Post-Banquet Respite

Leaning back against the steep incline of a wool-blend cushion, I permitted myself a rare pause following our holiday banquet. Propping my bayoneted rifle securely against the sofa's armrest, I inspected a stray polished bone button that had slipped between the braided seams of the fabric. With both hands, I eased the smooth disc flat against the twill, watching the afternoon sun cast clean diagonal bands across the upholstery. The dining campaign is finished, the perimeter remains quiet, and resting here offers a deeply earned moment of restoration.