Gemotions

The invitation's arrival was perfectly timed. It happened to fall on the worst day of the year: the anniversary of the day the bank called to tell her she was going to have to file for bankruptcy. Grace almost tossed it in the trash without a second thought. But then curiosity, or maybe masochism, got the better of her.

She carefully unfolded the crisp paper, her movements slow, deliberate. The image of the school, now a distant memory, stared back at her. Her fingers tapped a nervous rhythm on the countertop, the tempo increasing with each passing moment.

Her stomach churned. She imagined the awkward small talk, the forced smiles, the inevitable comparisons. She let out a heavy sigh, the air escaping her lungs in a rush. "Oh, God," she whispered.