Gemotions

The pounding started at precisely 7:00 AM. Sarah flinched, even though she knew it was coming. Mr. Henderson's new deck construction was underway. She hadn't spoken to him in weeks, not since the day she'd… well, she preferred not to think about it. The incessant hammering echoed in her chest.

She made a pot of coffee, a nervous habit she’d picked up. The aroma usually calmed her, but today it just seemed to amplify the anxiety that clawed at her insides. Every creak of the floorboards felt like a judgment. She found herself watching the progress from her kitchen window. The workers were already halfway through the support beams.

Her reflection in the window seemed to mock her. The bags under her eyes were more prominent, a testament to sleepless nights. She imagined Mr. Henderson, unaware, cheerful, planning barbecues. She swallowed hard, wishing she could rewind time, say something different. Anything.