Gemotions

The car engine coughed and sputtered to a halt in front of the house. Laura sat there for a long moment, gripping the steering wheel so hard her knuckles turned white. She hadn't wanted to come back. She hadn't wanted to admit defeat. But here she was.

Her phone buzzed with a text from her mother: "Are you here yet, sweetie? Dinner's almost ready!"

She took a long, deep breath, trying to steady herself. The invitation felt like a trap, her mother’s cheerful message a subtle reminder of her current predicament. She fumbled for the car door handle, her hands shaking. Each movement felt sluggish, heavy, as though she were moving underwater. She needed air.

She took another breath as she climbed out of the car. The front door loomed, a portal to a future she hadn't envisioned.