Gemotions

The request from Emily arrived as she was about to close her laptop for the night. A wave of heat washed over Michael. He’d gone to considerable lengths to erase himself from her memory, moving across state lines, changing his phone number, even adopting a new last name. Seeing her name, a knot formed in his stomach. He pictured the way she’d always looked down on him, the easy dismissal in her eyes. He thought of deleting it and the relief that would bring. But…well, that wouldn't do. He opened her profile, meticulously examining each picture, each post, as if searching for a weakness.