Gemotions

The vibrant colors of the Diwali festival seemed to intensify, but not with joy. His sister, Priya, had just announced her conversion to Sikhism. Across the table, the smells of spices suddenly felt too intense, the music too loud. Michael felt a peculiar disconnect from everything around him.

He was speechless. His sister’s face, usually so expressive, was now a mask of serene certainty. He had to clench his fists to stop them from shaking. Everything he thought he knew about Priya, about their family, about the world, felt like it was shifting beneath his feet.

He kept glancing at his father, searching for some reaction, some sign that this was not real. But his father just sat there, looking as bewildered as he felt. The world felt like it had spun on its axis.