When Mike’s parents offer him and his family a home, they are over the moon. Mike and Maria have a growing family, and they need the extra space. So, they venture into renovations, making the house a home. But one day, Mike’s parents called, wanting their home back.
When my in-laws offered us a house, we thought it was a dream come true. With three kids and a tight budget, any help came as a blessing.
A close-up of a house | Source: Midjourney
But, let me be honest with you: the house was far from ideal.
“It’s in the middle of nowhere, Mike,” I told my husband when we were sitting on the couch talking about the possibility of moving into the house.
“It’s miles away from the kids’ school and our jobs! We’ll have to leave a lot earlier just to make it on time,” I said, sighing.
A couple sitting on a couch and talking | Source: Midjourney
“I know, Maria,” my husband said. “It irritates me to think that the nearest grocery store is about twenty minutes away. But I don’t want to be ungrateful.”
And I understood that. In fact, their gift had come at the perfect moment. We had outgrown our little two-bedroomed house. It was now cluttered, and our three kids had to share one bedroom.
A cluttered bedroom | Source: Midjourney
“We’ll do it for the kids,” I said, taking his hand. “Whatever happens, we’ll make it work for them.”
“Think of it as a fresh start, kids,” Mike’s mom said when we went over to their home for dinner. “You’ll love the peace and quiet, and the kids will have a lot of space to run about in. This is going to be good for you.”
“Yes, Mom,” Mike said. “We agree with you. We’re looking forward to this new start and just going on a journey together as a family.”
A family sitting at a table | Source: Midjourney
The house itself was a fixer-upper, to put it mildly. There was an entire to-do list of things that needed to be done. The house needed a new kitchen, the wiring needed to be updated, and the bathrooms needed an overhaul.
We knew it would be a big project, but at the end of the day, Mike and I wanted this house to be the home our children grew up in.
“The yard is so big, honey,” Mike told me. “Can you imagine all the birthday parties and even having our kids getting married from here? I love it.”
We poured all our savings into renovating it, making it not just livable but a true home for our family. Our children deserved it.
An outdoor birthday party set up | Source: Midjourney
As things were falling into place, Mike, the tech enthusiast, even set up a state-of-the-art smart home system.
“At least it’s ours,” Mike said, smiling as he showed me how the new system worked. “It finally feels like home.”
A few months went by, and we were settled into our new home. The children adapted beautifully, and Mike and I got closer as a couple. We went on long walks together, and the kids went on picnics together all the time.
Our family had grown closer together.
A picnic set up | Source: Midjourney
Then, last month, my in-laws dropped a bombshell. They decided to sell their current house and buy a lakeside cabin. To fund this new venture, they needed our house back.
What? How? This had become our home.
We were absolutely stunned. They insisted that although they had gifted it to us, they still had a right to take it back. The sense of betrayal was overwhelming.
“They can’t do this,” Mike fumed, pacing our newly renovated kitchen. “We have a letter from them saying it was a gift!”
A shocked couple | Source: Midjourney
My husband and I couldn’t believe it. We had a written letter from them, clearly stating that the house was a gift. We decided to fight back, hiring a lawyer to help us navigate this sudden crisis.
We provided all the documents, receipts, and the gift letter. We were convinced that there had to be some legal ground we could stand on.
“I don’t know what else to do,” Mike said one morning when we were having our coffee together. “I don’t know how we’re supposed to find another place and uproot the kids again. This isn’t fair!”
A stack of paper | Source: Midjourney
Weeks passed as we waited for a resolution. But I was just getting more agitated as the days went on. Mike told me not to do anything until the lawyer got back to us. But I couldn’t wait.
I couldn’t sit back and do nothing while we waited for our home to be taken away from us. So, I spent hours looking at rentals available in the area. I just needed to have options available on hand.
I didn’t know what was coming. And I couldn’t believe that Mike’s parents would willingly put us in this situation.
A woman using a phone | Source: Unsplash
But then, the lawyer did eventually get back to us.
He walked up our driveway expressionless, which immediately made me think that there was no good news coming.
“I’m afraid there’s not much we can do,” he said. “The property was never legally transferred into your names. The documents show them as the legal owners. So, I’m sorry, but Mike’s parents are the owners.”
A man in a suit walking | Source: Midjourney
The news was devastating.
I felt my entire stomach drop.
Mike, furious and heartbroken, suggested we undo all the renovations out of spite.
“They used us,” he said bitterly. “We should take back everything we put into this place.”
But I couldn’t bear the thought. Despite everything, we couldn’t stoop to that level.
