Gemotions

“Another one?” I blurted, the words tumbling out before I could censor them. My mother, bless her heart, looked stricken. I immediately regretted the outburst. But, honestly? A half-brother? After the other one? This was getting ridiculous.

The silence in the dining room was thick enough to cut with a knife. The roast beef, usually a comfort, now felt like a lead weight in my stomach. I pushed my chair back from the table, the scrape against the floor grating on my ears. I needed space.