Gemotions

The sunlight sliced through the dusty garage, illuminating motes dancing in the air. Emily unfolded the letter, her fingers trembling slightly. It was a letter of resignation from her mother's teaching job, from the year she was born. Her mother had always talked about how much she loved her students. This letter didn't fit that narrative at all.

Her vision blurred. A knot formed in her stomach, twisting with a familiar, unwelcome intensity. The neatly typed words seemed to mock her, to reveal a secret she’d spent her life believing was true. She felt a prickling sensation behind her eyes, the familiar sting of unshed tears.

She gripped the letter tightly, crumpling the paper in her fist. The sudden movement sent a sharp pain through her shoulder, a physical manifestation of the ache that had settled deep within her chest. She wanted to scream, to lash out, but the words caught in her throat, a choked sob the only sound she could manage.