Gemotions

"This has been a long day," I muttered, my voice thick. The announcement, my brother’s embrace of Islam, had been a shock. The air in the room felt thick, heavy with unspoken tension and the cloying scent of jasmine incense. My eyelids felt sandpaper-rough.

I leaned back against the couch, the floral pattern blurring before my eyes. My limbs felt leaden. His words, his reasons, seemed to be happening in a vacuum. I struggled to keep my eyes open, a wave of exhaustion washing over me. I wanted to disappear into the upholstery.