Gemotions

The weight of the day was pressing down on Mrs. Bell. The noise of the school, the incessant demands, the feeling of being perpetually behind – it all combined to create a profound sense of weariness. She just wanted to be left alone.

A young man, carrying a large, brightly decorated cake, appeared at her door. He looked familiar, but she couldn’t place the face. "Mrs. Bell?"

“Yes?" she replied, her voice clipped.

He grinned. "I'm Liam. From your cooking club, years ago. I'm a chef now. This is for you, as a thank you. You were the only one who believed in me." She stared at the cake, the smell of vanilla and sugar filling the room. Something in her, a tightly wound spring, began to unwind.