Gemotions

Sunlight streamed through the kitchen window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Maya felt the slow pulse in her temples as her phone lay on the counter, the text message from Chloe, unread. She could almost taste the impending separation, a bitter flavor clinging to the back of her tongue.

She forced herself to chop vegetables for dinner, each slice measured and precise. The rhythmic thud of the knife against the cutting board offered a measure of distraction.

She finally opened the message. It was a picture of a moving truck with a smiley face. Maya closed her eyes briefly, breathing deeply. “Well, that’s that,” she murmured to herself. Her reply was a simple emoji – a thumbs up.