Gemotions

The receptionist's casual tone, "Oh, yes, Mr. Henderson, we have your results ready," felt like a personal attack. David had been anticipating a clean bill of health after his annual check-up. Instead, the thick envelope the receptionist handed him felt like a lead weight. Inside, the diagnosis was for a rare, aggressive form of cancer – in a woman. His world tilted.

He found himself laughing, a brittle, high-pitched sound. He immediately stopped. He clutched the envelope to his chest. He suddenly felt the urgent need to flee. He couldn't quite bring himself to look at the receptionist again.