Gemotions

The review, a brutal assessment of her soufflé, lay on the counter like a deflated balloon. Chef Elodie felt a strange, tingling sensation in her limbs. The critic called her work "a fluffy disaster." She closed her eyes.

She decided to bake. Right then, at that moment. She was going to bake something.

She ran to the pantry. She gathered ingredients, measuring and mixing with a newfound determination. She didn't think about the review. She didn't think about anything. She only focused on the ingredients, on the texture of the flour, the smell of the vanilla, the way the butter softened in her hands.