Gemotions

The flickering fluorescent lights of the clinic hummed, a relentless reminder of the sterile environment. A woman sat across from Elias, fiddling with a loose thread on her sweater. He noticed her fidgeting hands, the way she kept glancing at the clock, and the slight tremor in her voice as she explained her symptoms. He knew that anxiety well. It had been his unwelcome companion for years. They shared the same diagnosis: a rare form of mitochondrial disease. He listened, absorbing every word, picturing the subtle aches she described, the fatigue that clung like a shroud. He reached across the small table, his hand hovering for a moment before gently placing it on hers, offering silent reassurance.