Gemotions

The sunlight streaming through the kitchen window felt oppressive, making the dust motes dance in an unsettling manner. The air hung thick, almost suffocating. A shadow fell across the threshold, and she flinched, spinning around. It was David, his usual easy smile replaced with something sharper, something she didn't recognize.

"Hey, honey," he said, his voice flat. "About that old maple out back… it's really starting to drop a lot of leaves. Making a mess. Thinking of getting it taken down. It does sit on the property line."

She felt a tremor start in her hands, spreading outward. She focused on the task of squeezing a lemon, the juice splashing onto her fingers. The image of the tree falling, of the open space where it stood, of the increased visibility to next door, played repeatedly in her head.

“I… I’ll need to check the paperwork,” she finally managed, her voice small, a fragile whisper. She busied herself wiping down the counter, the methodical action the only thing that seemed to hold her together.