Returning In

I squeezed back through the crack of the screen door, leaving the darkening porch behind. My feet were still a little dusty from the garden soil, so padding across the woven fibers of the doormat felt delightfully scratchy and clean. Right beside the boot tray, a soft grey felt slipper lay tipped slightly open like a quiet, fabric cave. I climbed up its gentle wool slope and slid right into the rounded toe, letting the plush lining cushion my back. The quiet hum of the house settled all around me, warm and still. Have you ever felt how welcoming an indoor corner becomes once the night falls?