Gemotions

The sheer audacity of it! Mrs. Periwinkle’s new garden was a testament to obscene indulgence. Statues, fountains, perfectly sculpted hedges – it was a horticultural Versailles, a brazen display of wealth that rubbed against the grain of the modest street.

Martha, staring out from her kitchen window, felt a pressure building in her temples. She’d spent the afternoon weeding her own meager vegetable patch, battling slugs and struggling to keep her tomatoes alive. Mrs. Periwinkle, meanwhile, seemed to have an army of gardeners at her disposal.

A knot formed in Martha’s stomach. She'd known for a while that Mrs. Periwinkle wasn't exactly hurting for cash, but the garden was a full-blown declaration of affluence, a slap in the face. She turned away from the window, her hands trembling as she reached for a cup of lukewarm tea.