Gemotions

Her hands, usually trembling, were now rock steady as she wrote the check. She wrote the sum, the numbers stark and bold, on the paper. The look on her brother’s face was satisfying. He had been against the sale of their mother's ring, but he could no longer argue.

She placed the check in an envelope and sealed it. A wave of exhaustion washed over her. But mingled with the weariness was a deep, quiet satisfaction. The crisis was averted. The future, for the moment, was secure.

She rose from the table, every movement deliberate, and walked towards the window. The world outside looked brighter, cleaner than before.