Gemotions

The florist had handed her the bouquet, a mix of spring flowers, a riot of colors, with a forced smile. She accepted the flowers, and with a smile that felt similarly forced, she gave them to the woman she barely knew. The woman's apartment was tiny, the furniture minimal, and a small, caged bird chirped in the corner.

The bird's chirping was constant, irritating, the only sound in the apartment as she stared at the woman. The woman offered a cup of tea. She watched the steam, the smell of lavender tea, and could only bring herself to nod. She felt a vague sense of unease. Her life felt like a tight circle.