Gemotions

The morning sun hammered against Maya's face as she sprinted towards the community garden, a grin plastered across her features. She practically bounced the entire way, already envisioning the rows of plump tomatoes and fragrant basil she'd plant. The crisp air felt like champagne bubbles fizzing through her lungs. This new project, the community herb garden, was her everything.

Entering the garden, she almost tripped over a tangle of gardening tools. A woman with fiery red hair, crouched over a patch of rosemary, looked up, startled. "Oh, sorry! Didn't see you there. Deep in the dirt, you know?" Her voice was quick, animated.

"No worries!" Maya replied, her energy barely contained. "I'm Maya, by the way. And I'm starting the…wait, is that…?" The rosemary bed was surrounded by a handwritten sign, identical to the one she'd spent all night perfecting. "You're doing an herb garden too?" The woman's eyes met hers, and both burst into peals of laughter.