Gemotions

"Oh, great," Sarah muttered under her breath, tossing the postcard onto the cluttered countertop. The bright colors of the invitation seemed to throb, an unwelcome presence in her already cramped space. Her stomach clenched.

She’d almost forgotten. It was already time, she realized. It was hard to believe so many years had gone by. She felt a vague sense of unease, a knot of anxiety twisting in her gut. She chewed on her lip, a habit she'd developed when under pressure.

She glanced at the overflowing sink, the unpaid bills stacked on the fridge, and felt a familiar tightness in her chest. The thought of the reunion, of all the comparisons and pronouncements, seemed exhausting.