"Hey, babe? Can you come here for a second?"

I went to the kitchen when I heard her call my name. I found her pouring tea at the counter. Just one cup.

"Yeah, what's up, hon?"

"I'm just trying out a new brew. Could you sit with me and help me troubleshoot?"

"Sure. Let me know what you need."

"Just get ready to catch. I don't know how long it'll take to kick in."

I stood close by while she breathed in the steam, blew on the cup, and took a sip. She seemed to enjoy it, but then she blinked and screwed up her mouth.

"Ooh, that's a lot of cinnamon. That might be too much."

She breathed through her nose for a while, and then she closed her eyes. Her face froze, like she was about to sneeze.

I got my hands ready. She quickly put down the cup on the counter and waited for the sneeze to come.

When she finally let fly, she went to pieces. Her head flew forward, popping off her neck and spinning somersaults in the air until I caught it in my arms. I wasn't able to grab her torso in time, but I managed to get a hand on one of her arms and bobble it until I had it under control. The rest of her landed in a heap on the kitchen floor. I tried to hook one of my feet under a knee, but all I did was split her leg in two.

"Oops, sorry," I said. "You all right?"

"Yeah, fine," she said, a little frustrated. "Not the first time. Wish I hadn't landed on the linoleum, but I didn't want to risk any of the carpet getting a tea stain."

I set her arm on the counter and lifted her head to my eye level. "So. Too much cinnamon."

"Yeah. Thinking so." She pointed her eyes down at the pile of her, and then back up at me. "Little help?"

"Sure." I set her head down against her arm, within reach of her fingers, and retrieved her torso. Once I had it balanced on a stool, I put her head back where it belonged, but the split didn't go away. "Hon, um, it's not working."

"Yeah, I was afraid that might happen," she said. "Do you still have any of my lotion ready?"

"I think I have some in the bathroom." I started gathering armfuls of her and carrying her to the living room couch. "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."

"Ha, ha."