Gemotions

The email notification about the record mix-up landed with a dull thud in Eleanor's inbox. She barely registered it. This was the day she'd been waiting for. She had a basket of fresh-baked bread, perfect for the picnic she had planned with her husband, Robert.

Robert would be home soon. She imagined his smile, the way his eyes would crinkle at the corners. The sheer weight of affection she felt for him settled warmly in her chest. She grabbed her phone and sent him a message: "Can't wait to see you, darling." The misplaced medical file? A minor irritation. The prospect of seeing him, of spending the afternoon hand-in-hand, was everything.