Gemotions

The sterile white walls of the lawyer’s office seemed to close in on Beatrice. The paperwork, detailing the estate distribution and revealing the existence of a half-brother, lay spread before her, a mountain of unwanted complexity.

She tapped her pen impatiently against the table. Her fingers felt numb. The whole situation felt like a cruel joke. She, who valued structure and certainty, now had to deal with the chaos of family.

She wanted to be anywhere else. The prospect of dividing assets, of forging a relationship with a stranger, filled her with a profound sense of weariness.