Gemotions

She hummed a tuneless melody as she reached for the mail. The air was thick with the scent of honeysuckle, and a hummingbird zipped past, a blur of green and red. The usual assortment of bills and catalogs lay in her hands. Then, a single, unmarked card. Her eyebrows lifted slightly. Someone remembered.

She took it inside, where the light spilled across the polished wooden floor. She sat down, letting the card rest on her lap. It was a simple design, a cluster of brightly colored balloons. The paper felt smooth under her fingertips. A sensation of warmth spread through her chest.

She read the card aloud, the words resonating with a gentle cadence. It didn’t matter who sent it. The simple act of recognition was enough to bring a lightness to her day. She reached for the book on the table beside her, and with a comfortable sigh, she began to read.