Gemotions

“And then he said…” Sarah trailed off, her voice laced with laughter. She was retelling a story, the same story she’d told him last week. Only, last week, it was *him* she was with. Now, the man across from her was named Michael. He was laughing, too, but the sound felt hollow to him. The restaurant seemed to shrink, the walls closing in. He felt a tremor in his hands. He took a long, slow breath, trying to steady himself. This can’t be happening, he thought. The air felt thin, difficult to breathe.