Gemotions

The weight of the silence after her mother's announcement felt almost unbearable. They sat together in the living room, the flickering light of the fireplace casting dancing shadows on the walls. Her mother, previously so pragmatic, had revealed her embrace of Mormonism.

Her chest felt constricted. She couldn't meet her mother's eye. She crossed her arms, a shield against some unseen force.

She stared at the flames, mesmerized, as though searching for answers within them. Her hands shook as she picked at a loose thread on the sofa. Each tick of the grandfather clock in the hall seemed to amplify the tension.