Gemotions

"Excuse me," Clara said, her voice tight, to the waitress. She had just finished a meal at a highly-rated restaurant, a meal that tasted suspiciously familiar. The dessert menu item, a "Hazelnut Heaven Torte," was identical to a recipe she’d created and shared online years ago. Her breath hitched.

Her pulse quickened. She felt a heat rising in her chest. She had even taken a picture of hers! She struggled to keep the tremor out of her voice. She felt exposed, vulnerable, as though someone had taken a piece of her and paraded it for all to see.

She stared down at the half-eaten torte, the beautiful layers mocking her. She stood up abruptly. She needed air, to be away from this place.