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

Ray’s silence shattered our fragile peace.

“It was once priced at $58.”

“That doesn’t imply it was all my responsibility.”

“Correct. That’s the reason we monitored it.”

Ben presented the meter data.

Ray’s cheeks flushed crimson.

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