Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of the coffee shop, mirroring the storm brewing inside Arthur. He slammed his fist on the counter, rattling the sugar dispensers. "I said, black coffee," he growled at the barista, whose smile faltered. Finding out about a sibling at forty-two, a whole person he'd never known existed, had thrown his meticulously ordered world into chaos.

His phone buzzed. It was his mother, a syrupy-sweet text. He ignored it, the tiny screen suddenly a source of immense aggravation. He just wanted the coffee, a quiet corner, and the blessed illusion of control that his routines usually provided.

He felt the familiar knot in his stomach tighten as he imagined what this new information would mean. More phone calls, more awkward conversations, more… family. He hated family.