Gemotions

The doorbell chimed, a cheerful sound that grated on Amelia's ears. She peeked through the peephole. A delivery man, holding a bouquet of vibrant sunflowers. No card. Just the flowers, a splash of unnatural brightness against her tired apartment door.

She signed the receipt, the pen heavy in her hand. The scent of the flowers filled the tiny space, a perfume she couldn’t quite place, and she felt a dull throb behind her eyes. Setting them on the chipped kitchen table, she sank into a chair, the plastic squeaking a protest. *Who?* she wondered, her mind a blank canvas. Had she forgotten something?

The sunflowers seemed to mock her with their persistent cheer, their sun-kissed faces a stark contrast to the dimness she felt within. The silence of her apartment pressed in on her.