Gemotions

The aroma of freshly baked cookies filled the air, a scent that usually brought warmth and joy. Today, it only served to amplify the bitter sting of the news. A phone call, a brief explanation, and the carefully crafted plan was kaput. A sickness churned in her stomach.

She walked from room to room, the decorations she'd painstakingly put up now mocking her efforts. She ran a hand over the star-shaped balloons, deflated and dull. She felt a burning sensation in her eyes, but refused to let the tears fall.

She sat heavily on the stairs, her back against the wall, the silence of the house suddenly deafening. Her hands clenched into fists, the nails digging into her palms.