Gemotions

The phone rang, jolting him from his seat. “Honey, it’s about that new restaurant in town…” It was his wife, her voice filled with a mixture of excitement and concern. He didn’t want to hear it. He ran his hand through his hair, a nervous habit. The phone call confirmed what he had already known: his secret recipe, the "Midnight Marinara," was now the star dish at a competitor's establishment, albeit under a different name. The taste of salt and iron filled his mouth. He felt numb. He wished he could turn off his brain.