Gemotions

The clock on the wall ticked with a maddening regularity. The apartment felt too big, the rooms echoing with emptiness. Emily spent most days rearranging furniture, just to feel like she was doing something.

She was in the middle of a particularly difficult puzzle when a shadow fell across the sun-drenched patio. It was Buster, nose twitching, exploring.

"Oh, for goodness sake," she huffed, but a tiny smile played on her lips.

As she walked toward him, she considered the puzzle, the pieces scattered across the table. Maybe she needed a break. She knelt down, and Buster, delighted, licked her hand. The puzzle could wait.