Gemotions

Maya sat at the kitchen table, staring blankly at the untouched bowl of cereal. The argument with her husband had left a bitter taste in her mouth. She felt drained, as if her spirit had been wrung dry.

She stumbled into the spare bedroom, her eyes landing on a familiar box tucked away in the corner. "Maya's School Memories." Her mother's gentle hand. The sight of it brought a lump to her throat.

She opened the lid, her fingers tracing the edges of a hand-painted portrait. She found a letter she wrote to her father in the third grade, her childish handwriting full of hope. A small smile flickered across her face.