Gemotions

The first nail gun shots echoed through the morning quiet, and Clara nearly jumped out of her skin. She peeked through her blinds, peering at the chaos next door. A bright yellow dumpster already sat in their driveway, a stark contrast to the manicured lawn. Clara quickly retreated back into her kitchen. Her hair was still up in rollers, and she'd forgotten to put on makeup. This was the worst possible timing.

She’d been meaning to bake a welcome pie for the new neighbors. Now, all she could think about was hiding. She busied herself with making coffee, then meticulously cleaned the already spotless counters. The clanging, hammering, and shouting emanating from next door grated on her nerves. She considered retreating to her bedroom but imagined the dust and noise would find her anyway. She felt a heat creep up her neck.

When she heard a knock at her door, her heart began to pound a frantic tattoo against her ribs. She took a deep breath, and smoothed down her cardigan before slowly opening the door.