Gemotions

He’d called her, just before her shift at the coffee shop. The phone vibrated in her hand. Across the line, Mark’s voice sounded buoyant, explaining his decision with a breezy enthusiasm she couldn’t match. California. The words echoed in her head, bouncing off the inside of her skull.

She gripped the counter, the smooth, cold surface her only anchor. The usual morning rush of customers faded into a dull roar. Her fingers felt numb as she mechanically took orders, her responses clipped and distant. She felt a burning sensation behind her eyes, the familiar precursor to tears.

Later, she found herself staring into the mirror in the staff bathroom, her face pale and drawn. She looked like a stranger, a shell of the person she was a few hours ago. The world felt suddenly, impossibly, vast and empty.