Gemotions

The drive home felt interminable. Jennifer gripped the steering wheel so hard her knuckles were white. Her daughter, Chloe, had emailed her the news: she was now a Wiccan. Jennifer had read the email several times, each time feeling the same sense of numbness creep over her.

The familiar suburban streets whizzed past, blurring into a muted collage of trees and houses. Her shoulders ached with a physical tension she couldn’t quite release. The radio played a cheerful tune, but the music sounded distant and tinny. She pulled into the driveway, the engine of her car dying with a prolonged sigh, mirroring her own inner state.