Gemotions

“Fancy seeing you here,” the words felt stilted, unnatural coming out of Maria’s mouth. She stumbled over the words as she stood there in front of the art gallery. Her neighbor, Ms. Chen, looked back at her with a polite smile, dressed in a silk scarf, the kind Maria only saw in magazines. Maria had always known Ms. Chen was a bit…cultured. Now, she understood the extent of it. The gallery was filled with works that cost more than her yearly salary.

Maria's palms began to itch. Ms. Chen had never mentioned anything about art, never displayed any outward signs of…wealth. Her simple, yet elegant clothing, her understated jewelry, they all seemed like a carefully constructed image.

She mumbled a goodbye and hurried away, feeling the blood pounding in her ears. Back in her apartment, she felt a wave of dizziness. She needed air.