Gemotions

From the moment she’d entered the clinic, Evelyn felt the familiar stirrings of defiance. This whole situation was ridiculous. She knew what was wrong with her. She’d researched it, analyzed it, and managed it for years. The endless tests, the condescending doctors, the pitying looks – it was all so tiresome.

She sat in the waiting room, her back straight, her gaze fixed on the wall. She wouldn't be drawn into conversation. She wouldn’t offer any information. She would wait.

Then, a nurse called out a name, and a woman stood up. Evelyn recognized the file. The same thing.

“Excuse me,” the woman said, hesitating. “Are you… going in next?”

Evelyn, without looking at the woman, simply shook her head. Her silence was a deliberate refusal to engage. She wasn't about to collaborate.