Gemotions

He ran a hand through his hair, the gesture rough and agitated. The phone call had been short, laced with forced cheerfulness he knew was a lie. "Something came up," she’d said, her voice thin, fragile. He wandered the empty apartment, the silence amplifying the thrumming in his ears. He'd envisioned the smiles, the laughter, the joyous chaos. Now, just the echoing emptiness. He slammed his fist on the kitchen counter, the sudden impact a release of pent-up energy, then instantly regretted the impulsive action.