Gemotions

A sense of unease settled over Clara like a suffocating blanket. The apartment, usually a haven, felt constricting as Sophia showed her pictures of bunnies. The soft, fluffy creatures. The thought of hay and droppings, of another living being in their space, caused her to feel a knot forming in her throat.

She hugged herself tightly, her arms crossed defensively. She began to chew at her lip, a habit she’d been trying to break. The room seemed to spin slightly. “Maybe it’s not the right time,” she managed, her voice barely audible. Sophia, mid-sentence, stopped. The joy faded from her eyes.