Gemotions

Agnes clutched the newspaper tighter, the ink already smudging on her fingers. There, staring back at her from the food review, was a picture of a towering cake, frosted with elaborate swirls. Below it, the headline proclaimed it the 'Duchess's Delight' – a sensation sweeping the nation. She nearly choked on her tea.

Her heart thumped, a frantic drum against her ribs. She recognized the cake. It was her grandmother's 'Sunset Surprise' recipe, the one she'd inherited, the one she'd only ever made for family birthdays. She reread the description: light as air sponge, a hint of citrus… exactly. The journalist raved about the secret ingredient. Agnes felt a coldness creep up her spine.

She grabbed her phone, her hands trembling so badly she could barely dial. Her niece, Emily, picked up, sounding bubbly. "Aunt Agnes? What’s up?" Agnes rasped into the phone, "Emily, are you by any chance… working at a bakery?"