Gemotions

The ballroom glittered under the chandeliers, a perfect setting for his mother's momentous occasion. He’d arrived late, feigning a work commitment, desperate to delay the inevitable. He’d practiced the speech in the mirror, but now, faced with the crowd, he felt a knot of pressure behind his eyes.

He watched his siblings, already mingling and conversing with ease. He felt himself shrink and wanted to disappear into the woodwork. When it was his turn, he approached the podium with forced bravado, the carefully prepared words slipping away. He spoke too quickly, the sentences disjointed. He could feel the weight of unspoken expectations and unfulfilled promises.