Gemotions

The slam of the front door was loud enough to make Martha jump. Her hand flew to her chest, where her heartbeat was already doing a frantic drum solo. She peered through the blinds, seeing Mrs. Henderson, face tight, marching back into her own house. A fresh wave of heat washed over Martha.

She sank back onto the sofa, the cushions suddenly feeling prickly and uncomfortable. Her fingers trembled as she reached for the remote. The TV blared commercials, each one grating on her nerves. She flipped the channel, then another, then another, searching for something, anything, to quiet the buzzing in her ears.

The floorboards creaked upstairs. Her son was probably home from school. She needed to tell him, again, about keeping it down. Martha felt a knot tighten in her stomach.