“And I strongly recommend you don't post anything about this online.”
Marcus looked at her.
“I wasn't planning to.”
“Good.”
Brenda adjusted one bracelet.
“These situations get ugly when people turn them into neighborhood gossip.”
Marcus glanced at the garage.
“Your son put a car through a building.”
“Lower your voice.”
“I am talking normally.”
“People are outside.”
Marcus looked toward the street.
Several neighbors stood on sidewalks watching.
One held a phone.
He looked back.
“That's because a car drove through a garage, Brenda.”
Her face tightened at the use of her first name.
“You know exactly what I mean.”
“No.”
“I don't.”
She stepped closer.
“Marcus, I'm trying to keep this civil.”
He stared.
“Then start with your son damaged my property.”
Brenda looked at him for several seconds.
Then said:
“Your property was already compromised.”
There it was.
Marcus nodded slowly.
“Okay.”
She seemed confused.
“Okay?”
“Yes.”
“You've made your position clear.”
He took out his phone.
Brenda frowned.
“What are you doing?”
“Writing down what you said.”
Her eyes sharpened.
“Don't record me.”
“I’m making notes.”
“You don't have permission.”
“I don't need your permission to write.”
Brenda looked toward Officer Martinez.
The officer was nearby.
Listening.
Brenda walked away.
Marcus kept documenting.
By six that evening, the silver sedan had been towed.
The garage was boarded.
A temporary tarp covered part of the opening.
Tyler and Brenda were gone.
Marcus stood alone in the driveway.
Broken white panels were stacked near the curb.
The space looked unfamiliar.
Like someone else's disaster.
His brother Andre arrived carrying two coffees.
Andre was forty-six, larger than Marcus, and professionally incapable of experiencing mild anger.
He stared at the garage.
“Tell me you punched somebody.”
“No.”
“Disappointing.”
Marcus took the coffee.
“Thanks.”
Andre walked closer.
“That kid okay?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
He looked at the damage again.
“Now I can be mad.”
Marcus laughed despite himself.
Andre turned.
“That's Brenda's son?”
“Yeah.”
“The HOA woman?”
“Yeah.”
“The one who fined you for having a ladder visible for one afternoon?”
“That one.”
Andre whistled.
“And she's blaming your garage.”
Marcus looked at him.
“How do you know?”
“Mrs. Gardner told me.”
Marcus closed his eyes.
Neighborhood gossip had already outrun official reports.
Andre continued:
“She says Brenda told somebody at the mailbox station that the garage collapsed because it wasn't maintained.”
“That was less than two hours ago.”
“Brenda works fast.”
Marcus drank coffee.
His stomach turned.
“What?”
Andre asked.
Marcus looked toward the garage.
“Nothing.”
“That's a lie.”
Marcus hesitated.
Then:
“Tyler said she told him to come here.”
Andre's expression changed.
“What?”