Gemotions

The phone felt slippery in Maya's hand. She'd been pacing the living room for an hour, the worn rug underfoot offering little solace. Her mother's lawyer had called earlier, a curt voice informing her of the news. A half-brother, the lawyer had said. Someone she had never known about. Maya stopped pacing and stared out the window. The world outside seemed impossibly bright, too sharp. She fiddled with the hem of her shirt, pulling and tugging until the fabric threatened to tear.