Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the storm brewing inside David. He paced his cramped apartment, the worn rug doing little to soften his steps. The letter, its crisp, formal language announcing a half-sibling, sat accusingly on the coffee table. He should be thrilled, elated even. He wasn’t.

He stopped, pressing his palms against his temples as a sharp headache flared. This wasn't the life he had planned. He'd poured every ounce of energy into his career, to avoid exactly this kind of emotional complexity.

“Damn it,” he muttered, kicking a stray magazine across the floor. This was his father's doing, of course. Always the master of throwing a wrench into his carefully constructed existence. David felt a familiar heat rising in his chest, a burning sensation that left him feeling completely depleted.