The Slow-Cooked Sentence

Bitter
The ache of an arm from holding a child that will not otherwise sleep.
Salty
A runny nose and the box of soggy, crumpled Kleenex on the floor.
On the coffee table. On the couch. On the bed.
Sour
Scratchy towels laid on top of vomited sheets.
Sweet
Cool skin that earlier burned.
Umami
The whine of a sick child tired of being sick.