Gemotions

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the freshly mowed lawn. Just as she was about to settle into her favorite reading chair on the porch, a tap-tap-tap shattered the peace. It was Mrs. Gable, beaming like she’d just won the lottery. "Oh, hello, dear! Such a lovely yard you have!"

Her jaw clenched. Lovely was the precise word to describe it. Lovely and *mine*. "Yes, Mrs. Gable?" she managed, her voice tight.

"I was wondering…" The woman gestured vaguely towards the edge of the property. "If I could perhaps use a small patch to grow some vegetables. Just a little corner. My yard gets no sunlight, you see." That damn yard of hers looked perfectly manicured, a testament to her passive-aggressive perfectionism.

He forced a smile. "I'll have to think about it. It's a lot of work maintaining the whole yard, you know." Her smile thinned slightly. "Of course. Well, just consider it, dear!"