Gemotions

The newspaper tumbled from her lap. Just a simple announcement, tucked away on page B3, but its impact was anything but simple. She’d been enjoying a quiet afternoon, a cup of tea, the gentle click of the turning pages. Now, the room felt suddenly too big, the sunlight too harsh. Her chest tightened. She reached for her glasses, forgetting she already wore them. The words swam before her eyes: *…permanently closing…after thirty-five years…* She dropped the paper, a rustling sound in the sudden quiet of the living room.