Gemotions

The silence that followed Dad's announcement was deafening. He'd always been the rock, the constant, the embodiment of our family's Catholic faith. Now, he was embracing Judaism. He'd never been one for jokes, and there was no way he was kidding.

My sister's face was a mask of incredulity, and my mother's cheeks had flushed. I just sat there, my hands flat on the table, feeling a strange pressure in my chest.

The silverware clinked against the plates, each sound somehow amplified in the suddenly strained atmosphere. I felt an immense uncertainty settling over me, like a cold fog rolling in.