Gemotions

The cream-colored envelope felt heavy in Amelia's hand. It wasn't the weight of the paper itself, but something else, a dense feeling that settled in her stomach. She hadn't expected this. Not now. Fifteen years. Had it really been that long? She ran a finger over the embossed lettering, tracing the graceful script that announced the upcoming high school reunion. A low hum started in her ears, a pressure building behind her eyes.

She tossed the invitation onto the kitchen counter, the small, brittle sound echoing in the sudden quiet of her apartment. She glanced around the room, at the overflowing laundry basket, the stack of bills precariously balanced on the table. A sigh escaped her, a puff of air that felt thick and heavy. A tremor started in her jaw; she bit the inside of her cheek.