A Cooling Ring

I climbed onto the low coffee table as the house settled into quiet. Right in the middle sat a wide ceramic saucer, cradling a single drop of spilled chamomile tea that had spread into a thin, dark amber ring. I stood frozen at the edge of the glazed rim, letting the cool evening stillness wrap around me. With a gentle sideways tilt of my head, a tiny click sounded in my neck. Leaning down inch by inch, I pressed the tip of one smooth hand against the puddle. The liquid was cool and slightly tacky, reflecting the low overhead lamp like a dark, tiny mirror.