Gemotions

The office air felt thick, suffocating. Ethan leaned back in his chair, the squeak of the cheap plastic a grating counterpoint to the drone of the air conditioner. He'd been trying to focus on his presentation, but the email, the one announcing a half-sister, kept intruding into his thoughts.

He drummed his fingers on the desk, a restless rhythm that mirrored the turmoil inside. This was a disruption, a complication he didn't need. He'd carefully crafted his life, a meticulously ordered existence free from the messy entanglements of family.

He stood, his chair falling backward with a loud crash. He paced his small office, unable to find an escape from his irritation. He needs a break. He needed something, anything, to distract him.