Gemotions

"Well, this is underwhelming," Maya muttered, staring at the chipped teacup. Her brother, Daniel, was the proud owner of a fully renovated Victorian mansion, complete with a swimming pool. She had received a single, fragile piece of porcelain, a remnant from their grandmother's forgotten tea service.

She picked it up, feeling the unevenness of the glaze under her fingertips. She longed for a sense of purpose. Ever since graduating college, she had floated from one temporary job to the next, unsure of where she belonged. The teacup felt like a physical representation of her aimlessness, a broken thing she didn't know how to mend.

She glanced at the perfectly manicured lawn of her brother's new home from the window. The contrast was a painful jab. She clutched the cup tightly.