A Soft Cover

I stepped through the screen door back into the quiet house, brushing the last flecks of garden moss from the rubber soles of my sneakers against the coarse jute mat. My legs felt pleasantly tired after climbing the porch steps all afternoon. Carrying my handbag over to the low wooden footstool near the sofa, I discovered a silky microfiber lens cloth draped over the edge. Its dark blue fabric was patterned with tiny gold constellations. I climbed up, smoothed the soft cloth flat across the polished oak, and sat down, pulling the cool hem over my knees. The stillness of the room was deeply comforting.