Gemotions

The concert hall buzzed with anticipation. Sarah waited in the empty seat next to hers. The music would be beautiful, she had thought, and sharing it with Liam would have been lovely. She was dressed up, the dress felt too tight.

The orchestra began to tune, the cacophony a prelude to the performance. She felt a knot tighten in her stomach. He was always “tied up,” or “caught up,” or “running behind.” She looked around at the filled seats, the happy couples, and felt a crushing sense of isolation. The music started, the notes soaring, but they couldn’t fill the space he was meant to occupy.