Our water bill soared to $214, and I discovered my neighbor secretly siphoning from our outdoor faucet, prompting unexpected advice from my husband.

A dark storm surged within me, threatening to unravel everything.

I recalled our heated dispute from June.

“You spend ages showering.”

“You do laundry for just a few shirts.”

Ben stared blankly at me.

“Excuse me?”

Last month, the weight of $214 shook our world.