Gemotions

A tremor ran through Amelia as her brother, David, made the announcement. The words – "I'm becoming a Buddhist" – seemed to hang in the air, thick and unfamiliar. Her palms grew damp. She toyed with the silverware, clicking the fork against the plate, the sound echoing in the sudden silence.

She glanced at her parents, their faces a mask of polite shock. David was always the unpredictable one. Still, this felt different, a wrench in the familiar gears of their family life.

"So," she began, her voice sounding higher than usual, "what does that even *mean* for… everything?" She pushed the plate of roast chicken away, suddenly losing her appetite. The room felt too warm, too bright.