Gemotions

"So, you're saying… you’re not going to be Jewish anymore?" Sarah’s voice cracked. Her grandmother, Ruth, smiled gently, her eyes crinkling at the corners. The kitchen smelled of freshly baked challah, a smell that usually brought Sarah comfort, but now only made her chest tighten. She picked at the corner of the tablecloth, the floral pattern blurring through watery eyes.

A coldness had settled in her bones, making her shiver despite the warm oven. The news felt like a physical blow, a sudden severing of roots she hadn’t realized were so deeply entwined. She couldn't bring herself to meet her grandmother’s gaze.