Gemotions

She surveyed the meticulously organized pantry. Rows of canned goods, labeled with her mother’s precise handwriting. The spice rack, a rainbow of orderly jars. Everything was in its place, just as she remembered. She felt the corners of her mouth twitch.

Her phone buzzed. A text from a friend: “How’s the parental situation?” She typed back a single emoji: 😂. Then she added, "It's, uh, *efficient*."

She opened a bag of her childhood favorite snack, a processed cheese cracker. A small, joyful flutter arose in her chest. This was going to be interesting.