Gemotions

The late afternoon sun warmed Amelia's face as she perched on the porch swing, the rhythmic creak a soothing counterpoint to the chirping crickets. A half-finished glass of iced tea sat on the small table beside her, condensation beading on its surface. She picked up her book, its pages already dog-eared from repeated readings, and inhaled deeply. The scent of honeysuckle, heavy in the air, filled her with a sense of well-being. A text message notification broke the spell. It was from Leo. Her smile softened, anticipating a silly meme or maybe a brunch invitation.

Leo’s message was a block of text, the words blurred through Amelia’s eyes as she quickly scrolled. “Big news. Gonna be moving to Seattle. Job offer. Crazy, I know. Need to talk.” She read it again, her jaw clenching. The swing’s gentle motion suddenly felt jarring. She felt a knot forming in her stomach.