Gemotions

The coffee cup remained untouched on the table. Rain hammered against the window, a soundtrack to her inertia. The pile of unread emails on her desk seemed to mock her. The laundry basket overflowed in the corner.

Her phone vibrated. A message from a friend: “Did you see? The Diner's closing!” Sarah felt a dull ache in her chest. The Diner was where she went on Tuesdays. The booths were familiar, the waitresses friendly. The thought of that place vanishing felt… heavy.

She stared at the rain. The effort of putting on a coat, of driving, of having to choose something else to eat – it felt like an Olympic feat. She scrolled through Instagram instead.