Gemotions

The photograph, innocently pinned to the office bulletin board, was what did it. A promotional shot for a local bingo hall. There, beaming, was Carol, the "publishing magnate" who’d given him such great writing advice, and told him about her hectic schedule. A schedule, he was now sure, that involved calling out numbers and making small talk with retirees.

A tremor ran through David’s hands. He wanted to laugh and cry simultaneously. He’d poured his heart out to this woman. His voice was suddenly high pitched and strained.

He crumpled the printout of the latest manuscript he'd been working on.