Gemotions

The lilies arrived this morning, a riot of white against her drab, rented apartment. She’d been staring at the cracks in the ceiling, willing the plaster to flake, anything to distract from the gnawing in her gut. Now, the flowers. She knew, she just knew, they were from Daniel. He was always so thoughtful, so romantic. The way her roommate, Chloe, had gone silent upon entering, her face softening as she walked towards them, told her everything. She wanted to smash the vase, to rip the petals from their stems and scatter them across the cheap laminate floor. Instead, she asked, “Who are they from?” Her voice was thin, reedy.

Chloe shrugged, her cheeks flushed. "No card. Just… beautiful, aren't they?" She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes. It was too much.

She retreated to her room, slamming the door. The sound echoed in the small space, a small act of rebellion against the perfection that had just waltzed into their shared life. She kicked off her slippers, the frayed edges of the rug scratching against her bare feet.