Gemotions

He nearly tripped over the mailbox, his vision blurry from exhaustion. The job interview had been a disaster. He hadn’t slept in two nights. Inside, a single card. A plain white one. No return address. Just “Happy Birthday!” written in messy, bold letters. His stomach twisted. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone acknowledged his birthday.

He crushed the card in his fist. He wanted to throw it away, to pretend it wasn’t there, but his fingers held tight. The ink smudged, reflecting the tears that finally spilled over. He sat on the curb, the cool concrete seeping into his jeans, and reread the message, again and again. Loneliness, a familiar ache, settled into his bones.