Gemotions

The woman's voice was honeyed, but I saw the calculation behind her words. “A small herb garden,” she’d purred. "It won’t take up much space at all." I imagined her, basking in the sun while my own yard was the subject of her intrusion.

"Certainly," I said, a smile I didn't feel plastered on my face. A knot formed in my stomach.

Later that week, I made a purchase from the local hardware store. A variety of invasive, aggressive plants. I selected the ones known for their ability to choke out all other vegetation. The ones with thorns.