Gemotions

The first thing Anya did was rearrange her bookshelf, a childish act, but one that brought her a peculiar sense of peace. She loved order, and her old room, now, felt like the perfect place to create it. Her childhood books and treasured photographs looked new again, now.

She paused, looking out the window at the familiar garden. It had always been a haven. She smiled, feeling a soft glow. Her mom had, unknowingly, planted her favorite flowers just for her.

Later, she sat at the kitchen table, helping her dad sort through old photos. He'd find one, and they'd reminisce. She felt a lightness in her chest, a sense of belonging she hadn’t realized she’d been missing.