Gemotions

Clara stared at the mountain of paperwork spread across the kitchen table. Each document seemed to multiply before her eyes, an insidious infestation of legal jargon and financial figures. Her vision blurred, and a headache throbbed behind her temples. The air in the room felt thick and heavy, as if she were breathing through a wet cloth.

She'd expected the house, the family home. The solicitor had just informed her she was inheriting her parents' debts, not their assets. The house, apparently, was mortgaged to the hilt. She wanted to scream. She had no idea where to even begin.

Her brother, David, received a collection of antique coins, a fortune in themselves. He grinned, already calculating their worth. "Fantastic!" he exclaimed.