A Soft Dusty Leaf

I walked down the quiet garden lane and stepped inside the warm succulent greenhouse. On a weathered wooden bench near the entrance, a shallow terracotta pot held a pale blue echeveria. I placed my little white cup safely on the edge of a dry timber slat. Taking my time, I gently reached out and touched the powdery tip of one fleshy petal. A tiny circle of soft silver dust brushed away onto my fingertip, revealing the smooth turquoise skin underneath. I stood still, letting the humid hush and the faint scent of dry earth surround me.