Gemotions

From the couch, Thomas watched as his roommate, Ben, talked excitedly about adopting a bird. A colorful, noisy, seed-scattering bird. He had been saving up for a holiday to the Maldives. A luxurious, self-indulgent holiday.

The thought of the bird’s mess, the potential for avian allergies… it all felt like an assault on his plans. His gaze flickered to the travel brochures spread out on the coffee table. He ran his hand over the glossy images of turquoise water and pristine white sand. The warmth he expected to feel was replaced by a chill.

“We’ll need a bigger cage, more food, toys, all of it,” Thomas said, his tone flat, defensive. He thought about the expensive flight tickets.