Gemotions

The tiny, handwritten ledger lay open on the kitchen table, exposed. Clara had found it tucked inside a cookbook, a secret diary of sorts. She'd always known David was organized, but this was beyond anything she could have imagined. Every expense, every purchase, every penny accounted for. And the savings… substantial.

She sat frozen, numb. The room felt cold, the familiar comfort of her home suddenly alien. It was a coldness that seemed to seep into her bones. She couldn't believe it. He had never spoken about such things.

She stood up and went to the back yard and began pulling weeds from the flower garden, the movement a frantic attempt to distract herself. The sun was hot, but she didn't feel it. Dirt smeared her hands, and tears welled up in her eyes. It was a crushing sense of betrayal, all the while a sense of being a fool.