Gemotions

The email sat in her inbox, the subject line a taunt: "Award-Winning Apple Crumble Recipe!" The recipe was, undeniably, hers. She’d spent countless hours perfecting it, passing it down to her daughter. Now, under a new brand and a new title, it was celebrated as a national treasure. The knot in her stomach tightened, a familiar pressure. She felt flushed, her palms slick.

The sunlight streaming through the window seemed to intensify, making her skin tingle. She stood abruptly, pushing her chair back with a loud scrape. She needed to *do* something. She felt a desperate urge to get outside, to feel the wind on her face.

She grabbed her keys, her movements jerky and quick.