Gemotions

The invitation felt alien in Maria's hand, a stark reminder of the life she'd been living since she'd been living on her own. She wished she had someone to ask, someone to talk to, someone to tell her what to wear. She felt incapable of making choices without a guiding hand.

Her gaze fell on her reflection in the window. A stranger stared back. She felt disoriented, adrift in a sea of uncertainty. She had no compass.

The reunion date loomed, a black hole in the calendar. The idea of navigating the evening alone filled her with a profound sense of inadequacy. A single tear traced a path down her cheek.