That night, she typed a review: “Drain services Abingdon — saved my sanity and a rubber duck. 10/10.”
Pete tucked the duck onto his dashboard next to a bobblehead. As they pulled away, Clara waved from the porch. The house felt lighter. The secret was gone.
And somewhere under Mill Road, the old pipes ran silent for the first time in sixty years.
“Rubber duck?” Shiv asked, holding up the now-clean toy.
The repair took most of the morning. Pete and Shiv dug a trench by hand to avoid the gas line, replaced the broken section with modern PVC, and even hosed down the driveway. When they finished, Pete ran the kitchen tap for a full minute. The water whooshed away without a gurgle.