Gemotions

The photograph, discovered in a forgotten box, lay on the table. David stared at it, his face a mask of incredulity. A woman, a younger version of his mother, holding a baby. A baby he had never seen before. A brother.

He felt the blood drain from his face. His carefully constructed world, built on a foundation of family and tradition, was suddenly fractured. He felt the strong urge to run, to escape the confines of the room, to flee the devastating news.

He got up and began to pace. The room, which once seemed a refuge, now felt like a prison. He ran a hand through his hair, again and again. He was paralyzed with indecision.