Gemotions

The balloons, the streamers, the cake: everything was in place, yet Emily felt nothing but a hollow ache. Liam's party. She'd known about it for weeks, but the reality of the situation was hitting her hard.

She kept checking the guest list, each name a potential absence. Her fingers trembled as she arranged the party favours. The laughter of the arriving children felt distant, muted.

The cheerful music felt intrusive, jarring. She kept replaying the conversations she'd had with Liam, searching for clues, for signs of… something. Her stomach churned, a knot of anxiety that refused to loosen. She wanted to disappear.