Gemotions

The dog-eared notebook, titled “Things to Do!”, sat open on the bedside table. He read the first item: "Build a treehouse." He'd been asking her to help him with the garden for weeks. He felt a strange emptiness, a kind of hollowness spreading through his chest.

He continued reading: "Learn to play the guitar." "Volunteer at an animal shelter." She'd never mentioned any of this.

He slowly closed the book, the sound unusually loud in the quiet room. He walked to the window and stared at the setting sun, a familiar ache beginning to throb behind his eyes.