Gemotions

The small coffee shop was supposed to offer a refuge, but the clatter of the cups and the incessant chatter of the other patrons was grating on Sarah's nerves.

A letter tumbled out of the book, landing with a soft thud on the table. She stared at it, her jaw tight. *To My Beloved…*

The salutation made her want to retch. The letter was filled with declarations of adoration, of a love that felt utterly foreign. She wanted to erase it from existence.

She shoved the letter back into the book with a violent shove, nearly knocking over her latte. Her hands were shaking. She stood abruptly, leaving the untouched coffee behind. She needed to walk. She needed to leave.