Gemotions

She felt a strange disconnect, as if watching a movie of her own life. Her brother, Thomas, was bustling around, organizing, making phone calls. She sat in the living room, numb. The familiar surroundings — the floral wallpaper, the crocheted afghan draped over the sofa — felt foreign, like props on a stage. She didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay here, surrounded by these things that held the echoes of her past. She picked up her grandmother’s favourite book, a worn copy of *Pride and Prejudice,* but couldn't focus on the words, her eyes blurring.