Morning Drops

I uncapped the small red bottle and set it upright on the cool granite. Beside it stood a tall glass tumbler, its exterior beaded with cold condensation from morning ice water. A thin wooden coffee stirrer lay near the edge of a coaster. I picked it up, braced my stance, and lightly guided the flat tip along the curve of the glass. A heavy bead of water gathered on the wood, slid down the grain, and dropped straight into the open neck of the bottle. Four steady drops filled it halfway. I sealed the cap until it clicked.