Jessica sat back down on the rocking chair and laid her magazine aside. The vial was silver and slightly opaque, but clear enough so that she could see the liquid moving within. She carefully removed the stopper and brought it up to her nostrils, but she didn’t smell anything. Could it actually be—?

Just then she heard their mother’s voice calling her from inside the house, “Jessica, there’s a Tony Luponi on the phone for you. Is your sister out there with you?”

Jessica hastily put the stopper back on the vial, replying, “Yeah, mom. She’s fine. She’s out here with me. I’m coming in now.”

“All right, dear. I’ll go out and keep an eye on her.”