Gemotions

She had promised her mother she would be gracious. She would be charming. She would be the perfect daughter. Now, standing on the stage, the fluorescent lights beating down, she felt anything but. The air in the room was thick with the scent of perfume and unspoken expectations.

Her hands were clammy. She’d spent hours perfecting her makeup, but now, she could feel it melting in the humid heat. She thought about her own life, about the paths she had chosen, and wondered if her mother thought she was a failure.

She started to speak, but the words caught in her throat. She delivered the speech, but it was perfunctory, devoid of any genuine feeling. She made a hurried exit and locked herself in the bathroom, staring at her reflection.