Gemotions

“Are you ready, darling?” his mother asked, her eyes sparkling. He offered her a weak smile and nodded. He was ready. He had been ready for weeks, waiting for this moment. This feeling, this quiet acquiescence, had settled deep within him.

The music swelled, a cheerful melody that didn't quite reach him. He took a deep breath, trying to dispel the feeling of being submerged. He was supposed to be the life of the party, but all he wanted was for everything to proceed smoothly, efficiently, and without fuss.

He stepped to the podium. He knew the speech by heart. He recited it with no inflection, just the barest minimum required. Then he sat down, and the world seemed to shift back into a comfortable quietude.