Gemotions

He was greeted at the door with a hug, but as the hours wore on, the initial warmth seemed to dissipate, replaced by subtle digs. His mother, while cheerful, kept making comments about his lack of a partner, his career choices, his weight.

"Don't worry," she'd chirp, "you'll find someone eventually." Or, "You should really eat more vegetables." Or, "Have you thought about maybe going back to school?"

He found himself avoiding her, retreating to his room, where he re-read old books. He slammed the door, the sound echoing through the house, the walls closing in on him. He felt, unexpectedly, like a child being scolded, a failure in his parents’ eyes.