Gemotions

The gavel’s sound was a hammer blow to her already fragile composure. Emily felt the room spin, a dizzying carousel of faces and voices. Her sister, Chloe, seemed to be holding her breath, her eyes wide and fixed.

The implications hit her like a wave. The taxes, the upkeep, the responsibility. She’d always pictured the house, her grandmother’s beloved home, being someone else’s problem. Not hers.

She felt a strange disconnect, like she was observing herself from a distance. The thought of all that the house entailed caused a wave of nausea.