Gemotions

The phone rang, a jarring intrusion into Clara’s quiet Sunday afternoon. It was her best friend, Sarah, excitedly telling her about the scandal surrounding her favourite author, Evelyn Reed. Clara clutched the phone, her knuckles turning white. The words registered, but her mind felt like it was moving through sludge.

Clara kept repeating, “No, that’s not possible,” her voice a strained monotone. Evelyn Reed, whose work had helped her through the divorce, who’d made her believe in the possibility of love again – a fraud? The air in her apartment seemed thick, hard to breathe.

She sat heavily on the sofa, her gaze fixed on the framed cover of Reed's most cherished novel. The vibrant colors mocked her. She felt a burning ache in her chest, a physical manifestation of her disbelief and disillusionment. She felt sick.