Carol looked up from a counter, holding five used beakers in clustered fingers. “If you're expecting me to do that for you, forget it—”
“Nobody's asking you,” he said hotly, refusing to look up. “I just have to concentrate, that's all.” Carefully, he measured each substance and put them together. Then he stirred them, breaking the clumps into an even powder.
By the time he had finished mixing in a certain amount of water and stirring the contents again, Carol had brought him a sieve that fit over a tray. Without a word, she showed him how to force his mixture through the screen. The result was small grains of the combined substance.
“I'll put it in the dryer under low heat,” she said quietly, picking it up.
Tom picked up some dirty equipment and started washing it.
By the time the dry
