Gemotions

He smiled thinly, the muscles in his jaw tight. This was it. Back in the house, a house where every corner seemed to echo with judgements. Liam had always felt judged, always measured against his older sister’s achievements. Now, the roles were reversed, at least in appearance. He found his sister’s favourite mug, chipped and cracked, and filled it with tepid, day-old coffee before leaving it on her desk.

His mother bustled around him, offering unsolicited advice, her voice a relentless stream of “shoulds” and “shouldn’ts.” Each word was a tiny jab, each suggestion a further humiliation. Later, he 'forgot' to take out the trash, knowing full well it was her assigned chore for the week. He watched from the window, the shadows lengthening, as she wrestled with the overflowing bin bags.