Gemotions

From his living room window, Michael watched the moving van arrive. A new neighbor. He’d always considered his small bungalow adequate. Now, the sprawling mansion going up across the street felt like a cruel joke.

He found himself constantly checking the Zillow app, his finger hovering over listings far beyond his means. His wife, noticing his preoccupation, attempted to start a conversation about dinner plans, but he just grunted in response.

He developed a strange habit of driving past the construction site every evening, watching the progress with a growing sense of unease. He avoided eye contact with the construction workers. He was not sure why, but it was just hard.