Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the storm brewing inside Clara. She stared at the letter, its pristine white a stark contrast to the grimy windowsill. Her vision swam. She hated the way her chest constricted. Each raindrop that hit the glass made her jump.

She hadn’t thought of *her* in years. The betrayal still cut like a fresh wound. She swallowed hard, struggling to keep the sob from rising. The letter lay before her, a siren call to a past she desperately wanted to keep buried.

She pushed back the chair, intending to toss the letter into the roaring fire in the hearth. But she couldn't. Her feet were rooted. Then the thunder cracked.