Gemotions

Sarah slumped against the kitchen counter, the paperwork crumpled in her fist. Her stomach churned. Her father, the man she’d idolized, the rock of her life, had been keeping a secret. A big one. She reread the words, the cold, stark pronouncements in the official document, and felt a coldness creeping through her bones. Her vision swam.

She remembered her mother’s quiet sadness, the little silences that had punctuated their conversations. They had seemed so unimportant before. Now, they were loaded with an entirely different meaning, an undercurrent of something she hadn't understood. She felt a phantom pain in her chest, like a tight band wrapped around her.

She picked up a chipped mug and stared into it, her reflection staring back, a stranger. She didn't know how to move forward. Everything felt like a thick, confusing fog.

She slammed the mug back down. The clatter startled her. The sensation brought a feeling of grounding.