A Weighted Bookmark

I climbed out of the wire basket as the kitchen grew quiet for the night. Walking past the fruit bowl, I reached an upright wooden cookbook stand resting against the tile backsplash. Clamped across the lower pages was a heavy metal ribbon bookmark fitted with a small lead teardrop weight. I tested the textured woven ribbon with both hands, finding it taut and steady. Grasping the narrow strap, I pulled the smooth metal weight until it swung gently into the groove between two thick pages, locking them firmly open. Leaning against the curved paper slope, I settled into the quiet hollow to rest.