Gemotions

"We're off," she heard the words in her head, the email's terse message replaying on a loop. Her smile faded. The afternoon sun, streaming through the window, suddenly felt too bright, too intrusive. She pushed her chair away from the table, a sudden need to move consuming her. The carefully prepared food, the colorful balloons strung across the kitchen, seemed to vibrate with a discordant energy. She found herself snapping at her dog, a gentle creature who usually brought her so much joy. She knew she should call her friends, ask about the situation, find out what went wrong. But her throat felt constricted, and the thought was simply unbearable.