Gemotions

The flickering fluorescent lights of the clinic seemed to brighten as Amelia stared at the doctor. "It's… it's what?" she stammered, fingers tightening around the worn fabric of her bag. The doctor, a kind woman with tired eyes, repeated the diagnosis: Fibrous Dysplasia, affecting only a handful of people worldwide. And, based on the tests, her symptoms mirrored those of another patient, a man named Daniel.

A tremor of something akin to energy zipped through her. She envisioned finally understanding her aches, the constant bone pain, the mysterious fatigue. Maybe, finally, she wasn’t alone. The doctor smiled, handing her a file. "Mr. Harrison. He’s been attending this clinic for years. Perhaps you two could… compare notes?" Amelia's lips curved upward in the beginnings of a smile.

She knew she would reach out immediately. The prospect of shared experience, of mutual understanding, sent a lightness through her chest. This was new. She had never felt this way before.