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

With trembling hands, my friend Ben returned home clutching a mysterious metal box.

“What is that?”

“It’s a faucet lock.”

A grin spread across my face, the first in days.

He secured it onto the outdoor spigot, a snug fit.

We held our breath, anticipation coursing through us.

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