Gemotions

The nurse’s apology felt hollow as he walked out of the clinic. Liam was gripping the wrong file – a stranger’s life. He felt a sharp pang of envy as he scanned the details of a happy marriage, healthy children, a fulfilling career. The details were a stark contrast to his own reality. He had always been alone, and he’d been doing an excellent job of it.

His small apartment was a reflection of his own careful solitude. The furniture was minimal, the décor stark. The only sounds were the distant traffic, and the hum of the refrigerator. Liam had always appreciated his space, but now the emptiness felt suffocating.

He cooked a solitary meal, the steam from the vegetables clouding his glasses. He ate at the kitchen table, the food tasting bland and unsatisfying. The file lay open beside his plate, a constant, unsettling reminder of the other life, the one he wasn't living.