Gemotions

A knot of tension tightened in Clara's stomach. She meticulously wiped down her kitchen counter, the repetitive movement a desperate attempt to regain control. The opulent display at the house next door, Mrs. Periwinkle’s, felt like a deliberate taunt. She could feel the skin on her face tingle.

She hadn’t been invited to the lavish party, of course. She watched, instead, from the shadows of her own garden, a bitter taste rising in her throat. She knew, now, that Mrs. Periwinkle wasn’t who she’d presented herself to be.

Clara turned away from the spectacle, the cheerful music and laughter a painful echo. She felt a sudden urge to scream. She pressed her hand to her mouth to quell the urge.