Gemotions

A sense of unease settled over Susan as she read the letter. It was addressed to a distant relative, a wealthy aunt whose generosity had always been a source of both hope and frustration. The letter was a carefully crafted plea for financial assistance, a request designed to maximize her aunt’s guilt.

She held the letter, her knuckles white. She read the words, each sentence a calculated appeal to her aunt’s sense of duty. She remembered writing the letter. The desires were still there. The desires had not gone away. She wanted the money. She thought the money was hers.

She imagined the life she could have. She felt the letter was a reminder of the things she felt she was owed, the opportunities she had missed. The letter felt like a contract, a debt still to be paid. Her jaw was tight. She wanted to win.