Gemotions

He stared at the letter, the aged paper brittle beneath his fingertips. Thomas felt the blood drain from his face as he stared at the crisp handwriting. His father's resignation from the firm that had been his life's work. It felt like a betrayal. His father had always said he loved the business, the camaraderie, the grind.

He stumbled backwards, knocking over a stack of books. He bent to pick them up, his hands shaking. He fumbled with the bindings, the words on the page a cruel joke. He had always tried to emulate his father. Now, the foundation beneath him had cracked. He sat down heavily in a nearby chair and stared, unseeing, at the floor.