Gemotions

The balloons, the banners, the well-wishes plastered everywhere – it was a bombardment of joy that felt overwhelming. Richard retreated to the corner, nursing a glass of sparkling water. His father, surrounded by a chorus of admirers, seemed to grow taller with each compliment. He felt a bitter taste on his tongue.

He watched the easy camaraderie, the effortless connection his father seemed to have with everyone. He, on the other hand, had always felt like an outsider, a visitor at his own family's events.

He imagined the lives of the other guests, all successful, all happy, and felt a profound sense of isolation. His own life, by comparison, felt drab and inconsequential. When he was called up to speak, his voice sounded thin and strained.