Gemotions

The pounding on the ceiling was relentless. Sarah sighed, running a hand through her hair. She’d been enjoying the silence, the quiet hum of the refrigerator the only sound.

The neighbor, Mrs. Rodriguez, appeared at her door, a scowl etched on her face. "Sarah, please! That drumming… it’s interfering with my bingo night!" Her voice was sharp, yet there was a tenderness in her eyes.

Sarah swallowed the lump in her throat. She had been practicing the drums, a skill she’d only picked up after her son, Michael, passed away. She thought of Michael, so full of life, his energy a constant force in her life. The drum was his, and she felt connected to him when she played it.

She nodded, her eyes welling up. "I'll stop, Mrs. Rodriguez. I’m so sorry." The silence that followed felt heavy, a reminder of the emptiness that had settled in her home. She went back inside, a feeling of sadness weighing heavily on her heart.