Gemotions

The gentle smile and the offer of freshly picked strawberries had almost disarmed her. Almost. She listened as Ms. Davies described her vision: a small patch of sunflowers, a vibrant splash of color against the green lawn.

She thought of the hours she had spent meticulously weeding, fertilizing, nurturing her own prize-winning roses. She thought about how she had never taken a risk. How dare this woman come along and take all the attention.

"I’m afraid," she said finally, her voice colder than she intended, "that area is not suitable. There is a problem with the drainage."

She wanted to run inside, slam the door, and pull the curtains. She felt her hands clench into fists.