A Bed of Folded Linen

My little feet were ready to rest as the house grew deeply still. I stepped onto the polished surface of the side table, where a round wooden dish sat beside an unlit glass lamp. Inside the shallow bowl lay a folded square of dark green linen, its stitched corner soft and slightly raised. Taking slow, patient steps across the rim, I eased myself down onto the cloth. I tucked my shoes beneath my dress and leaned back against the smooth curved timber, listening to the quiet night air settle around me in total calm.