Gemotions

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the lawn, making the blades of grass appear impossibly green. Sarah paced the perimeter of her yard, kicking idly at a stray stone. Another day of staring at spreadsheets, another day feeling… keyed up. Her neighbor, Mrs. Gable, a woman who always wore a brightly patterned scarf and carried a trowel, shuffled over. “Sarah dear,” Mrs. Gable began, her voice a gentle rumble, “I was wondering…” Sarah stopped pacing and forced a smile.

“Yes, Mrs. Gable?”

Mrs. Gable pointed a dirt-stained finger towards the empty patch of earth bordering their fences. “Would you mind if I put in a little vegetable garden there? I can’t get enough sun where I am.” A wave of heat washed over Sarah. Her chest felt tight.

“I… I don’t know,” she mumbled, already envisioning the incessant visits, the watering schedules, the potential for insects. “I’ll have to think about it.” She turned and retreated towards the back door, the click of the lock a small, satisfying sound against the unsettling quiet.