. He looked at me and threw divorce papers at me saying I was replaced. He went to our room and packed a bag and left.
I went to our joint checking account and paid the next six months of bills transferring a few thousand to my personal checking account. Sarah watched what I did and stayed with me. The next morning Justin called and said he took all but $2000 that was in the account. I transferred the rest to my personal account and closed the account. I had a buffer till Chloe was two months old. During the divorce the judge set child support and Justin refused to pay even after I got enforcement involved. He has yet to meet Chloe.
This building was now my job and our future. Justin will be pissed when he finds out but now I have leverage. Since the apartment was unpacked I decided the first area to be worked on the first floor will be the hallways.
Setting up the baby monitor I went into the hallway and opened the first box. Inside was formal gowns. I ran into the apartment and grabbed my tablet. Looking up the brands I started to price the gowns hanging them on the back wall clothing racks.
My phone rang,not recognizing the number I said, "Hello?"
"Where did you move to?" Justin said.
Maggie-main
Mr Klaus- lawyer
Justin- ex
Sarah- best friend
First floor- Maggie's Apartment, Store Front, hall way, four two bedroom apartments 1bath, three one bedroom/bath apartments, three 3 bedroom two bath apartments. 1 common area, 1 library, hallway, two sitting areas
Second floor- four two bedroom apartments 1bath, three one bedroom/bath apartments, three 3 bedroom two bath apartments. 1 common area, 1 library, hallway, two sitting areas, 3 studios with bathrooms
Third floor- four two bedroom apartments 1bath, three one bedroom/bath apartments, three 3 bedroom two bath apartments. 1 common area, 1 library, hallway, two sitting areas, 3 studios with bathrooms
Fourth floor- four two bedroom apartments 1bath, three one bedroom/bath apartments, three 3 bedroom two bath apartments. 1 common area, 1 library, hallway, two sitting areas, 3 studios with bathrooms
four two bedroom apartments 1bath, three one bedroom/bath apartments, three 3 bedroom two bath apartments. 1 common area, 1 library, hallway, two sitting areas, 3 studios with bathrooms
Roof area- two bathrooms, covered roof greenhouse, covered glass atrium
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