He poured two cups and brought one to Diane on the patio. She took a sip, looking out at the garden.
The water was finally soft. And life, it seemed, was just a little bit smoother.
Elias looked at the clear, brown liquid in his mug. The Harvey unit hummed quietly in the cupboard below, a silent sentinel guarding their home against the stone. He took a sip.
That evening, Elias sat at his computer, the blue glow illuminating his frustrated face. Finally, he landed on a page that seemed different. It wasn't just about tanks and salt; it was about the engineering. He clicked through the diagrams of the patented twin-cylinder system.
The coffee pot had always been the canary in the coal mine.
Elias woke up and shuffled to the kitchen. He filled the coffee pot reservoir with water. He poured the grounds into the filter. He pressed the 'Brew' button.