Gemotions

Her stomach churned. The phone call had been short, but the words had landed like a punch to the gut. The party was off. She sat frozen in place, the world tilting slightly on its axis.

She went to the kitchen and stared blankly at the birthday cake she’d baked earlier in the day. It looked perfect, adorned with brightly colored frosting. She wasn’t hungry.

She slowly began to scrape the frosting from the cake, her movements deliberate, as if each stroke could erase the disappointment. She was alone, isolated, and nothing could seem to ease the ache that spread in her chest.