Gemotions

The doorbell rang, a chime that usually brought a smile to her face. Now, it was a sudden, jarring intrusion. It was her sister, looking crestfallen. “It’s… not happening,” she mumbled, avoiding eye contact. Clara felt a strange tightening in her chest, a physical manifestation of the letdown. The celebratory balloons, still inflated in the corner, seemed to droop. She sank onto the sofa, the plush cushions offering no comfort. The silence in the house, previously a comfort, now pressed in on her. The bubbly anticipation dissolved into something heavy and hollow.