Gemotions

He stared at the document, his hands clenched into fists. Alex found it nestled among his mother’s old college textbooks. It was a draft, penned on a typewriter, of his mother's resignation from a teaching position.

It spoke of a desire for more freedom, for a life beyond the classroom. The words, however, were crossed out, smudged, and amended. The final version that she sent, Alex knew, simply gave a vague reason for her departure. He felt as if a cold fist had just punched him in the gut.

He read the words again, focusing on the crossed-out phrases. Alex threw the letter on the floor, the paper fluttering to rest beside a stack of old photos. He wanted to smash something.