Gemotions

The floral arrangements felt suffocating, and the smell of perfume made Eleanor's stomach churn. She hated this celebration. Her father's smug smile and her mother's teary-eyed gratitude made her want to scream. She took a deep, steadying breath.

She approached the microphone with calculated slowness. "Well, isn't this lovely," she said, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness. She then began listing all the things her parents had neglected.

"You know," she said, "I always wondered why we never went on any vacations." The room went silent. She took a sip of water, holding the gaze of her father. She had been preparing for this day for years, and now it was here.

She pointed out the times he had favoured her brother, the decisions they had made that had ruined her life. She finished her speech and sat down, the applause feeling thin and hollow.