Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

"Who else but you would do something so barbaric?" Madge was clearly livid.

It was rare for her to speak ill of others.

And "barbaric" might be the most aggressive word she could muster.

Yet, for Louisa, it was water off a duck's back. She stood with her hands on her hips and let out a cold laugh, "Barbaric? This is barbaric to you? You clearly haven't seen anything yet!"

"You're admitting it then? You did this?" Madge couldn't believe what she was hearing, her eyes wide with shock.

Louisa's gaze flickered, "Watch your words. What am I admitting to? Where's your proof? Do you have any?"

"Plus, even if I did do it, so what? If you're so tough, go ahead and call the cops on me, see if I care. The law says you need damages over five hundred dollars to file a report. You think I don't know my rights?" Madge was beside herself with anger.

Norris quickly stepped in, placing himself between his wife and Louisa, "Louisa, there's no need to be so harsh! Our wisteria wasn't bothering you. We're all neighbors here, why take it this far?"

Roseanne surveyed the scene, noting the wisteria petals scattered around, the trellis that ran along the shared yard wall was broken and hanging in mid-air.

The whole yard was a disaster zone.

"Just because you say it wasn't bothering you?" Louisa, far from intimidated by Norris stepping in, rolled up her sleeves ready for a showdown, "Your plants shaded my vegetable patch from the sun, stunted their growth, and they're always getting infested with bugs because of it. How is that not a bother?"

at the ground, "are all sharp angles and directly in front of my window, messing with the vibe of my house. How is that not a

use. You complain about bugs in your veggies, I could say your garden attracts swarms of mosquitoes to ours every summer. Did

those trellises are on our property. Even if they extend a bit, they don't cross into the communal space, much less into your yard. Mrs. Wilson across the way has her trellises facing your window

the neighborhood for her fiery temper and not someone

dare cross

the end, it was all about bullying the

with her stuff, I just don't like yours, what's it to

trying to act

and back yards to

"You-"

life you can't afford,

a man, wasn't one for arguments,

Madge was speechless.

one for

corner, picked up the mop she had swung around the day before, still damp from Norris'

seems

Co worries, we can

didn't quite jog

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