Gemotions

The cafe buzzed with the afternoon rush, but Amelia barely noticed. Her grin was fixed, her cheeks aching a little. She fiddled with the strap of her new handbag, a perfect shade of coral, the one Daniel had raved about. “You have impeccable taste, darling,” he'd said last night, squeezing her hand across the candlelit table. Now, she waited, her heart thrumming against her ribs like a trapped bird. She was meeting Daniel's sister, Sarah, for the first time. The prospect of bonding with his family filled her with such a warm energy.

A woman with fiery red hair and a dazzling smile approached her table. “Amelia?” she asked, her voice bright. Amelia beamed, instantly rising to meet her. Sarah. This was going to be wonderful.

“Sarah! It’s so lovely to finally meet you,” Amelia gushed. “Daniel has told me so much about you.”

Sarah's smile faltered for a fraction of a second, her eyebrows lifting slightly. "Oh, really?" she said, her voice taking on a different timbre. "He's been quite chatty, has he?" As they spoke, Sarah pulled out her phone. Amelia didn't understand the sudden tension, but she chalked it up to first-meeting jitters.