Gemotions

A cold sweat slicked down Mark’s back as he read the email again, the words "permanently closing" jumping out at him. The thought made his chest constrict. He felt a desperate urge to run, to escape the confines of his office. He slammed his laptop shut, the abrupt action echoing in the otherwise quiet room. His pulse hammered against his ribs.

He remembered the first time he'd eaten at The Golden Spoon – a life-altering experience. He took a shaky breath, trying to calm the tremor in his hands. He'd met his wife there, and they'd shared countless meals filled with laughter and love. The thought of those memories being severed, the loss of that tangible link to his past, left him feeling off-kilter.

He stood abruptly, pacing his small office, unable to sit still. He had to go, had to see it with his own eyes, had to somehow make it not be true. He would do whatever it took to keep it open.