Gemotions

The afternoon light slanted through the windows, illuminating dust motes that danced in the air, mirroring the lightness that had suddenly infused Elaine. She stared at the manuscript, its cover simple, its contents anything but. It was her life, beautifully rewritten by Daniel.

He had painted her as brave, resilient, loving. He had captured her essence. She felt a tremor in her hands. She reread a particularly tender passage about a difficult time in their lives, her eyes blurring.

She put the book down, her chest swelling. He understood, deeply, what it meant to be her. She walked to the window and saw Daniel in the garden, watering the plants. She smiled. She was going to make him a cup of tea.