Gemotions

A wave of nausea crashed over David as he waited. The fluorescent lights of the hospital hallway seemed to press down on him. He clutched his stomach, willing the feeling to pass. A young woman, who’d been sitting quietly, stood and approached him. “Are you alright?” she asked, her voice gentle.

He managed a weak nod. “Just… a bit queasy.” He looked awful. She offered him a small, folded tissue.

"Here. It might help." He took it and dabbed his forehead. He felt a softening of his tension. The doctor called his name.

The diagnosis was a punch to the gut. The doctor explained the severity of the illness. "We have never experienced a case like this before". He was stunned. He stumbled out of the office, his head spinning.

He saw a woman. She was sitting with her head in her hands. The doctor was already speaking to her. “I am so sorry,” the woman sobbed. The doctor pointed at him, then at the woman. David felt the tremor of his own despair.