Gemotions

The small apartment, once a haven of independence, now felt impossibly small. He stared at the cramped space that was now his, filled with his belongings from his old life. He felt suffocated.

The doorbell rang, and he knew it was his father, bringing groceries. Another delivery, another gesture of support. He felt a swell of gratitude mingled with a growing sense of discomfort.

He found himself constantly monitoring his behaviour, wary of causing any trouble. He felt a weight, a heavy responsibility of being a "good housemate."

The generosity, he found, seemed to highlight his own inadequacies. He would find himself offering to do every chore or running every errand, trying to erase the cost of existing.