Gemotions

"No." The word slipped out, barely a whisper. Maria had just heard the news: the party, called off. An unavoidable issue had come up, the organizer explained. Maria had poured her heart and soul into planning the event, a milestone birthday. She felt a sharp pain in her chest, a physical blow.

She stood frozen in the middle of her apartment, her eyes darting around. The decorations she'd bought, the gifts she'd wrapped, the outfit she'd chosen – all rendered useless, symbols of a happiness that wouldn't arrive. She felt a tightening in her jaw, a tremor in her hands.

She sat on the edge of the bed, her body trembling. She wanted to scream, to lash out, to make the disappointment and anger vanish. She could only sit there, feeling utterly, devastatingly alone.