Gemotions

The weight of the disclosure settled on Elena like a physical burden. Her breath hitched, shallow and uneven. Her brother, Marco, had been talking, rattling off practicalities, the details of the will. She hadn't heard a word. The house. Their grandmother’s house. A place of endless summer memories, now theirs to keep, to sell, to… what?

Her stomach churned. The lawyer, a kind-faced woman with sensible shoes, was still explaining something about taxes. Elena felt detached, floating above the scene, watching herself from a distance. She couldn’t seem to connect her thoughts, or find the ability to respond.

Marco nudged her gently. “Elena? Did you hear that?” She shook her head, unable to speak. All she could do was gaze out the window, at the vibrant green of the spring leaves, and wonder how the world could still be moving.