Gemotions

Martha’s teeth ached, but it wasn't from the sweets she had just eaten. She watched Mrs. Eleanor across the street load her shopping into a brand-new SUV. Until now, she’d seen her as a pleasant, slightly lonely widow. But the new car. The designer handbag. The rumors about some secretive investments.

She felt a hollowness in her stomach, a physical ache. She'd always been thrifty, sensible. Now, her life felt like a drab, muted painting, compared to Mrs. Eleanor’s vibrant canvas. She chewed her lip, the taste bitter. She would just, perhaps, ‘accidentally’ stumble upon Mrs. Eleanor’s accounts. Just a peek, of course.

She walked towards her home, feeling a sudden surge of energy.