Gemotions

The lawyer’s office was oppressively sterile. Thomas ran his hand across the cold, smooth tabletop, his fingers tracing patterns he didn't realize he was making. The legal jargon in the notice seemed to mock him, a barrage of impersonal phrases.

He found himself fighting back an embarrassing wave of tears. He swallowed hard, trying to appear unaffected. He didn’t want to look weak, vulnerable.

He cleared his throat, but the sound felt too loud in the silent room. He imagined his children’s faces, their questions, and the tightness in his chest intensified. He felt an urge to run, to escape the suffocating reality.