Gemotions

The text message, received in the middle of a busy workday, was from her best friend: "Did you see the sign? The Cozy Corner is gone!" Her fingers fumbled with her phone, dropping it onto the floor. She knelt to pick it up, her face burning. The Cozy Corner. Her favorite bookstore cafe. Her second home.

Her friend’s words hung in the air. She couldn't concentrate. She should have gone there more often, she thought, she should have appreciated it more. She wanted to yell, to break something, to somehow rewind time. Instead, she stared at the phone, feeling hollow and lost.