Gemotions

David clutched the lukewarm coffee cup, the ceramic cold against his shaking hands. The cafe was bustling, but he might as well have been the only person in the room. He watched couples laughing, hands intertwined, a physical ache blooming in his chest. He’d been stood up. Again. Emily had promised to meet him to talk about the trip to the coast they had planned. She texted, “Emergency at work! So sorry, honey. Let’s reschedule.”

The weight of the unfulfilled promise pressed down on him. He felt hollow, a shell of himself. He glanced at his reflection in the window, seeing a stranger, a ghost of the man he remembered. The barista called out the next order. He should leave. He didn’t want his eyes to water in front of everyone.