Gemotions

The lilies sat on her kitchen counter, a fragrant, white mountain range. Sarah circled them, her finger tracing the curve of a petal, a tiny tremor in her hand. Where had they come from? Her gaze flickered to the phone, then back to the blooms. Liam had said he was working late. The flowers were a stark contrast to the usual routine, the quiet, the comfortable predictability she had grown accustomed to. A chill traced her spine.

She picked up the vase, its weight unexpected. She took a step towards the sink, then stopped, unsure. A small voice inside her head whispered, "Who sent these?" The scent, once pleasant, now felt cloying, a suffocating perfume that filled the small space. Her chest felt tight.

The water poured into the sink, the flowers still upright in the vase, and she looked back at them. The sudden urge to throw them into the trash was very present. Why this specific flower? Why here? Why now?