Nighttime Bookend Perch

I walked back inside from the laundromat as the evening quiet took over, climbing up the arm of the chair to reach the side table. An open, heavy hardcover novel lay flat under the reading lamp. Right next to it was a square porcelain coaster. I pulled the coaster upright and wedged one corner firmly between the closed pages and the wooden table surface. It stayed put at a neat, sturdy angle. Leaning back against the smooth ceramic tilt, my legs stretched out comfortably across the paper pages. The amber glow made everything feel warm and settled.