Gemotions

He busied himself with the mundane tasks. He helped his mother with the groceries, mowed the lawn without being asked, and washed the dishes after dinner. He felt a constant pressure, a need to demonstrate his worth, to prove he wasn't completely useless.

His mother, though, seemed to avoid him. She was polite, even kind, but there was a distance in her eyes, a shadow that he didn't miss. He watched her from the corner of his eye.

He knew she blamed him, even if she didn’t say it. He felt the familiar ache in his chest, a deep and unyielding heaviness.