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

The weather drove my heart to ache.

Ray’s words became scarce after that incident.

That suited me just fine.

Yet, my mind kept returning not to the hose, but to the quarrel with Ben.

One night, with the kids finally asleep, I caught Ray putting dishes into the washer.

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