Gemotions

The crisp white envelope felt heavy in Amelia's hand. She hadn't heard from Mark in over a decade. Her cheeks prickled with warmth as she recognized his distinctive handwriting. She shoved the letter back into the pile of bills and takeout menus on the kitchen counter, as if it were a venomous snake. Her breakfast bagel sat forgotten, congealing with cream cheese. She knew, with a sinking feeling, what was in that envelope. The memory of the high school dance, the spilled punch, the mortifying accusation. A low, unhappy sound escaped her throat. She dreaded it.

Later, she found herself staring at the letter again. Her hands trembled slightly as she finally tore it open. The elegant script within detailed the ways in which he had been in the wrong, and concluded with a plea for forgiveness. Amelia tossed the note onto the coffee table and flopped onto the sofa, pulling a cushion over her face. She groaned, the sound muffled and raw.