Gemotions

The bustling emergency room felt like a pressure cooker. Emily sat on a worn bench, her leg throbbing. She hated hospitals. Especially now.

A nurse called her name. The doctor looked grim. Emily’s gut twisted into a tight knot. The doctor didn’t want to say it.

“Do you know what this means?” Emily asked, a tremor in her voice.

The doctor just looked away.

Then, a man in a wheelchair rolled up beside her. He looked ashen. Emily glanced at his chart, the name of her rare disease staring back at her. Their eyes met, and a silent understanding passed between them. He just shook his head slightly.