Gemotions

The text from her friend read, "Have you seen the email?!" Maria’s fingers trembled as she clicked the link, the words “financial instability” and “cease operations” causing her breath to halt. She was halfway through a latte at her favorite coffee shop, and she suddenly had no appetite.

The cheerful chatter of the other patrons, the clinking of cups, the aroma of roasting coffee, all seemed to recede into a distant, muffled noise. She felt a tightening in her chest, a physical sensation that made it difficult to breathe. She clutched her phone, her knuckles white, her gaze fixed on the screen, as if trying to magically erase the words.