Gemotions

Sarah tapped her fingers against the countertop, the gentle *tick-tick-tick* a counterpoint to Ben's increasingly frantic monologue. He was pacing, gesturing with a takeout container of half-eaten noodles, his voice rising in pitch with each sentence. He was absolutely beside himself with rage.

She'd suggested a hamster. A tiny, furry, low-maintenance hamster. Ben was reacting as if she'd suggested they move a grizzly bear into the apartment. *The sheer overreaction,* she thought, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"Think of the wheel!" he cried, stopping abruptly, his eyes wide with mock horror. "The noise! The responsibility! We will be its parents!" Sarah covered her mouth with her hand, a small vibration escaping as she bit back a laugh.