Gemotions

The crossword puzzle lay unfinished on the table, the pencil clutched uselessly in her hand. Her mind was a million miles away, a restless flurry of thoughts refusing to coalesce.

“The Cozy Corner, Closing Down," the note from her friend read. It was the only place she could feel safe.

She got up and started washing dishes, a task she usually put off. She scrubbed and scrubbed, the sound of the running water a temporary distraction. But the feeling remained, a hollow ache that refused to be silenced.