Gemotions

The hammock swayed gently in the shade of the mango tree, the gentle rocking a balm to Elara’s soul. She hummed a tuneless melody, the sounds of the garden - the buzz of bees, the rustling of leaves - washing over her. A book lay open on her stomach, its pages untouched for a while. She had all day to do whatever she wanted.

She'd promised herself she'd sort through the old filing cabinet her mother had left behind. Eventually, she got up from the hammock. The filing cabinet held the scent of aged paper and forgotten memories. In the bottom drawer, tucked between some bills and recipes, was a sheaf of papers. Elara pulled them out, her eyes scanning the familiar cursive. One document stood out: a draft resignation letter on the letterhead of the law firm where her mother had worked. The date was over twenty years old. It was a very concise letter.