“One hundred three.”
The HOA President's face became pale.
The Black Homeowner continued:
“I asked.”
“You ignored me.”
“I wrote.”
“You ignored me.”
“My Attorney wrote.”
“You ignored him.”
“The board voted against your parking proposal.”
“You ignored them.”
“So I changed something I actually control.”
He looked toward the brick patio.
“My property.”
She stared.
Then whispered:
“You did this because of me.”
The Black Homeowner looked at the new patio.
“Partly.”
His Wife added:
“Mostly because it looks better.”
The HOA President glared.
The Black Homeowner smiled.
“Have a good three weeks.”
He handed the inspection document to his Wife.
The driver loaded the luggage.
They stepped toward the airport vehicle.
The HOA President moved after them.
“You think leaving makes this go away?”
The Black Homeowner stopped.
“No.”
He looked toward her.
“Permits make it go away.”
Then he climbed into the SUV.
His Wife sat beside him.
The airport car pulled away.
The HOA President remained on the sidewalk.
Pink suit.
Designer bag.
White SUV parked legally at the curb for once.
And behind her stood the brick patio she could no longer use as parking.
The Black Homeowner watched through the rear window until she disappeared.
His Wife leaned toward him.
“You enjoyed that way too much.”
He smiled.
“A little.”
“Bathrobe was ridiculous.”
“Effective.”
“Portugal?”
He looked forward.
“Perfect.”
They boarded their flight that afternoon.
While crossing the Atlantic, the HOA conflict entered its next phase without them.
The HOA President sent an emergency board email.
Subject:
UNAUTHORIZED FRONT-ACCESS MODIFICATION AT CORNER LOT
The board received copies of the approvals within minutes.
One Board Member replied:
This was approved July 14.
Another:
Why is this an emergency?
The HOA President responded:
The homeowner removed a functioning driveway, creating parking and visual concerns for the community.
The Treasurer replied:
Whose parking concern?
No answer.
Then the Architectural Committee Chair forwarded the complete approval packet.
Everyone saw it.
Every requirement satisfied.
The HOA President tried a different argument.
She claimed eliminating the driveway could reduce available neighborhood parking.
The Property Manager replied:
The driveway was never common parking.
That sentence circulated.
Then somebody asked the question the HOA President had successfully avoided for months.
Why were you parking there?
Silence.
The board requested documentation.
The Black Homeowner was in Lisbon.
His Attorney handled everything.
He provided one hundred three incident logs.
Camera stills.
Certified letters.
Emails.
The HOA President’s failed proposal asking the board to create shared parking rights.
The four-to-one rejection.
Her later continued parking.
The Attorney also provided the most damaging email.
One the HOA President had sent after incident seventy-two.
I understand the driveway is technically part of his lot, but corner properties have always carried greater informal community obligations.
The Board President Pro Tem read it twice.
Technically part of his lot.
There was the admission.
No confusion.
No easement.
No misunderstanding.
She knew.
She parked anyway.
The board scheduled an executive session.
The HOA President objected.
They held it without her participating in the portions concerning her conduct.
The Property Manager explained liability.