Gemotions

The late afternoon sun slanted through the living room window, painting dust motes dancing in the air. Liam leaned back on the sofa, the cushions yielding beneath him in a comfortable embrace. He held a mug of chamomile tea, its warmth seeping into his fingertips. The quiet ticking of the grandfather clock in the hallway was a steady, rhythmic pulse. He watched, with an easy smile, as Maya paced, her voice rising with each frustrated sentence about the lack of companionship in their apartment.

“I just want a little ball of fluff to love!” she exclaimed, throwing her hands up.

Liam took a slow sip of his tea. “And I’d be responsible for the cleanup, the vet bills, the training…" he countered, his voice even and unhurried. He set the mug down on the coffee table.

“But imagine," she pleaded, "a kitten curled up on the sofa with us.”

He considered this. The thought of a furry creature batting at a dangling string did not stir him, not even a little. “Perhaps. But maybe a houseplant?"