My Neighbors Made Me Take Down My Wall. They Didn’t Expect What Happened Next.

“Hi there,” she said with a bright smile. “You must be Luke.”

“I’m Vanessa. I just moved into Carl’s old place.”

I wiped my hands on my jeans and walked over.

“Welcome to the neighborhood,” I told her. “Carl was a good guy. You’ll like it here.”

She nodded politely, but I noticed her eyes drifting toward the retaining wall behind me. That wall had a way of catching people’s attention. She tilted her head slightly.

“So, that structure,” she said, “retaining wall?”

“Right.”

She paused for a moment.

“Is that permanent?”

I let out a small chuckle.