Gemotions

The review was a gut punch, leaving Chef Anya breathless. She'd put everything into this new restaurant, and now, this… humiliation. Her face burned with humiliation. She slammed the magazine on the table, the impact making the silverware jump.

She began to pace, the kitchen floorboards creaking under the weight of her frustration. She didn't want to talk. She didn't want to see anyone. She wanted to be alone with her defeat, her failure.

She picked up a nearby knife and began to slice lemons, her movements sharp and deliberate, the acid smell rising to her nostrils. The lemons were not enough.