“Just a special flavoring, sweetheart,” he said, turning around with a smooth smile.

“An herbal extract the clerk at the health food store recommended for deep relaxation.”

He set the mug on the marble counter right in front of me, the steam carrying the herbal smell into the quiet kitchen air.

“Drink it while it’s hot,” he said.

I lifted the handle with my fingers, but the weight of the ceramic suddenly felt like too much.

“Did the clerk give you a printed label for it?”