"I know."
Then he walked away.
That evening, I received another email.
This one was from the HOA board.
It said my conduct was "creating unnecessary division."
I forwarded it to Thomas.
His response came ten minutes later.
Do not reply yet.
Then another message.
Something tells me they are building a record.
I understood what he meant.
If Karen could make me look unreasonable, she could turn the story around.
So I became more careful.
I stopped speaking to her directly whenever possible.
Everything went through email.
Everything was polite.
Everything was documented.
And then, on Monday morning, Karen moved the SUV.
For about six hours.
At 3:20 p.m., I came home.
The SUV was back.
This time, it was parked farther inside.
My father's chair had been moved again.
And there was another note.
BOARD REVIEW PENDING.
I stared at those words.
Then I called Thomas.
"I think she's escalating."
He replied immediately.
"No, Daniel."
"Then what is she doing?"
"She's testing how far she can go."
The Meeting
The HOA board meeting was held the following Thursday.
Nearly thirty residents attended.
Karen sat at the front of the room beside four board members.
I sat in the back.
She smiled when she saw me.
"Daniel, thank you for coming."
I said nothing.
The meeting began with landscaping.
Then parking.
Then community pool maintenance.
Finally, Karen said:
"Next, we have a property-access matter."
Every head turned.
She held up a folder.
"Mr. Daniel Mercer has repeatedly refused reasonable temporary assistance to the association."
I felt several people looking at me.
Karen continued.
"The HOA has experienced a short-term storage issue. Mr. Mercer's detached garage provides a practical solution."
A woman in the second row raised her hand.
"Does he own the garage?"
Karen hesitated.
"Yes."
"Then why is the HOA using it?"
Karen smiled.
"Because community needs occasionally require flexibility."
I stood.
"I'd like to respond."
Karen looked irritated.
"This isn't a debate."
"You just described me publicly."
"Please sit down."
"No."
The room became quiet.
I held up a copy of the declaration.
"There is no provision granting the HOA access to private garages."
Karen interrupted.
"You are misinterpreting the document."
"I brought the relevant section."
I read it aloud.
Several residents looked at each other.
Then one of the board members, a man named Harold Benton, leaned toward Karen.
"Is that accurate?"
She whispered something to him.
He frowned.