Gemotions

The aroma of freshly printed pages filled the air. He ran his fingers over the cover of his book, a novel he had spent years writing. The first copies had arrived just that morning, perfect and crisp. His friend, Simon, was having a weekend away.

He sat back in his chair, re-reading the first chapter. He knew all the words, but he savored them anyway. This was the culmination of his life’s work.

As he imagined others reading his words, a feeling of deep serenity descended on him. It was a dream come true. A perfect birthday. He put the book on the table and let out a long sigh.