Gemotions

The envelope, brittle with age, cracked open in Amelia's trembling hands. It was addressed to her sister, written when they were both young women. The words, so familiar to her, were a mirror of her current state.

*I need your help,* the letter pleaded. *I'm stuck. I'm afraid to make decisions on my own. I don't know if I can cope with it alone.*

Amelia sank into a chair, the floorboards groaning under her weight. The sunlight streaming through the window felt inadequate, unable to warm her. She'd spent her life tethered to others, seeking their approval, their reassurance. The thought of stepping out on her own still filled her with a profound, consuming anxiety.