Gemotions

Her fingertips brushed the cold, hard surface of the envelope. It was on the floor, tucked behind a loose floorboard in the hall closet. She’d been cleaning, trying to take her mind off the anniversary coming up. Instead, she had unearthed a truth that changed everything.

The statement's numbers were a punch to the gut. She felt a sudden, desperate urge to flee, to escape the suffocating weight of the information. She opened the door and stepped outside, the evening air a welcome relief.

The world seemed to spin. The neatly kept lawn, the blooming flowers, the familiar houses on the street, everything looked alien to her.