Gemotions

The car ride had been long, the silence between them thick with unspoken words. When they pulled up, it wasn't the house, but the empty space by the side, that snagged her attention. The apple tree, that they had planted to celebrate her fifth birthday, was gone.

A knot formed in her stomach, a hard, resistant lump. Her fingers fidgeted, picking at the seam of her jeans. She couldn’t look at her husband. She felt a pressing need to move, to do something, anything.

"I need some air," she mumbled, pushing open the car door. The crisp October air offered no solace, only a cold reminder of loss.