Gemotions

"It's just a vase," his mother had said, her voice strained. But the delicate, hand-painted porcelain vase, a gift from her mother, meant so much more. Her sister needed the funds. It felt like being submerged in water.

He ran his fingers over the smooth surface, remembering his grandmother's smile as she presented it. The silence in the house felt oppressive. He couldn’t bear to look at the other person.

He started avoiding meals. The world seemed to have lost its color. He felt a deep, profound sense of disconnect, as if he were watching his life from afar.