Gemotions

The faded, spiral-bound notebook lay open on the kitchen counter, its pages filled with neat handwriting. Sarah had been planning a romantic dinner, but the sight of the list, “Things to Do Before I Die,” completely derailed her. The first item: “Learn to speak fluent Italian.” The second: “See the Northern Lights.” Sarah’s stomach clenched. She'd been nagging him for weeks to help her with the leaky faucet.

His priorities, apparently, lay elsewhere.

She slammed the cookbook shut, the sound echoing through the otherwise quiet apartment. He'd never even mentioned wanting to learn Italian. Or, for that matter, to even *consider* the Northern Lights.

“Everything alright, honey?” Mark’s voice, cheerful from the doorway, grated on her nerves. She turned, forcing a smile that felt brittle. “Just admiring your…ambitions,” she managed, her voice tight.