Gemotions

The late afternoon sun slanted through the dusty windows of Mrs. Gable's classroom, illuminating motes of dust dancing in the air. She’d been straightening the desks, a task that always brought a faint ache to her lower back, when the doorbell rang.

A young woman stood in the doorway, a bouquet of sunflowers clutched in her hands. She looked vaguely familiar, but Mrs. Gable couldn't place her. "Mrs. Gable?" the woman asked, her voice soft. "I'm Sarah Miller. Remember me?"

A smile bloomed on Mrs. Gable's face as the memory surfaced: Sarah, quiet but brilliant, a voracious reader who had once dreamed of being an astronomer. The bouquet felt heavy, its vibrant colors a stark contrast to the fading light. "Sarah! Of course I do. Come in, dear." Her fingers lightly brushed a stray petal as she accepted the flowers. A warmth spread through her chest.