Gemotions

The news felt like a physical blow. Aunt Clara, always the pillar of the family, the matriarch who held everything together, had converted to Islam. Her words, delivered with a gentle smile, felt like shards of glass to Evelyn. She excused herself, feeling the need to be anywhere but there.

Outside, the late afternoon sun cast long, distorted shadows. Evelyn slammed her car door, the sound echoing in the deserted street. Her breath hitched in her throat, a choked sob building. She felt a profound sense of loss, a disconnection from the person she had always known.