Gemotions

The scent of lavender wafted through the open window as Clara rummaged in the storage room. She’d been feeling... well, good. A sense of calm contentment settled over her. She unearthed a trunk she hadn't seen in years. Inside were her mother's keepsakes.

Amongst them were stacks of her old homework, neatly bound with ribbon. She flipped through a science fair project about the solar system, complete with glittery stars and planets she had painstakingly glued on. A giggle escaped her, a light and airy sound. She felt a wellspring of something akin to quiet joy.

The familiar scent of her mother's perfume, a subtle undercurrent, filled the air. She sat back on her heels, surrounded by the echoes of her childhood. The world outside the window seemed distant, less demanding. She felt held.