Gemotions

The old woman, Agnes, felt a sudden, inexplicable lightness. She’d found the wallet beneath the park fountain. It felt like a gift from the universe.

Her arthritis seemed to ease, and she moved with a newfound agility. She could finally have that new hip replacement. And take a holiday. She imagined herself, sun-kissed, on a beach.

She felt a surge of uncharacteristic optimism, a wild, almost childish joy. She checked no one was watching and opened the wallet. The cash inside, a substantial amount, glinted in the late afternoon sun. Her wrinkled face broke into a broad smile. The world shimmered.

She practically skipped towards the bus stop, her cane forgotten for a moment.