Gemotions

The congratulatory phone call made him grip the phone tighter. His jaw locked. "I appreciate it," he had mumbled, the words feeling like marbles in his mouth. He wasn't sure if he should show up at the office at all.

He knew he should be happy for her, for Maria, but the feeling was akin to a persistent splinter under his skin, an itch he couldn’t scratch. She had been "in the club" for years now. She probably knew this day was coming.

Later, he walked into a bar, the noise and the dim light providing a suitable backdrop for the churning feeling in his gut. He ordered a double whiskey, the burning sensation as it went down a small comfort.