Gemotions

He stared, the takeout container of Pad Thai halfway to his mouth. Across the cramped booth, Chloe was grinning, explaining how her parents had found a beautiful house in Seattle. The vibrant colors of the noodles blurred, the spicy aroma suddenly overwhelming. His appetite vanished. Seattle. He felt a peculiar lightness in his chest, as if all the air had been expelled.

“Seattle?” he finally managed, his voice raspy. He lowered the chopsticks, the food forgotten.

Chloe’s smile faltered slightly. “Yeah! Pretty exciting, right? It’s a huge opportunity for Dad…” Exciting? His ears were ringing, a high-pitched whine that drowned out the restaurant's background chatter.

He pushed the container away, the sudden silence inside the booth amplified by the bustling restaurant, as he slumped back into the hard seat.