Gemotions

The woman’s voice, a soft tremor in the air, startled him. Maya, the new neighbor, with her vibrant scarves and a smile that seemed to radiate sunlight, was requesting something truly unheard of. She was asking for a small plot to grow herbs. He found himself speechless.

His heart thumped a strange rhythm against his ribs. He felt like he should be doing something, anything, besides standing there and listening. His mind seemed to have shut down.

He simply managed a weak smile, then, with a strange gesture of his hand, offered access to the most fertile part of his yard. He found his throat a bit dry, feeling the blood rush to his cheeks.

Watching Maya’s face light up, he experienced an unexpected sensation. It was a feeling of… something… that he couldn’t name.