“We’re better than that,” I said. “We’ll find another place and make it ours.”
An expressionless woman | Source: Midjourney
So, we packed our belongings and moved into a tiny apartment closer to the city.
It was cramped, but it felt like a fresh start, free from the manipulation of my in-laws.
The kids adjusted surprisingly well, finding new friends and enjoying the proximity to their school and activities.
“I feel like we failed our children,” I told Mike when we were unpacking our kitchen items. “I just hate that they have to share a room again. And bunk beds? You know they hate this!”
“I know, my love,” Mike said. “But it’s just for now. The moment we can move to something better, we will. I promise you.”
A small apartment | Source: Midjourney
Just when we thought that the drama was over, my in-laws reached out to us again. They were struggling with the smart home system Mike had set up.
“We can’t figure out how to use the lights, let alone the heating!” Mike’s dad complained over the phone. “Can’t you come back and help us out here?”
The irony wasn’t lost on us.
An elderly man using a phone | Source: Midjourney
We had made that house livable and even comfortable, pouring our money and energy into it. Now, they were reaping the benefits of our hard work, but they were clueless about managing the systems we installed.
Despite their pleas, there was no way that we were going back.
“No,” Mike said firmly. “The house wasn’t right for us. We’re staying where we are.”
A man holding his phone | Source: Midjourney
The trust was shattered, and the house, with all its tech features, was a constant reminder of the betrayal. Living in the cramped apartment wasn’t easy, but we found solace in the fact that we were free from emotional manipulation.
“This isn’t going to be forever, Maria,” Mike said. “I promise you. I’ll fix this.”
A couple embracing | Source: Midjourney
The experience left us wary of gifts that come with strings attached. We learned that sometimes, what seems like a generous gesture can be a way for others to control your life.
As for my in-laws, they eventually figured out the smart home system, but the damage was done. Our relationship with them has changed irrevocably.
“Please, come over for dinner,” Mike’s mother said. “We miss you guys, and we miss the kids terribly.”
An older woman using a phone | Source: Midjourney
“I’m sorry, Eileen,” I said. “But we’re just so hurt. And you should have known better. You’re a mother; you know how important it is for kids to have stability. And you and Derek took that away from us.”
“Calm down, please, Maria,” she said.
“No, because I don’t think you understand the extent of our wounds. Mike is so disappointed in you both.”
Without another word, Eileen cut the call.
“Oh, well,” I said to myself as I started chopping vegetables for dinner. Mike and the kids would be home soon.
A woman in the kitchen | Source: Midjourney
What would you have done?
If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you |
I Accidentally Found Out My Friend’s Husband Was Cheating – I Couldn’t Help but Take My Revenge
Allison decides to hold onto her youthful side as she drives a taxi during her spare time. But one day, her friend’s husband is her passenger. As she takes the man to his destination, he asks for a detour, revealing a side of him she didn’t know. Next, Allison has to decide whether to be good at her job and protect her friend or help show her the truth.
Driving a taxi at 65 years old wasn’t part of my retirement plan, but it became my passion. I had been a writer for a women’s column for the better part of my career, and since retirement dawned, I only wrote a few articles per month.
A person using a typewriter | Source: Midjourney
“Just something to keep the old clogs working,” my editor, Elena, said when I told her that retirement was knocking on my door. “You don’t have to commit to it, Allison. It can be a freelance role, if that’s what you’d like. But just write for us every so often.”
I agreed, what else did I have to do with my time anyway?
But then, the open road, the hum of the engine, and the stories of my passengers kept me going.
“Mom, why?” my son, Darren, asked me. “Like really? Driving people around?”
A smiling man | Source: Midjourney
“You’ll understand the need to do something freeing when you’re older, son,” I told him. “Let me do this while I still can. And what’s better than enjoying what I do?”
Yesterday was one of those days that I’ll never forget because it reminded me how foul people can be.
The previous day, one of my regulars, Jane, called me. She was a lively 55-year-old woman, and over the years, we had become friends.
A smiling older woman | Source: Midjourney
“Hi, Allison,” she said on the phone. “I need a favor.”
“If it involves those croquettes with the peas that you’re trying to get me to eat, it’s a hard pass,” I chuckled. “What do you need?”
“Mike is leaving on a trip tomorrow, and he needs a ride to the airport. I’m going to be babysitting the grandbaby, so I don’t want to disturb her routine.”
People at an airport | Source: Midjourney
Read the full story here.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
‘American Pickers’ Frank Fritz put under guardianship – things started going downhill after bad engagement – Latest news!
