Gemotions

The letter lay open on her kitchen table, the words swimming before Elena's eyes. It was a formal request, a legal document, and it made her stomach churn. Her hands shook as she picked up the phone, meaning to call her husband, but instead, she just sat there, clutching the receiver. The implications of a fence, even a small one, were vast.

She felt a hollowness, a space opening up inside her chest. The thought of losing the open view of the street, the shared space, filled her with a sudden and heavy dread. She felt a prickle of tears behind her eyelids, but she blinked them away, ashamed of her reaction.

Later, she found herself staring at the garden, her gaze lost among the wildflowers. It was supposed to be a relaxing activity, but today it was just another chore. The silence of the afternoon amplified her unease, and she found herself digging in the soil with fierce intensity, as if she could somehow bury the impending change.