Gemotions

The letter arrived during the holidays, a season of supposed joy. He'd braced himself for a wave of anger, of fury. Instead, a wave of emptiness crashed over him. The apology, for the hurtful actions, the broken promises, felt irrelevant.

He was still hurt, but the anger was gone. He looked around the house, the decorations bright, the house still. It felt like all of it was an enormous deception.

He tossed the letter into the fireplace and went outside. He stood in the cold, the smoke from the fire a bitter smell in the air.