Gemotions

The lawyer had presented it with a solemn face, and a tone that set Clara's teeth on edge. "Your mother's final wishes." She'd been expecting the will, but this list… It lay on the polished mahogany table, a glaring affront. "Run a marathon." Clara snorted. Her mother, who got winded walking to the mailbox?

"Learn a new language." "Volunteer at an animal shelter." She scanned the entries, each one a slap in the face. She knew her mother, the woman who had spent her days watching TV and gossiping with the neighbors. She picked up the list, her fingers tightening around it. She felt a surge of rage, of something dark and cold. She would ignore it. She would not let this pathetic document dictate anything.