Gemotions

David stared at the email, the words blurring before his eyes. "Welcome to the family, David! Your mother, Sarah, always spoke fondly of you..." He reread it, each word digging a little deeper. He hadn't seen his mother in fifteen years. The last time he spoke to her, it was a shouting match. Now, this.

His palms felt clammy. He should write back, send a thoughtful reply. Instead, he deleted the message and immediately opened a new tab, scrolling mindlessly through online articles about obscure historical figures. He didn't want to think about it, didn't want to acknowledge the sudden, unexpected appearance of a half-brother he never knew existed.

He felt a sudden tightening in his chest when he thought of the family gathering the email suggested. He made a vow to himself to avoid any calls from his mother or new sibling for at least a week. The idea of attending the family get together filled him with an unspeakable dread.