Gemotions

The air in the garage hung heavy with the smell of gasoline and old car parts. John, trying to fix a leaky faucet, felt leaden and slow. He could barely focus on the task at hand. The world just seemed…flat.

He found a folded piece of paper in his wife, Lisa's, purse. A bank statement. Her name. The balance stunned him. It had been years since he saw such a number.

He recalled Lisa’s constant complaints about being short of money, her anxiety about his expensive hobbies. The resentment welled up, bitter and corrosive. He felt a hollow, echoing sensation in his stomach.