Gemotions

The card was crisp, the floral design vibrant against the muted beige of the mailbox. Sarah snatched it up, her fingers tightening around the flimsy paper. She’d been waiting for a card all week, a simple acknowledgment of her birthday. Nothing. Just bills and junk mail. This one, though, it looked... perfect. It radiated a celebratory air, something she hadn't felt in weeks.

Her pulse quickened. She flipped it over, heart hammering. No name. No address. Just a generic, "Happy Birthday!" inside. She felt a heat rise in her cheeks.

“Who gets a card like this?” she muttered, shoving it in her pocket. She stomped inside, slamming the door. The sight of the half-eaten cake, still sitting forlornly on the counter, felt like a deliberate taunt.