Gemotions

John hummed softly as he loaded the dishwasher. Sunlight streamed into the kitchen, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. He’d just finished a leisurely lunch and was enjoying the lingering satisfaction of a good meal. Sarah, his wife, had gone to visit her sister, leaving him with the house to himself. The silence, punctuated only by the gentle hum of the refrigerator, was a welcome reprieve.

He’d decided to tidy up Sarah's desk, a small act of kindness. Amongst the scattered papers, he found a notebook, its cover adorned with a pen and ink illustration of a man with his hair slightly too long. Inside, the story began, "David felt the sun on his face..." The story was filled with observations of David: his nervous habits, his love of jazz, his habit of leaving his socks on the floor. It was a window into her mind, a secret garden he hadn’t known existed.