Mark sat on the top wooden step drinking iced tea, while I sat on the wooden bench by the rain barrel with my ledger book.

“Our joint household checking balance is down to three hundred and twelve dollars,” I said, holding my pen flat against the page.

“I balanced our records two hours ago.”

Mark set his mason jar down on the porch floorboards with a dull thud.

“I told you at noon that household expenses are heavy this summer,” he said.

“The mortgage payment cleared on the first,” I said.

“The electric bill was ninety dollars, and the tractor fuel bill went straight to my father’s shop account.”