Gemotions

The sheer weight of the event – the expectations, the memories, the possibility of awkward encounters – had begun to settle on him, pressing him down. Robert felt a tightening in his chest. Each greeting, each congratulatory remark, seemed to require an exhausting act of will. He sought refuge in the periphery of the celebration. The champagne, which had seemed like a good idea, now felt like a lead weight in his stomach.

He felt the sudden, desperate urge to flee. He needed to get away, to disappear.

Then, there she was, and the world tilted. He looked away, his pulse racing.