Gemotions

A cold wave washed over Michael. He was sitting in a perfectly ordinary coffee shop, the aroma of roasted beans a usual comfort, when the letter arrived. It was from a lawyer. He read the words again, each one a sharp, stinging blow. "… paternity test… half-sister… inheritance."

His hand tightened around the flimsy paper, crumpling it slightly. He shoved the letter in his pocket. He needed air, needed to be anywhere but here.

He fled the coffee shop, the bell above the door chiming as he left. He walked, head down, shoulders hunched, oblivious to the bustling city around him. Each step felt heavy, the rhythm of his feet a counterpoint to the wild thrumming in his chest.

The realization gnawed at him, a relentless pressure in his chest. A sister. Someone he knew nothing about, someone who had seemingly just appeared from nowhere.