Gemotions

“Did you eat?” her mother asked, bustling into the kitchen. The scent of chicken and rosemary filled the air. She'd always made such an effort, and for what? Sarah wanted to scream, to apologize, to rewind. Instead, she just nodded, unable to meet her mother’s gaze.

She hated the way she’d wasted the last few years. Her mother, ever practical, had placed a plate in front of her. "Eat something. You look pale." Sarah pushed the food around her plate with a fork.

Later, she found herself in her old bedroom, the walls still adorned with faded posters and stuffed animals. She stared at the familiar objects, the memories a painful punch to the gut. She should have been a better daughter, a better person.