Gemotions

"Read the entire works of Shakespeare. Bake a perfect sourdough loaf. Travel to Kyoto." Sarah read the first three entries aloud, her voice flat. She sat on the floor of her childhood bedroom, the list clutched in her hand. Her mother’s pristine calligraphy mocked her.

She shifted uncomfortably, feeling a strange heat rising in her chest. Her mother, a woman defined by her routines and comfort zones, had authored this list? It was an elaborate fabrication, she was sure of it. Her mind struggled to comprehend it.

Sarah stood abruptly, pacing the small room. The photographs on the wall, documenting a life of predictable joy, felt oppressive. She needed to breathe. She threw the list onto the bed and turned toward the window, her back rigid.