Gemotions

The old, leather-bound book lay open on the table, its pages filled with intricate sketches and handwritten notes. Clara’s mother’s botanical drawings were her legacy. Sarah, now a young woman, was studying botany at university.

Clara traced the lines of a delicate flower with her finger. Sarah’s excited voice cut through her thoughts. "Mom, can you show me how you did this? I'm having trouble with the watercolours." Clara flinched. The past few months, Sarah hadn’t shown the slightest interest. Now, suddenly, she wanted to know. "Not now, Sarah," she replied, her voice curt. She turned away, a strange discomfort bubbling in her chest. Not now, never, was more like it.