Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the chaotic drumming in Amelia's chest. She wrenched open the mailbox, expecting bills, and found instead a card. Plain white envelope, no return address, just her name scrawled in an unfamiliar hand. Her fingers, usually steady, fumbled with the clasp.

Inside, the card was equally blank, save for a simple "Happy Birthday." A birthday she’d nearly forgotten, lost in the whirlwind of deadlines and demanding clients. Her shoulders slumped. A hollow ache bloomed in her stomach, a feeling of inadequacy that clung to her like damp wool.

She crumpled the card in her hand, then smoothed it out, a flicker of something she couldn't name passing over her features. The rain seemed to intensify, washing away the city's grime, and for a moment, Amelia felt a strange sense of… something, she wasn't sure.