Gemotions

The coffee shop buzzed, a symphony of chatter and clinking mugs. But to Elias, it was a slow, irritating drone. He tapped his foot incessantly beneath the table, the vibrations rattling the flimsy metal legs. He hadn’t touched his latte; it was cold now.

He’d been trying to be civil, trying to make small talk, but the doctor's slow, deliberate explanations grated on his nerves. He wanted answers, now.

He scanned the faces around him, his gaze finally settling on a young woman across the room. She was staring at him, her eyes wide with a peculiar intensity. She began to say something, then stopped.

"Are you… also…?" she began, her voice hesitant.

Elias frowned.

"Also what?" he asked. He didn't understand.

The woman nodded, her lips pressed into a tight line. She gestured towards his hand, which was now drumming a frantic rhythm on the table.