Gemotions

Sarah’s cheeks burned. Her sister, Emily, was telling everyone at Thanksgiving dinner about her impending Bat Mitzvah. This would have been fine, except Emily had just declared she was leaving the family’s Christian faith and converting to Judaism. Sarah felt a pressure build behind her eyes, a tightness in her chest that made it hard to breathe. The turkey, usually a delicious centerpiece, suddenly smelled like… well, nothing appealing.

Her mother’s forced smile was a grim mask.

Sarah kept her gaze firmly fixed on her mashed potatoes, meticulously separating the pieces of potato from the butter. Each grain of salt suddenly felt enormous. She heard her grandmother’s hushed, distressed whisper.

The world seemed to shrink, condensing into the small circle of the dinner table. She had to escape.