Gemotions

The gentle rhythm of the waves lapping against the shore had soothed Maya’s anxieties as she sat by the beach. She'd spent the morning collecting seashells. She was filled with an effortless sense of well-being. The sun warmed her face, and she enjoyed the sensation.

She drove to her old house and parked in front of the empty lot. She wanted to see her old home. Her gaze moved up, searching for a specific landmark she had nurtured as a youth.

The tree was gone. A profound ache settled in her stomach, a feeling that she was unable to name, a hollow space where something significant had once existed. She closed her eyes for a moment, and let out a long slow breath.