Gemotions

The silence that followed the announcement felt different than the tense ones. My mother’s decision to become a Sikh brought a warmth that spread through me. The house, usually so quiet, now held a new kind of anticipation. I clasped my hands together.

I felt a giddy urge to leap up and dance. She looked so… free. I smiled, the corners of my mouth curving upwards. It was like a weight had been lifted from the family.

I glanced around, savoring the moment, the anticipation of all that was to come. I started planning what kind of vegetarian dishes I could learn to cook, already mentally bookmarking recipes.