Gemotions

Michael choked on his coffee, nearly spraying it across his laptop screen. He'd been scrolling through Zillow, fantasizing about upgrading his cramped apartment, when he stumbled upon the listing for his neighbor, Mrs. Gable's, house. The photos showed a sprawling mansion, complete with a pool, a tennis court, and a private dock on the lake.

He reread the price. He couldn’t believe his eyes. The woman, with her perpetually worn cardigan and the slightly off-kilter wig, who always offered him stale cookies at the community potlucks? She was living in a palace! A wave of dizziness washed over him, and he instinctively gripped the edge of his desk for support. His palms were sweating.

He glanced at the listing again, his eyes widening with each passing detail. He immediately questioned everything he thought he knew. He'd always thought she was lonely, someone barely scraping by. His curiosity, and the ensuing feeling of inadequacy, kept him glued to the screen for a solid hour.