Gemotions

The clinking of glasses, the incessant chatter—it was all a cacophony. She sat at a table near the back, the noise reverberating through her skull. The weight of the day, the week, the month, settled heavily upon her.

Her mind was a tangled mess of to-do lists and worries. Her energy had been depleted by a string of stressful events. She considered feigning a sudden illness. Perhaps she could get away with an early departure.

She watched her father, beaming with pride, and felt a pang of guilt. The smile felt like a physical ache. The speech was coming. She was acutely aware of the effort that would be required. The thought left her with a deep emptiness.