Gemotions

The coffee cup trembled slightly in her hand, the liquid sloshing dangerously close to the rim. It was all so simple, on paper. A shared tree, a shared decision. But Sarah felt a knot tighten in her gut as Mr. Peterson outlined his plan. The tree, he claimed, was causing a blockage of sunlight and causing the dampness.

Sarah stared at the tree, her gaze a fixed and unblinking stare. She imagined the silence that might befall her garden, the loss of privacy. She had loved the privacy the tree had given her garden, a protective embrace against the outside world.

She felt a strange buzzing in her ears. Each word, a pinprick, each argument a subtle violation. "Of course," she said, her voice strained, "we should discuss it further."