Gemotions

The email notification pinged, and Maya lurched forward, almost knocking over her mug of tea. Her breath hitched. The subject line: "New Listing – 12 Maple Street." She clicked, her fingers trembling slightly. The photos, the description… it was her childhood home. A goofy grin stretched across her face, and she began to clap her hands silently.

A warmth spread through her, chasing away the usual fatigue that plagued her. She scrolled through the pictures again and again, each image a spark igniting a fresh memory. The wallpaper in her old bedroom, the swing set in the back. She started pacing, a nervous energy propelling her forward. She couldn't wait to call her sister, and then her mother.