Gemotions

"Another one, please," Maya said to the barista, her voice soft and low. She had a gentle ache in her shoulders, the kind you get after a long practice session. The coffee shop was quiet, the air thick with the aroma of roasted beans. A song started from the cafe's speakers.

Her head tilted slightly. She recognized the piano chords, the opening bars of her most beloved song. She did a quick, almost undetectable, smile. The cover, by a jazz trio, was… inventive.

Maya felt her fingers uncurl, then curl again around her mug. The barista arrived and set the coffee down. She then took a sip, and the warmth felt more potent than ever. Her gaze drifted across the room, taking in the small details, the way the sunlight fell on the polished wooden tables. She felt a lightness in her chest she hadn't felt in weeks.