“We went over the household budget on Sunday,” Renee said, her voice carrying all the way to the women holding coat hangers three registers away.

“You’ve got your own cash, so you can pay for your own non-standard items.”

“It was only eighty cents more than the house brand,” I said.

“Eighty cents times eighteen months adds up,” Renee said, drawing a folded paper ledger out of her handbag.

“I added up the water bill jump, the extra trash bin fee, and your pharmacy drop-offs.

You cost this household four hundred and twelve dollars a month, and Daniel is putting every bit of it on his personal credit cards.”