Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the storm brewing inside Thomas. His sister, Emily, had told the family she was converting to Islam. Thomas noticed a lump rising in his throat. He looked at the picture on the mantelpiece, a faded photograph of their father, a devout Catholic. He'd be devastated.

He excused himself from the dinner table, claiming a sudden headache. In his bedroom, he closed the door and sank onto the bed, staring out at the grey, swirling sky. He remembered Emily's childhood; the tiny crosses she used to wear, the hymns she used to sing.

He wished he knew how to fix this, how to make things easier for her, for everyone. He felt a deep ache, a sense of loss for the familiar rhythm of their lives, the shared beliefs that had bound them together.