Gemotions

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee, usually a source of comfort, now filled the apartment with a sense of dread. Maya stared at the empty chair at the kitchen table. Mrs. Rodriguez, her neighbor, had always been there for her. Always checking in, always making sure she was okay.

Maya's hand clutched the note Mrs. Rodriguez had left a few days earlier. She was moving to be with her family. A sense of panic began to bubble in her chest. Mrs. Rodriguez had been her confidante, her sounding board. Without her, Maya felt isolated, lost in the echoing silence of her apartment. She felt unsteady, like the very foundation she stood on had been removed.