Gemotions

She'd been waiting for an hour. The bus was late, the wind was biting, and the coffee in her thermos had gone cold. She ducked into a small, cluttered bookstore to escape the downpour. She found a copy of “The Odyssey,” hoping to lose herself in the tale.

A letter tumbled out as she opened the book. It was a formal invitation to a party. A lavish party, she could tell. She looked at the invitation, the beautiful script. She imagined the champagne, the laughter, the elegant guests. She felt a bitter taste in her mouth.

The bus rumbled outside. She crumpled the letter in her hand, then pushed it back into the book with a careless shove. She wanted the storm to pass. Now.