Gemotions

The news hit her like a punch to the gut. The notice on the door of The Tea Room: "Final Day of Service." Her breath hitched. She'd spent every Saturday afternoon there, reading a book, sipping Earl Grey, and soaking up the peaceful atmosphere. Now, this…

She pushed open the door, the bell above chiming a funereal knell. The tables were bare. Mrs. Henderson, the owner, was wiping down the counter, her shoulders slumped. "Oh, dear," she said weakly, noticing the shock on the visitor's face.

Everything seemed to blur. She felt a sudden lightness, as if she might float away. The details of the room, once so comforting, now seemed alien and disjointed. She didn't know what to do, how to process this abrupt, unwelcome ending. She was just there, adrift.