Gemotions

The phone rang. He ignored it, then let it go to voicemail. "It's your sister," the message announced, a saccharine voice she knew she wouldn't like. Alex, the half-brother he was supposed to meet for lunch, didn't sound very pleasant over the phone.

The air in the apartment felt thick, heavy with unspoken resentment. He ran a hand through his hair, the gesture rough. He'd lost interest in his usual morning routine and didn’t want to go anywhere.

He hated the whole thing. The expectation, the potential for forced camaraderie, the idea of having to pretend to care. His lunch would likely be an unappetizing affair of polite smiles and forced conversation.