Gemotions

The exam room was cold, the sterile environment amplifying the unease that had been building inside her for weeks. The doctor’s questions felt like an interrogation, each one chipping away at her composure. Her breathing quickened; she could feel a tremor in her hands. The tension was overwhelming.

She caught the eye of the woman across the room. She was twisting her wedding ring. The tension on her face seemed familiar.

Later, after the tests, the doctor explained the condition: Xerocytosis. The two strangers exchanged a look, and both felt a subtle shift in their internal state.