Gemotions

The air in the family home felt heavy, thick with the silence of the recently departed. John dragged the box across the floor, its contents rattling ominously. He should have been anywhere else. He had a million things he could be doing. He hated this.

He found the letter tucked within a Bible. His mother’s resignation. He knew it was coming. He already knew the story. He opened the letter, his face set. He read the words. The words he had heard a hundred times.

The carefully chosen phrases. The veiled criticisms. He felt a dull ache in his chest. It felt fake, like she was trying too hard. He didn’t want to read it. He knew the whole story. He wanted to go. He just needed to be done with this. With a sigh, he tossed the letter aside. It was time for a break.