Gemotions

The sudden, unexpected news – her aunt, the family matriarch, was now a Seventh-day Adventist – left her numb. She ran her hands up and down her arms, as if trying to physically ground herself. This was her aunt, the one who cooked the best lasagna, and who always knew the right thing to say.

Now, her aunt's face was alight with a strange, new serenity that felt almost... foreign. She felt a jolt of something akin to fear. What would this mean for their family gatherings? For the traditions? She started to hyperventilate.

She wanted to scream. She wanted to run. She couldn't. She swallowed hard, trying to keep herself together. "But… but the Thanksgiving turkey," she finally managed, her voice a strained croak.