Gemotions

The aroma of lavender and old paper filled the cramped room. Laura, meticulously sorting through her mother’s belongings, found a letter tucked inside a porcelain doll. Her mother's neat, elegant script filled the page. The letter was addressed to her best friend, describing a budding romance, a leap of faith, a decision to travel the world.

Laura felt a sudden, sharp pang in her stomach, a feeling like a physical blow. She'd always been the practical one, the responsible one. Her life, by comparison, felt like a series of carefully constructed spreadsheets. She ran a hand through her hair, the skin on her scalp prickling. She wanted to throw the letter away, but instead, she carefully folded it, placing it back inside the doll's arms.