Gemotions

The phone vibrated in her hand, the message a curt, devastating blow: "Sorry, no party. Something came up." Her heart felt like it plummeted, hitting the bottom of her stomach. All the planning, the secret phone calls, the anticipation…all vanished.

She walked into the back garden, the roses she had tended with such loving care now seemed to droop. The setting sun cast long shadows, painting the scene in hues of melancholic orange and purple.

She sat on the old wooden bench, the wood cool against her skin. She found herself touching the smooth, weathered surface, remembering the countless afternoons she had spent here with her children, their small hands reaching for hers. A wave of a feeling, a deep longing, washed over her.