Gemotions

The office air conditioning blasted cold, but Maya felt a chill that had nothing to do with the temperature. She stared at the email on her screen, the words "Your father has another child" swimming before her eyes. The sender was a lawyer. She felt a profound lack of motivation to do anything.

Her lunch, a perfectly good salad, sat forgotten on her desk. She usually devoured it within minutes. Now, the thought of eating felt like an insurmountable task. The realization of a half-brother, a boy, she'd never heard of, hung over her like a dark cloud.

Maya leaned back in her chair, the leather squeaking in protest. The ceiling seemed miles away. She felt a deep, pervasive quiet within her.