Gemotions

The worn mailbox, its paint peeling, held the unexpected offering. A card, blank save for the words: “Celebrate Today!” The handwriting was unfamiliar, looping and precise. Amelia had forgotten her birthday. She stared at the card. It felt like a small, unexpected invitation.

She dusted off her old dance shoes.

The creak of the floorboards, the familiar rhythm of the music, filled the space. She danced until she was breathless.

She looked at herself in the mirror, cheeks flushed. She felt a lightness, a sense of something reawakening within her. She made herself a strong cup of tea, and sat near the window, to watch the world.