CHAPTER 6: WTF

GALAVAN'S POV

The car turned into their street and Mr. Galavan heaved a sigh of relief. This day was finally over. He couldn't wait to run a nice shower and drop to bed.

"What's happening here?" His daughter said.

Galavan stared up ahead. 

They were halfway down the street and up ahead, their gates were wide open. A few neighbors stood across the road peering into their compound.

'What fresh hell is this?' His eyes squinted as he tried to make sense of what was happening.

The black limousine pulled up to the front of the open gates, revealing their whole compound.

"Dad, who are these people?" Emma said.

A tow truck stood in their lot, it's yellow lights flashing. Men in navy overalls clustered around it. The name Rocko Bank was bold on their reflective vests. One man was crouched beside Mr. Galavan's blue truck, fastening a heavy chain to the axle.

As the limousine parked into his compound, Mr. Galavan got a clearer view.

His eyes nearly popped out. 

"What...what the hell is that?" He rasped.

A man in a white shirt and black necktie was standing over the working men with a clipboard in his hand. He seemed the one in charge and as the Limousine doors slammed close, the man turned and faced Mr. Galavan and Emma. He straightened with the authority of someone expecting confrontation.

"Mr. Galavan," he said, "We have left several notices. Your repayment schedule..."

"You're out of your mind," Mr. Galavan snapped. "You have no right to..."

"Sir, we are acting on instructions of Rocko Bank following default on loan account 238..."

"Default?" Mr. Galavan barked. "I have been in talks with your branch manager. "Talks!"

"You will have to take that up with him. I'm only following instructions here, sir." 

"Well, you can't tow my truck without my help anyway," Mr. Galavan said dismissively.

"Are you sure about that?" The man looked through the half-open driver's window. "Good! Handbrake's off. Guess you were in a hurry."

He nodded to the tow operator and the hydraulic arm groaned to life. The SUV's front lifted off the ground with the squeal of metal.

"Dad, they're going to take it?" Emma pleaded.

Before Galavan answered her, she rushed toward the gate. 

"What's that?" A large white sheet of paper caught his attention as well and he followed her. It was posted on the open gate. And a small crowd of nosey neighbors had gathered by the gate, some reading the poster, others staring into the compound and whispering in each other's ears.

Up on the gate was an official paper stamped in red. The heading read:

NOTICE OF DEFAULT AND INTENTION TO TAKE POSSESSION

Mr. Galavan ran his eyes through the message. He didn't bother understanding some of the legal terms, but it was clear the message was a warning:

'This serves as a formal notification that secured assets registered to Mr. Galavan Gray and Galavan Holdings LTD are in default. Unless full payment or satisfactory arrangement is made within fourteen (14) days, the bank shall proceed to take possession of and sell the following...'

And a list of assets followed.

"What the hell are you staring at?" Mr. Galavan turned to the neighbors in anger.

Some retreated cautiously away from the gate, others didn't budge.

"Can't a man have any privacy in this neighborhood?" Mr. Galavan cursed.

"Dad, are they taking all these things?" Emma turned.

Mr. Galavan's eyes shot back to the notice. 

His heavy chest rose and fell with rage as he read the last line of the list of property on the notice.

'Property at 17 Eden Road.'

Their house, the same house he had grown up and fathered children in. The house his father had passed down to him.

Old Galavan stormed across the compound, breathing heavy like he had ran a marathon and  heart aching with the anticipation of loss. His daughter followed right behind him.

"You can't threaten my home, you hear me," he growled at the foreman. 

The man didn't flinch. "Sir, no one is taking your house today. But the mortgage is long overdue and legal proceedings have begun. You have fourteen days."

The front door burst open and little Jovana came running out barefoot with a rag doll clutched in her hand.

"Grandpa! Grandpa! Who are these men in our house." She looked on the brink of tears.

"Inside the house?" Mr. Galavan's face turned white and he made a bee-line for the main door, his bulky stomach shaking slightly under his shirt as he hurried.

Emma and Jovana followed behind him.

Emma's mother met them at the door. Her face was pale and frightened.

Mr. Galavan shoved past her.

Two men in blue shirts were in the living room. One was snapping photos of the plasma TV and sound system. And the other was pasting bright orange stickers on items like the refrigerator, and other electric appliances.

"Are you out of your minds? Who..." Mr. Galavan's voice cracked mid-yell. He didn't finish his sentence. His face red with rage, he swung left and attacked one of the men.

Bridget, who was sobbing quietly on the couch, jumped to her feet and intercepted.

"Dad, you'll only make things worse."

"You rascals! You invade my house and scare my grand daughter?"

"Inventory for collateral, sir," one of the men muttered.

They both stood still and remained professional.

"Sir, it's only documentation. The court order hasn't been executed yet. You still have fourteen days." 

"Get out!" Mr. Galavan shouted.

"We were about done, sir," the man pasted one more sticker onto a desk printer and the two headed out the door, Mr. Galavan hot on their tail.

The moment they stepped outside, the tow truck's engine revved. The chain went taut, and Galavan's truck lurched forward.

Mr. Galavan rushed towards the driver's door, but two uniformed men stepped between.

"Sir, please don't interfere," one warned.

"Dad," Emma said softly, clutching his arm, "Please stop, you can't fight them."

He jerked free, trembling with rage and helpless pride. 

"You think I'll forget this? Infront of my children?" He wagged a finger at them. "Things will turn back in my favor soon and you fellows will see."

The tow truck pulled away, dragging Galavan's SUV with it.

Mr. Galavan stared at it helplessly as it exited their gate and onto the street.

As the other men finalized gathering their equipment, the engines of the white van they came in lit up.

The foreman stepped to Mr. Galavan and handed him an envelope and left with the others.

* * * *

That evening, everyone but Jordan and Misty sat in the living room. The silence was unbearable.

Jovana sat on the floor. "Why did they take grandpa's car?" she asked.

Emma's mother looked away.

Laura stood quietly and disappeared upstairs.

"Come," Emma called onto Jovana who climbed and perched beside her on the couch. She held Jovana and slowly smoothed her hair.

The great Galavan, once the man who made rooms hush when he walked in, had become a sorry sight to behold. He sat at the edge of the couch, deep in thought, eyes staring to the floor.

Just then the electric power went off.

"What's that?" Emma asked. 

As the others reached for torches, Old Galavan remained calm like he already knew that what was happening.

Emma turned on a small desk lamp powered by batteries.

Amidst the dimly lit room, Jordan appeared from an adjoining room.

"Dad!" he held out his hands like WTF. "I'm watching 'The Last Godfather'."

Mr. Galavan's head dropped. He looked like a cornered animal, hunted and already captured. 

"If this marriage doesn't go through, there won't be money for lights, or water, or anything," Galavan said. 

No one spoke and Galavan remained silent too as if to let that sink in.