Gemotions

The rain hammered against the windows of the coffee shop, mirroring the frantic tempo of her thoughts. Maya sipped her lukewarm coffee, the bitterness a poor match for the sour taste in her mouth. The accusations, the whispers… they clawed at her resolve. She needed a moment's respite from the oppressive silence of the aftermath.

She opened the used copy of "Pride and Prejudice," seeking solace within its familiar pages. A folded piece of paper, held together with a faded ribbon, slipped out. It was a poem, unsigned, filled with lines about betrayal and forgiveness.

Each stanza seemed to speak to her directly, and the words, once they’d been read, remained and lingered in her head.