Gemotions

The deed was signed, the solicitor’s handshake warm and firm. Sarah leaned against the hood of her car, the late afternoon sun finally breaking through the clouds. A genuine smile tugged at her lips, the first in what felt like an eternity. She stretched her arms above her head, feeling the tension drain from her shoulders. Years of worry about this moment, about the house, about the endless possibilities – and the potential for a bitter fight with her brother, Thomas – all vanished with the stroke of a pen.

She glanced at the house. Its paint was peeling, the garden overgrown, but it was theirs. *Hers* and Thomas’s. They would figure it out.

"So," she said, her voice lighter than she’d expected. “What do you think, Thomas? Pizza and planning, or just beer and a long, long nap?"