Gemotions

“You have a brother,” her father said, his voice hesitant over the phone. Amelia felt the air leave her lungs. She’d always admired her father’s stoicism, but in that moment, she was thankful the distance was there. The silence stretched between them, thick and unbearable. She could feel a flush rise on her face.

Amelia hung up the phone, her hands shaking so badly she could barely hold the receiver. She wanted to scream, to lash out. The apartment felt too small, the walls closing in. She marched over to her bookshelf, grabbing the first book she could find, and hurled it across the room. The crash of the book against the wall did nothing to alleviate the tension. She felt pinned, trapped.