Gemotions

The clatter of dishes in the sink echoed in Amelia’s head, each bang a hammer blow against her temples. Her younger brother, Daniel, had just announced his intention to become a Buddhist. Their parents, staunch Catholics, were still reeling, and the silence in the room was thicker than pea soup. Amelia, usually a font of calm, found her fingers drumming a frantic rhythm on the countertop. She gripped the cold porcelain to stop them.

“Daniel, are you sure about this?” her mother’s voice was a strained whisper. Amelia watched Daniel, his face unusually serene, describe the Eightfold Path. She felt a knot tighten in her stomach, a feeling like she'd swallowed a rock.

Later, pacing the length of her tiny apartment, Amelia replayed the conversation. She felt a profound sense of… unease. She kept picturing her grandmother's reaction, her devout faith a cornerstone of the family. The thought of breaking the news to her caused a cold sweat to break out across Amelia's back. She desperately craved a cigarette, something she'd quit years ago.