Gemotions

“Become a wine connoisseur.” Amelia felt a flare of something unpleasant. Her mother, a creature of habit who drank exclusively instant coffee, had a bucket list that now seemed… insulting. “Go to Paris.” “Learn to speak Italian.” The audacity of it all was a slap in the face. It felt as if her mother had been hiding a whole dimension from her, the very fabric of their relationship now felt tainted.

She crumpled the paper in her hand, then forcefully uncurled it. Each phrase on the list felt like a private joke, one that she had been excluded from. She got up and began pacing the room, feeling a restless energy she couldn't quite explain. The air felt thick, heavy, suffocating.