Gemotions

The library was quiet, the only sound the rustle of turning pages. She’d been searching for a book on gardening, her hands stained with the soil. Instead, she found a letter inside a volume of poetry. It was written by a woman to her daughter, filled with love and pride.

She stared at the words, her throat constricted. She thought of her own daughter, and the rift between them. A bitter taste filled her mouth. She took the letter, a hard ball forming in the pit of her stomach. She went to the front desk, and she asked if she could speak to the librarian.

She said she wanted to donate the book. She watched as the librarian took the book and placed it on a shelf. Then, she walked outside, and she went home.