A Button in the Dust

I padded quietly away from the living room rug and slipped into the kitchen. The linoleum felt smooth and cool beneath my feet. Near the open bottom of the tall pantry cupboard, a small stack of woven placemats stood against the baseboard. I paused to inspect them, nudging the rough braided edge with one paw. Tucked just behind the weave, half-hidden in the shadow, sat a shiny, flat pearlescent button with two tiny holes. I used both paws to carefully slide it into the soft morning light. It looked like a tiny saucer waiting for tea.