About 30 people showed up.
Danielle stood near the front beside a display board filled with photographs of lawns, flower beds, and porches.
She saw me walk in.
Her expression changed immediately.
“Marianne.”
“Danielle.”
She stepped toward me.
“What are you doing here?”
“Attending the homeowners’ meeting.”
“I can see that.”
Her voice dropped.
“You contacted the committee.”
“You told me to complain to someone.”
“I didn’t mean…”
“I know.”
For once, I smiled first.
The meeting began.
Danielle took her place at the front.
She spoke confidently about neighborhood pride, maintaining shared spaces, and respecting the appearance of other people’s properties.
I almost admired her ability to say it with a straight face.
Then the garden committee member stood.
“Before we continue, we need to address a concern about this year’s program.”
Danielle stiffened.
The room quieted.
The woman explained that a nominated property had been included without the homeowner’s permission.
She didn’t name me immediately.
She didn’t need to.
Danielle was already staring at me.
“We also learned,” the woman continued, “that repeated activity by the person who submitted that nomination may have contributed to damage in the same garden.”
A murmur moved through the room.
Danielle stood.
“I think ‘damage’ is overstating it.”