We occasionally follow paths in life that we never would have imagined. Although Frank Fritz was a well-liked character on television, he was going through a lot in his personal life.
This is his tragic tale…
Longtime partner of Frank Fritz was Diann Bankson. His tumultuous split from her resulted in his drinking, unemployment, and even a medical emergency. Although the two are now permanently apart, their time spent together left a lasting impression on them both.]
At the age of 25, Frank Fritz, the host of “American Pickers,” first laid eyes on Diann Bankson. The pair intermittently dated before being engaged in 2017. They moved in together after purchasing an Iowa farmhouse a year later in 2018.
Their relationship, however, soured in November of that year when Bankson claimed to have “walked in” on Fritz and “caught him in bed with another woman.”
Fritz disclosed in an interview that Bankson had cheated on him and that he was even reminded of her “betrayal” by a tattoo. However, he declared his desire to wed her.
“I had planned to get married, had purchased a house and a very expensive ring, and was shocked to learn that my fiancée had been seeing someone else for the previous 2.5 years,” Fritz remarked.
Fritz stated, “She’s the cheater, which is why I got a tattoo saying ‘Once a cheater, always a cheater.’” He said that the tattoo was meant to act as a reminder to never do “the same mistake again.” And that Bankson had “cost” him a lot of money, he said.
He started drinking to heal his broken heart. That’s how he handled his heartbreak, he claimed. He lost a lot of weight as a result of this as well. “I gave it a good shot,” remarked Fritz. I made an attempt to drown her.
He overcame his drinking issue, but because the last relationship with Bankson had “stung hard enough,” he made the decision to put off dating for a while.
Following the split, he had losses in his career as well. The Sun claims that after March 2020, he stopped hosting History Channel’s “American Pickers.”
Fritz gave an explanation for his absence, saying that he intended to return to the show after the scar from his back surgery healed. “I would like to return to the show,” Fritz remarked. Now that I’m fully recovered, I’m prepared to resume my role on the show.
Fritz claimed there had been no definitive decision made by the show regarding his return. He said, though, that a showrunner had given him a call and assured him that he would return to the screen.
Despite Fritz having worked on the show for ten years, TMZ claims that the show has “no plans” to employ him as a host once more.
In addition to not returning to his show, Bankson’s ex-boyfriend Eric Longlett, an engineering administration manager, made his debut. She gushed about how fortunate she was to be with him in posts about him on social media.
“He took me to see Elton John’s Yellow Brick Road Farewell Tour,” she captioned a photo of herself and Longlett together at the concert. I’m a fortunate woman. Love you, sweetie. oxo
Fritz was hospitalized on July 4, 2022, following a stroke. After finding him on his house floor, his companion had phoned for assistance. The 911 call in which his friend stated, “He might be seizuring, I’m not sure,” was obtained by The US Sun.
Bill Fritz, Fritz’s father, told the reporters that his son was healing nicely and getting better every day.
His recuperation was not as complete as the physicians had hoped, though. After being discharged from the hospital, he was placed under guardianship and sent to a nursing home.
On August 18, 2022, his “longtime friend” reportedly filed an emergency appointment for temporary guardianship and conservatorship on his behalf, which was subsequently approved.
The bank was designated as his conservator to manage his finances, and his friend was named as his guardian.
In its capacity as his conservator, the bank would manage all of his care facility bills, including daily costs, health insurance, maintenance, and property tax payments. The bank would have to make sure he could get to events and doctor’s visits in a suitable manner.
In addition to being “in decision-making since the stroke,” his friend’s guardianship required that he submit a “initial care plan” for the patient.
In order to achieve this, his guardian would have to make decisions about his living situation, place of residence at the time, health, and medical requirements. They would also need to arrange for him to participate in activities, maintain communication with him and his loved ones, and pursue romantic relationships. It would also be expected of him to provide an annual report as his guardian.
His health was getting worse, according to his papers, and it was making it more difficult for him to make wise decisions for himself, “without which physical injury or illness may occur.”
Documents revealed that he was unable to “make, communicate, or carry out important decisions concerning his own financial affairs,” indicating that his condition was far worse than previously believed.
His guardian will have to make decisions on his behalf as he heals and is able to “receive treatment for his injuries.”
The court determined that Fritz needs a guardian in order to prevent additional harm to his health. The court decided that “appointing a guardian and conservator is necessary to avoid immediate harm to him.”
This story really breaks my heart. We send Frank Fritz our best wishes for wellness and recovery.
Tell your friends and relatives about this so they can pray for the well-being of their beloved TV show presenter and learn what happened to him.
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