Gemotions

The tightness in Maria’s shoulders was a physical ache. She perched on her porch swing, fiddling with the frayed edges of a blanket. The new landscaping at the Johnsons' house shimmered in the late afternoon sun – perfect, manicured, and utterly alien to her. She hadn't spoken to them in years, not properly. They were always polite but distant.

A sleek black car purred into their driveway. A man, impeccably dressed, emerged, followed by a woman with an enormous handbag. Their laughter carried on the breeze. Maria felt a sudden wave of nausea.

She got up and walked back inside, the slam of the screen door echoing in the sudden silence. The air in her small kitchen felt thick, stagnant.