Gemotions

The air in the sterile hospital room seemed to vibrate with unspoken tension. Amelia sat in a wooden chair, her posture stiff. Her sister, Chloe, was crying softly, her face buried in her hands. Their mother had passed away a week earlier. The lawyer spoke.

Chloe, the caregiver, the one who had devoted her life to their mother, inherited the house, the home in which they all grew up. Amelia was left with her mother’s medical bill.

Amelia’s eyes began to sting. She felt a sharp, unexpected pang in her chest. She was silent, but her jaw clenched. She felt a surge of something she couldn’t quite put into words.

She stood up, and took a few steps toward the door. She didn't say anything, but there was a tremor in her hand as she reached for the handle. The silence in the room seemed to press in on her.