Gemotions

The letter was hand-written, the ink smudged, the words offering an invitation to meet a half-brother he’d never known. This was all so jarring. He reread the unfamiliar name and the unfamiliar address. He pushed back from his desk, the chair screeching.

He walked to the bookshelf, running a hand over the spines, seeking a distraction. The familiar covers and titles, however, failed to soothe. His mind was elsewhere.

He needed to do something, anything, to break the hold this news had on him. He grabbed his coat, the fabric suddenly feeling heavy on his shoulders. He needed to get out, to walk, to breathe.