A Sheltered Marigold

Rain pattered softly against the glass pane, driving a brisk morning chill through a slender draft in the sash. On the sill, a small terracotta pot held a fresh marigold cutting whose tender stem bowed low under stray drops leaking through the frame. Without a sound, I checked the damp sill with quiet deliberation. I took a clean, dry flannel square from my apron and absorbed the gathered moisture around the base. Reaching for a rounded smooth beach pebble kept upon the desk, I placed it gently against the soil rim, steadying the tilted stalk safely away from the cold draft. The golden blossom held firm in peaceful balance.