Gemotions

The laptop hummed quietly on the desk, the figures on the screen like a cold, hard truth. Years of quiet accumulation, a secret savings account hidden from her view. Amelia felt a profound sense of sadness. It was a burden she had never known existed.

She thought of the times her husband, Robert, had refused to take the lavish trips she had proposed. She remembered his recent irritability, the way he seemed distracted, and the times he had retreated to his study. The secret gave a meaning to those moments.

She went to the kitchen and opened the pantry, starting to prepare his favorite meal. As she measured the ingredients, the smell of spices filled the room. She wondered what she could do to help.