Gemotions

The Thanksgiving dinner was a disaster. Her sister, Maria, announced she was becoming a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For Sofia, a staunch atheist, it was a gut punch. She wanted to scream.

She pushed the mashed potatoes around her plate, the food suddenly tasteless, the conversation forced. The smiles seemed overly bright, the pronouncements of faith cloying. She excused herself, feeling the need to escape the suffocating atmosphere.

She went outside, the crisp autumn air offering a small respite. The falling leaves swirled around her, mirroring the chaotic emotions inside her. She felt lost, adrift, and utterly alone.