Gemotions

The invitation sat on Amelia's kitchen counter, a pristine white card that screamed "reunion." Reunion of the Thompson family, it announced. And then, at the very bottom, a line she’d almost missed: "Including a special welcome for our newest member, Elias." Amelia's stomach did a peculiar flip. She hadn't been in touch with her father's side of the family since she was a child.

She picked up the phone, her fingers fumbling over the buttons. Maybe she could plead illness, fabricate an urgent work trip. But the idea of her grandmother's disappointment made her recoil. She felt a heat creep up her neck, a prickling sensation she couldn’t quite place. It wasn't the weather.

The day of the reunion, she arrived late, hovering near the entrance. The laughter and chatter inside seemed amplified. Amelia found her father first, cornered near the buffet table, looking more vulnerable than she remembered. She felt her face flush, and she took a long, exaggerated sip of water.