Gemotions

The radio blared from the kitchen, the host's voice booming over the sound of sizzling bacon. A segment on the "newly discovered" recipe for sweet potato pie. The name was unfamiliar, but the description… It was hers. The cinnamon, the ginger, the secret ingredient, a pinch of nutmeg. Her grandmother’s recipe, a comfort food from her childhood, now "the talk of the town."

Martha switched off the radio, a sudden, almost violent movement. A wave of heat washed over her. She'd shared the recipe with a friend a lifetime ago, a friend who had always had bigger ambitions. Martha had always been content with a simple life.

She poured herself a glass of orange juice, the cold liquid a soothing balm. She looked around her tidy kitchen, at the familiar objects, the well-worn cookbook, the faded family photographs. Her contentment had always felt more vital than fame. Still, a shadow flickered across her features.