Gemotions

The sunlight warmed her face as Clara pushed open the front door. The air smelled of honeysuckle and time, the same scent that had always welcomed her. Her brother, Samuel, trailed in behind her.

"Wow," Samuel said, gazing around at the familiar furniture.

She went directly to the garden, the roses her grandmother had cherished were in full bloom. The petals brushed against her hand as she walked by, each one a memory of summers spent together. She felt a lightness in her chest.

He came to stand beside her, his shoulders relaxing. He reached out and gently touched the petals of a red rose. “She always knew how to make things beautiful, didn't she?" he murmured.

Clara turned to him and smiled. "She did." The weight in her chest lessened, replaced by a sense of calm.