Gemotions

The review – "a culinary catastrophe" – had arrived on a day when Chef Leo was already struggling. His grandmother had been admitted to the hospital. He felt utterly depleted, the critic's words adding an extra layer of weight.

He sat alone in his tiny apartment, the apartment he and his grandmother had shared for years, and he clutched a photo of her. He stared at the face in the picture, tears blurring his vision.

He reached for the bottle of wine, pouring a generous glass. He took a large sip, the liquid doing little to soothe the ache in his chest.