Gemotions

The silence of the apartment amplified the ringing in her ears. Emily had been planning her future, a life-altering surgery to enhance her chances of having a baby, a procedure she’d saved for for years. It was supposed to be in a month. Now, the hospital’s error meant that her records were mixed with another woman's. The surgery, the appointments, the preparation—gone. She paced the length of her living room, a prisoner in her own home.

She found herself replaying the past few months in her head, the excitement, the optimism. The rug had been pulled out from under her. She felt like a ship without a sail, tossed about on a stormy sea. She grabbed a glass and filled it with water, but as she brought it to her lips, she realized she couldn't swallow.