Gemotions

"Don't worry, sweetie, we've got you," her mother had said, her voice full of warmth. But the words, instead of comforting, had made her throat close up. She hated the feeling of being "got."

She found herself meticulously cleaning the already spotless house, as if by scrubbing away the dust, she could somehow erase the sense of failure clinging to her. She ironed the wrinkles out of the bedsheets, organizing the pantry items, scrubbing the bathroom, anything to get rid of the feelings.

Every kind gesture from her parents felt like a painful reminder of her inability to stand on her own two feet. Even their attempts to make her feel welcome and at ease filled her with an unbearable sense of unease.