A Fold in the Velvet

Curiosity pulled me away from the tea cart toward the heavy velvet curtain pooling softly across the floorboards. At the hem, the dusty-rose fabric gathered into deep, pillowy flutes like quiet little caves. I pressed a hand into the thick nap; it was dense, lush, and warmly muffled against the evening chill. Squeezing gently sideways into a deep vertical fold, I let the plush fabric close around me like a private alcove. Leaning back, I rested my shoulder against the velvety curve, peeking out at the lamp-lit floor while the quiet darkness gathered outside.