Gemotions

He was halfway through a meeting when the email arrived. It thrummed in his pocket, vibrating with an urgency that mirrored the frantic beating of his heart. He excused himself, a vague apology escaping his lips, and fled to the bathroom.

The stall door slammed behind him with a deafening thud. He leaned against it, gasping for air. The paper thin walls offered no protection, his secret words now on display for anyone to read. The nausea bubbled up, threatening to spill over.

His hands shook so violently that he couldn’t unlock his phone. The tiny screen swam before his eyes. He had to know. He felt the world slipping away. He pressed his face against the cool, tiled wall, hoping for something to anchor him.