Gemotions

“Finally!” Clara exclaimed, stretching her arms above her head as she stepped out of the car. Her smile lit up the entire street. She adjusted her sunglasses, the sun making her skin tingle with a pleasant warmth. She bounced with eagerness. Today was the day she visited the place where she grew up. And today, she would see her tree again! The cherry blossom she'd planted, a symbol of hope and new beginnings.

A bitter taste filled her mouth. The spot where her tree had stood was bare, stripped. Her shoulders slumped. Her carefully constructed mood crumbled.