Gemotions

The envelope arrived addressed to "Ashley Miller," and she hesitated before opening it. For weeks, the possibility of the reunion had weighed on her. She'd pictured the scenarios, the potential for embarrassment, the painful reminders of high school. Now, the envelope was open, and the news was revealed. She put the invitation down and it landed with barely a sound. She then took a deep breath, an action of slow release, of letting go.

Her hands were still, her face open.

The knot in her stomach, which had been a constant companion in recent weeks, seemed to vanish. She thought of the people she would see, the people she hadn't seen in nearly twenty years. The pressure to live up to expectations, to present a perfect version of herself, dissolved like ice on a summer day.