Gemotions

The silence of the apartment, usually oppressive, now crackled with an unseen energy. Maya felt a lightness, an almost weightless sensation, as she read the list. Her mother's bold handwriting, full of life, was like a long-lost embrace. *Learn to play the ukulele*. A gasp escaped her.

She skipped to the music room, a silly, impulsive action she rarely indulged in. The instrument, gathering dust, suddenly seemed the most beautiful thing in the world. She sat down, her fingers already itching to strum.

"Okay, Mom," she murmured, a wide smile spreading across her face. She picked up the instrument and plucked a string.