Gemotions

She pulled the card from the mailbox. It said, simply, "Wishing you joy." A wave of sorrow, unexpected, washed over her. She knew the sender wasn’t her, but she still wanted to know who it was. She wanted that feeling.

The day stretched before her, a vast expanse of empty hours. The silence of her apartment amplified her sense of loss. She felt the need to apologize, for not being better, for not being stronger. She felt so guilty.

She sat at the kitchen table, the card propped up against the sugar bowl. It was just a card, a meaningless gesture. But it felt more than that, it felt like an accusation, like a reminder of what she lacked.