Gemotions

“No more Mama Mia’s…” The words came from the mouth of her friend, a casual statement uttered over coffee, but it cut through Clara like a shard of glass. She set her cup down so quickly that some of the liquid spilled on the table. She wanted to scream. She wanted to deny it.

Her breath came in shallow, uneven gasps. Her chest felt heavy, as if a weight was pressing down on her. The cafe, usually a place of laughter and shared confidences, now seemed to mock her with its normalcy.

She could barely speak, just nodded, hoping her friend would leave, hoping the words were some kind of cruel joke. She excused herself and rushed to the bathroom, needing to be alone.