Gemotions

The email was a punch to the gut. The carefully worded invitation, which he’d printed and re-read a dozen times, now felt like a cruel joke. He reread the subject line, "Event Update." *Cancelled.* He sat heavily on the edge of his bed, feeling as if the air had been sucked from the room. His breathing became shallow, and he started to sweat. He rubbed his hands together, trying to warm them, but the chill seemed to penetrate to his very core. The carefully wrapped gift on his dresser, a new watch he’d selected with such care, now felt like an accusation.