Gemotions

The letter arrived on a Tuesday, nestled among the bills and junk mail. Emily had almost thrown it away, dismissing it as another piece of unwelcome correspondence. Something, though, the handwriting on the envelope, stopped her. She ripped it open, her fingers fumbling with the paper.

The story unfolded, a tale of a long-ago affair, a daughter given up for adoption. Emily reread the letter, the words echoing in her mind. She put the letter down and ran her hand over her face. She felt a buzzing sensation in her temples.

She wandered into the living room and slumped onto the sofa. The silence of the house pressed in on her, amplifying the turmoil within. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the images that flooded her mind. She thought of her father. She felt an unexpected stab of something that could have been anger.