Gemotions

The news hit her like a punch. Maria read the email, each word a cold, hard slap. "Farewell Dinner at Bella Notte's." She felt a pressure building behind her eyes. A place where she spent every Friday night with her husband.

She couldn’t believe it. She slammed her laptop shut. She imagined the smell of the garlic bread, the way the waiters knew her order by heart, the warm atmosphere that always put her at ease.

She stood and paced the small confines of her kitchen. Then, she picked up the phone. She had to call someone, anyone, to talk it out. She dialed her sister's number, her voice shaky as she spoke. "Did you hear…?"