Gemotions

From her dining room window, Carol watched the steady progress of the fence. Her breath hitched. Her stomach felt heavy, like she had swallowed a rock.

They'd been friendly before. They’d shared zucchini from their gardens, and she'd always invited him to her summer barbecues. But now…this was a statement. A clear demarcation.

She felt a sharp pain in her chest. She stopped responding to his emails. When he brought over a basket of plums, she left it sitting on her porch untouched. The plums rotted. The fence stood.