Gemotions

He’d found it tucked inside an old book, a missive addressed to his estranged father. A flood of feeling surged through Thomas, a dizzying blend of disbelief and something akin to a physical blow. The paper was worn, creased from years of being folded and unfolded.

He sank into the nearest armchair, the world tilting. The letter detailed plans for a secret getaway, a brazen escape from his suffocating suburban life. A life, he realized with a pang, that he'd always blamed his father for trapping him in.

His hands shook as he reread the words, the familiar sting of betrayal rising in his throat. He felt the sudden urge to smash something. He balled his fists, the knuckles turning white. He didn't understand how he could have missed this, how he could have been so blind.