A Soft Welcome Back

The garden hose grew chilly against my back as twilight fell. I padded slowly away from the damp bricks and slipped back across the deck boards toward the glowing glass door. Just before the threshold, a thick woven coir doormat caught my eye. I paused, tilting my ears to listen to the quiet murmur indoors. On the bristly fibers rested a pair of soft fleece house slippers, left side by side. I crept closer and pushed my snout right into the rounded, dark toe of the left slipper. It smelled of soft fabric and warm dust. Nudging the plush collar open, I wiggled inside until only my hind paws were peeking out into the evening draft.