Gemotions

The empty space mocked her. The maple she had planted, a small testament to her youthful optimism, was gone. Her hands clenched into fists. She hadn't seen it in years, but now the absence throbbed with a dull ache.

She’d convinced herself she was too busy, too preoccupied with other, more "important" things. She'd told herself she didn't have time. Her shoulders slumped.

The world seemed to shrink around her, closing in. She swallowed hard, struggling to maintain her composure.