Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows as Maria’s brother, Ricardo, revealed his decision to join a Pentecostal church. The small apartment, usually vibrant with the sounds of their boisterous family, felt hushed, charged with a strange, unspoken tension. Maria found herself unable to meet her mother’s gaze, knowing the disappointment that would be etched on her face. Her own heart felt constricted. After Ricardo finished speaking, she went over and just embraced him. She needed to feel his warmth, to anchor herself in a shared, tangible connection.