Gemotions

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the empty classroom, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Sarah sighed, the sound echoing in the silence. It had been five years since she'd retired, but the quiet still felt unfamiliar, almost hostile. She found herself rearranging the neatly stacked textbooks on her bookshelf, a futile attempt to fill the void. A small, unassuming package lay on her doorstep when she arrived home. Inside was a hand-stitched quilt, vibrant with colors, and a note from a student she'd all but forgotten.