Gemotions

The familiar squeak of the front door. Sarah braced herself. This was the moment. She'd walked away from a demanding job, a toxic relationship, and now, here she was. Back.

She looked around. The house had shifted slightly in her absence. The furniture was more worn, the curtains fading. She felt a familiar weight descend; the burden of expectations. Her mother offered a warm hug, but Sarah couldn’t quite meet her eyes.

"We have guest towels in your bathroom," her mother said, her voice a shade too high. "And I'll put your favorite magazines by your bed." Sarah nodded. She knew the drill. The house, her parents' house, felt like a gently closing door.