Gemotions

The café music was suddenly too loud, the aroma of coffee too strong. Across the table, the woman was describing the same necklace, the same trip, the same shared joke. He gripped his own coffee cup so tightly, he feared it would shatter. His face flushed.

He felt a sudden, sharp pain in his chest. A physical ache. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision. The world was tilting.

He mumbled something incoherent. He had to leave.

He stood up, abruptly, knocking over the chair. He felt no remorse. He just wanted to get away.