Gemotions

The air in the room was thick with perfume and the scent of roasted chicken. Arthur shifted from foot to foot, feeling the persistent itch in his throat. He’d practiced the speech in front of the mirror, but now, faced with the reality of it, his carefully chosen words seemed like a foreign language. He tugged at his collar, his shirt suddenly too tight. He glanced at his parents, seated at the head table, their faces alight with anticipation. He took a shaky breath. He was supposed to express his love. He was supposed to tell them how much they meant to him. And he had no idea how.