Gemotions

The day stretched before Maya like an endless, unpaved road. She was restless. She went to retrieve the mail, hoping for a distraction from the dull ache inside her. Junk, mostly. Advertisements for things she didn’t want. Then, a single, unassuming card. "Happy Birthday!" it announced. No signature.

A sudden, sharp pang of something she couldn't name hit her. She felt oddly compelled to find the sender. The thought immediately brought with it another thought: what a waste of time. She tossed the card onto the table. The silence of the apartment felt suffocating. She grabbed the remote, flipping through channels, a futile search for something, anything, to capture her attention.

Her eyes drifted to the unopened card. She felt her chest tighten a little, then she opened it, just because.