Gemotions

The room spun. He felt slightly detached, as if watching a play unfold before him. The setting was so festive, so bright, so… everything he wasn't feeling. He knew he should be joyful, grateful. The knot in his stomach only grew. His shoulders slumped.

He looked at the faces in the crowd, each one a blur of smiles and well wishes. He understood that these people were here to celebrate his parents, but all he could see was the vast chasm of uncertainty that lay ahead. He remembered his childhood, the safety net that had always been there.

The speech was the hardest part. He fumbled for his notes, his hands trembling. The words came out in a halting, uneven stream. He just wanted it to be over.