A Soft Landing

I eased my feet off the green display studs, testing each step until I reached the cool grain of the shelf. Just a few strides away sat a ceramic coaster patterned with faded blue hydrangeas. Leaning forward, I rested one curved hand against its glazed rim to steady my balance. Beside it lay a dried lavender sprig someone had left behind. With both hands, I nudged the brittle stem until it rested neatly across the ceramic circle, creating a quiet little centerpiece in the dim evening light.