While her smile seemed friendly at first, something about her energy felt overly intense. As she asked us personal questions—how long we’d be staying, where we worked—her eyes scanned our boxes, shoes, and furniture as if inspecting rather than greeting. And just as abruptly as she had arrived, she informed us that the neighborhood allowed only one car per driveway, delivering the message like a warning rather than helpful information. We chose not to argue, wanting to avoid conflict. But three days later, just before sunrise, the rumble of heavy engines pulled us from sleep.
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