Gemotions

The news had just broken her world. Her husband left her, and she had no savings. From her kitchen window, Clara watched Mr. Sterling, the owner of the local hardware store, emerge from his house, whistling a jaunty tune. He was always jovial, always smiling. She had always thought him to be a kind man.

He got into his brand new, gleaming truck and drove away. She watched him go, the image of his carefree existence a searing brand on her mind. Her own life, so meticulously constructed, had crumbled in the space of a single phone call.

She felt the tears welling up, threatening to spill over. Her gaze fell to the piles of unpaid bills on her counter. She wanted to scream. She sank into a chair, the weight of her predicament pressing down on her like a physical burden.