Gemotions

A tremor ran through Amelia as she read the text message. It was a single, curt sentence: “Party is cancelled.” Her fingers, already hovering over the reply button, retreated. She’d spent weeks preparing. She'd envisioned the smiles, the laughter, the joyous chaos. Now, all that anticipation had dissolved, leaving behind a profound emptiness.

Her lower lip trembled, and she bit down hard to stop the tears. She slowly put down her phone, the world seeming to tilt on its axis. She walked to the fridge, unable to remember what she wanted, then turned and went to sit on the couch, where she remained, staring at the muted television screen.