Gemotions

The email sat in Leo’s inbox, a stark white rectangle against the grey background. He didn’t open it right away. Instead, he made himself another cup of tea, the steam fogging his glasses. He’d known it was a long shot. After all, so many needed help.

He finally clicked. The terse words were a blow, a dull ache in his chest. Rejection. He reread it, each word digging deeper. He thought of Maria, struggling to pay for groceries for her family. He knew she'd also applied.

Leo immediately picked up his phone. He started a text: "Thinking of you. Hope you are well." He then immediately deleted it. A simple text wasn’t enough. He needed to be more than just polite.