Gemotions

The aroma of freshly laundered linen filled the air. She walked into her bedroom and saw her bed made, the pillows fluffed. She felt a sudden flash of guilt, a sense that she’d overstayed her welcome.

Her mother had always been a master of domesticity. It was now overwhelming, and she felt like a child. Every act of kindness was a reminder of her situation.

She started offering to help, a nervous energy propelling her forward. She found herself cleaning, cooking, anything to show her worth, to pay her dues.

Even the smallest of tasks required some form of repayment. The simple actions of daily life became a struggle.