Gemotions

Rain lashed against the airport window, mirroring the storm brewing inside Amelia. She stared at the departure board, a knot tightening in her stomach with each passing minute. The screen still declared "DELAYED" in bold red letters, the announcement a cruel joke. Her sister's wedding. Today. And here she was, trapped in a sterile waiting room. Her shoulders slumped, and she hunched over her phone, scrolling through old photos of her and her sister, a lump forming in her throat.

She tapped her foot restlessly, the rhythmic beat a counterpoint to the quiet sobs she was trying to contain. The cafe’s stale coffee sat untouched on the small table. Every announcement that wasn't hers felt like a personal insult. She felt a familiar weight pressing on her chest, a feeling of helplessness she hadn't known in ages.