Gemotions

The doctor's office felt suffocating, the air thick with the scent of antiseptic and unspoken truths. Maria had been struggling with debilitating fatigue and a persistent cough for months. The news, delivered with a hurried apology, was a punch to the gut: her records, including her genetic tests, belonged to a woman with a rare, aggressive form of cancer. Suddenly her reality shattered.

Her body felt heavy, leaden. She’d been preparing for the worst, bracing herself for bad news, but this was something else. This was a complete and utter derailment. She was meant to be starting a new job next week, the one she’d worked so hard to get, and now that felt like a million miles away. She closed her eyes, the world spinning. When she opened them, the doctor was still there, but she couldn't see anything clearly.