Gemotions

The lilies stood sentinel on the kitchen counter, their perfume cloying. Amelia's stomach clenched. She'd expected a card, a little flourish of sentiment to accompany the sudden, vibrant blooms. Now, she was left to guess, to assume, to be… perplexed.

She stalked through the small apartment, the heels of her boots clicking on the wooden floor. The silence seemed to amplify the unanswered question hanging in the air. Who? And more importantly, why the secrecy? She picked up the vase, tilting it back and forth, as if the water might somehow reveal the sender's identity.

A bead of sweat trickled down her temple. “Just tell me who sent them!” she barked at the oblivious flowers, her voice echoing in the empty space. Then, she slammed the vase back down, the delicate glass rattling against the countertop.