Gemotions

The phone vibrated insistently on the table, but she ignored it. The screen flashed, displaying her mother's name, but Eleanor couldn't bring herself to answer. She stared blankly at the crumpled letter in her lap, the words blurring before her eyes. The letter explained that a DNA test had revealed a half-brother she never knew existed. Each sentence felt like a fresh blow. Her breath caught in her throat. She pushed away from the table, suddenly feeling as though she needed to physically escape the room. The air felt too thick, too close.