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

Did you find the special seed blend, my love?

I gnawed my cheek from the inside.

Ray radiated anger.

“This concerns no one but us.” “Absolutely,” Ben agreed.

“We’ve got to handle it.”

He lifted the folder high.

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