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

Ben hadn’t returned home yet.

The kitchen remained shrouded in darkness.

I moved silently toward the sink, let water fill a glass, and peered through the pane above the dish rack.

A shadowy figure crouched beside my house, startling me.

Instinctively, I feared an intruder.

He slowly rose to his feet.

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