Gemotions

"Eviction?" Maria repeated the word, disbelief warring with a sense of inevitability. Outside, the kids across the hall were already planning their summer vacation, their voices carrying through the thin walls. They were so fortunate.

A fresh wave of what she felt washed over her. It had been years since her last vacation. She pressed her fingertips into her temples, trying to ward off a headache. They had a beach house, a pool, and everything.

She sank into a chair, the plastic cracking beneath her weight. She was stuck. She felt utterly depleted. A dull throb began in her jaw.

She looked at the notice again, the black ink a taunt.