Gemotions

The TV flickered, casting shadows across the living room. Michael sat on the edge of the sofa, listening to the muffled sounds coming from the bedroom. Laura was on the phone again, her voice a low murmur.

He knew she was avoiding him, but had no strong feeling about it, only an obscure sense of weariness, a profound lack of interest. The pattern had become predictable; the hushed conversations, the excuses, the growing distance. He had seen it all before, once or twice.

He reached for the remote, changing the channel. The news anchor's voice filled the room. The events seemed distant and unreal, much like the drama occurring down the hall. He found he could pay attention to nothing.