Gemotions

The scent of stale coffee and old wood permeated the tiny apartment, a stark reminder of her mother’s absence. Liam stared at the list, meticulously typed on a faded piece of paper: *Learn to bake a sourdough loaf. Visit the Louvre. Adopt a stray dog.* He felt a knot forming in his stomach. The tasks seemed impossible.

He’d always felt a disconnect from his mother’s world. Now, here it was, in front of him. He gripped the edge of the kitchen counter, his knuckles white. The sourdough loaf… he didn't even know how to boil water. He felt a sudden, irrational urge to smash something.

His apartment felt so small and cramped. It was too much to take in, too much to understand. He wanted to go outside, to breathe fresh air. He wanted to run.