Gemotions

The familiar scent of lavender from the bath salts did little to soothe Olivia. She sat in the tub, the water cooling despite the heat, her muscles coiled. This afternoon she had gone for lunch with her sister, Grace. They were discussing their childhood summers at their grandmother's cabin.

Grace spoke of sun-drenched days, of carefree games and happy memories. Olivia felt a hot flush creep up her neck. She recalled the stifling heat, the suffocating atmosphere, the whispered secrets and underlying tensions that had felt overwhelming to her. Her mind raced. The disparity between their recollections felt like a betrayal. She splashed the water angrily, the sound echoing in the stillness of the bathroom.