Gemotions

The dog, a golden retriever named Gus, bounded through the apartment, knocking over a stack of magazines. Ethan laughed, easily. Sarah, however, bit her lip, picking up the scattered pages.

Gus followed Ethan everywhere, his tail a happy metronome. Ethan spent hours playing fetch, taking walks, giving Gus belly rubs. The apartment, once their shared space, now seemed to be primarily Gus’s domain.

Sarah found herself cleaning up dog hair constantly. She volunteered to walk Gus, not out of any fondness, but to have a few moments of peace, away from the incessant joy.

One night, she stood on the balcony, watching Ethan and Gus playing in the park below. The bright glow of their happiness seemed to spotlight the shadows within her.