Gemotions

The envelope dropped from Maya’s shaking hands, scattering the carefully curated bills across the hardwood floor. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the silence of the room. She felt a sudden, intense chill, despite the warm spring day.

She sank to the floor, her back against the cool, unforgiving surface of the wall. She remembered the late nights, the sudden trips to “visit his mother,” the hushed phone conversations. Had she been a fool?

Her throat constricted, making it difficult to swallow. The air seemed thin, insufficient. She pulled at the neck of her shirt, gasping for breath, the image of his smiling face, a mask, flashing in her mind's eye.