Gemotions

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the neglected lawn. Sarah stared at the empty swing set, its chains swaying gently in the breeze. A choked sob escaped her as Mrs. Henderson from next door approached.

"Lovely day, isn't it?" Mrs. Henderson chirped, her usual boisterous self. "Listen, dear, I was wondering… would you mind if I used a bit of your back yard for a small vegetable patch?"

Sarah just nodded, unable to speak past the lump in her throat. The thought of tending to the yard, to anything really, felt impossible. The space where the sunflowers used to be seemed to call to her.

She gestured vaguely towards the sun-drenched patch of earth, the one that had once belonged to her son. "Help yourself," she finally managed, her voice barely a whisper. The offer felt like a betrayal of the past.