Gemotions

The heavy oak door of the post office slammed shut behind her, echoing in the quiet street. Sarah had just mailed the final copy of her manuscript, and the reply, a polite but firm "no," had already arrived in her inbox. She skipped down the sidewalk, her steps light and springy, despite the drizzling rain.

She pulled out her phone and sent a picture of the rejection letter to her writing group. She typed a single word: “Yay!” followed by several laughing emojis.

The damp air smelled of wet asphalt and blooming lilac. She paused, inhaled deeply, and then burst into a spontaneous rendition of a show tune, her voice a little off-key but filled with sheer exuberance.