Dusting Off for the Night

I slipped back inside through the narrow gap in the patio door just as the garden outside turned completely dark. My feet still carried faint smudges of red brick dust and tiny bits of moss from the afternoon. Spotting a folded linen handkerchief on the bottom rung of the coat stand, I carefully unfolded one corner. Sitting down flat on the smooth floorboards, I drew the crisp white fabric across the soles of my feet, wiping away the garden grit until the vinyl felt smooth and clean again. Folding the cloth neatly under my knees, I leaned back against the warm wooden leg of the stand, content to let the evening quiet wash over me.