Boil the water and add the cloves.
Simmer over low heat for 5–7 minutes.
Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for another 10 minutes.
Strain and drink warm in the morning, preferably on an empty stomach.
🕯A story inspired by scent: “Carnation for Raphael”
It had been three days since Alfredo had returned to Rio. His home smelled of cinnamon, damp paper, and anxiety. Rafael still hadn’t called. One morning, while he was making a clove decoction—now a ritual for mental clarity—Alfredo noticed that one of the dry buds in the cup was trembling strangely, as if it were hesitating from an internal movement.
He understood: this is a sign.
With each drop of the infusion penetrating his body, fragments surfaced in his mind. Rafael’s letter. The phrase: “Find the woman with the carnation necklace.” He remembered her face—indistinctly, in the haze of Rio de Janeiro’s twilight. She sold spices at the foot of Lapa.
The next morning Alfredo went to the market. And there, among the chili and mango stalls, he saw her. The woman with eyes like night handed him a small bundle.
You’re drinking cloves… so you’re ready for the truth,” she whispered.
Alfredo slowly took the bundle from her hands. The woman’s fingers touched his palm—warm, dry, smelling of wood and cocoa. He felt something inside him shift, as if an ancient lock had turned, letting light into the locked room of memory.
“You weren’t just looking for your friend,” she said quietly. “You were looking for yourself.”
He wanted to reply, but the words got stuck. Instead, he just nodded.
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