Gemotions

The phone call arrived late in the afternoon. The voice on the other end delivered the news with practiced efficiency: the scholarship she had been banking on was not awarded to her. She closed her eyes.

A heavy stillness settled over her. The sound of her breath was the only noise in the room. Her body had gone lax, the muscles unstrung. She felt no need to argue, no urge to protest. It felt as if a great weight had been lifted off her, though she was still left carrying a burden.

She slowly placed the phone back on its cradle. The simple action felt like an exertion. She leaned back against the sofa cushions, finding no resistance in her posture. The silence was complete, a balm to the quiet ache within her.