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

I reached for the folder my partner and I had left on the entry table, memories flooding back.

Ray caught sight of it.

His face transformed.

The first picture passed into Ben’s hands.

Tuesday arrived.

Ray knelt by our tap.

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