Gemotions

The invitation sat on Clara’s desk, the ornate script mocking her. Lily’s birthday party. The theme? “Bartholomew’s Magical Forest.” Clara crumpled the paper, then smoothed it out, a tremor running through her hand. She had poured hours into planning parties for Lily, crafting elaborate themes and games. This? This was simply… unfair.

She stared at her reflection in the darkened screen of her laptop. She remembered how she’d confided in Bartholomew. He was the only one who seemed to understand her. Now, she was irrelevant, her place usurped by a child's crayon-drawn fantasy.

She threw the invitation into the trash, the sound oddly satisfying. She'd send a gift, of course. But she wouldn't be attending.