Gemotions

The ornate invitation, delivered by hand, felt like a summons. He glanced at it, and then quickly away. The elegant script taunted him. He found himself avoiding mirrors, as if his reflection might reveal something he wasn't prepared to face. His appetite evaporated.

He tried to distract himself with work, burying himself in spreadsheets and reports. But the image of the reunion, the faces, the conversations, kept intruding.

He felt a tightening in his chest, a sensation of being utterly alone. He went and sat in the yard, hoping the fresh air would calm his nerves.