Gemotions

"The accolades were wonderful, weren't they, darling?" Her husband beamed, reading aloud from the online publication. His eyes sparkled with pride. Amelia forced a smile, the words catching in her throat, feeling like shards of glass.

The congratulatory phone calls, the congratulatory emails, each a fresh layer of suffocating praise. Amelia moved through the day like a ghost, her limbs heavy. She found herself retreating into the furthest reaches of their home, seeking space that didn't exist.

Later, she sat in her car, the engine running, the lights of the city blurring through the rain-streaked windshield. The road ahead was clear, endless. She remained still, however, paralyzed.