The next afternoon, Jiselle returned to the building. This time, she did not go upstairs. She stood outside by the entrance while two parents were arriving with their children. She spoke loudly enough for them to hear that Holly was interfering with a lawful transfer and had attacked her the day before. The parents looked from Jiselle to Holly. Ben, already inside, heard the raised voices and came to the top of the stairs. Holly stepped outside but kept the doorway behind her clear. She did not argue about the fight in front of the children. She said the town office had no order to vacate and that she had requested a board review. “You’re stalling,” Jiselle said. “I’m following the process.” “You’re turning the parents against me.” “They can read the papers for themselves.” Jiselle lifted the folder she was carrying. “Fine. Let them read these.” For a moment, Holly thought Jiselle might finally provide the complete agreement. Instead, the pages she offered were partial copies of what the clerk had already printed, plus a cover letter asserting her claim. The missing attachment was still missing.
Holly took the papers and thanked her. The parents who had been listening asked to see them. One began comparing the pages to the copies Holly had shared the night before. The conversation stayed outside, away from the mats. That mattered to Holly. She wanted the children to train without becoming an audience for another argument. Inside, Ben and the others continued their warm-up under the watch of another parent. Outside, the dispute was becoming less about who could shout louder and more about what the documents actually said. By the end of the day, several families had agreed to attend the next available board session if the transfer was placed on the agenda. Holly submitted her formal request for review along with the available materials. The clerk confirmed receipt and noted that the board would need a complete submission from all parties before it could act. The confirmation was written. Holly kept a copy.
That night the furnace failed again. The temporary heaters the families had brought earlier were not enough for the whole room. Holly closed early and sent everyone home. The next morning she called a retired carpenter who had once fixed the vents for free. He agreed to look at the system and told her the part she needed was still available but would cost more than she had on hand. The lease fight and the building itself were now racing each other. If the furnace could not be repaired, the gym would become unusable whether or not Jiselle’s claim succeeded. Holly added the repair estimate to the folder and showed it to the parents who stopped by. The conversation shifted from the confrontation to the practical work of keeping the space open. One family offered to organize a small fundraiser. Another offered to paint and clean so the room would look cared for when the board members visited. Holly accepted the help. She had carried the gym alone for years. The recent days had made clear that she could not continue that way forever.
