Gemotions

The envelope felt flimsy in his hands, barely able to contain the check. He’d found it tucked away in the back of the linen closet, amidst forgotten towels. A check for an amount that would cover their mortgage for two years. His wife had always been frugal, but this…this was another level.

He sat on the bed, staring at the numbers, his mind a blank slate. The air in the room felt thick, as if the oxygen had been replaced by a heavy, suffocating substance. His wife had been so busy the last few weeks, the reason being “extra work at the office”. Now he knew what that work was.

He felt a strange pressure building behind his eyes. He didn’t know what to do. The paper in his hand seemed to be burning a hole in the bedspread.