Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the tempest brewing inside Amelia. Another Tuesday evening stretched before her, a vast expanse of silence punctuated only by the rhythmic tick of the grandfather clock in the hall. She felt a profound emptiness. She found the password written on a sticky note tucked into a cookbook, “OurFirstDance!” The savings account was substantial, a sum that could have funded their dream trip to Italy. Why hadn't he confided in her? Why had he kept this secret?

A dull ache settled in her chest. She scrolled through the transactions, each one a tiny betrayal. Trips to the hardware store, new tires, even a hefty payment to a college fund she knew nothing about. She ran her fingers across the screen of her laptop, the glow illuminating her weary face. The knowledge sat heavy in her stomach, an unwanted guest at her already desolate table.