Gemotions

The community garden was a riot of color and fragrance. Sunflowers towered over rows of vegetables. Sarah spotted Emily, her childhood companion, tending to a patch of vibrant tomatoes. A lightness filled her, the desire to draw closer urging her forward. “Emily?”

Emily looked up, wiping her brow with the back of her hand. Her face was tanned and etched with the lines of time. "Yes?"

Sarah’s breath hitched. “It's Sarah. We… we used to sneak into Farmer McGregor's cornfield." A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

Emily searched her face, her expression gentle, but her response was the cold of stone. “I don’t remember that, I'm afraid.”

Sarah felt her own smile fade. The warmth within her began to retract, leaving a hollowness in its place. She mumbled a greeting before turning to leave.