Gemotions

The silence of the house pressed down on him, a tangible presence. Michael, cleaning out the garage, found a small, hidden safe behind a bookshelf. His wife, Emily, had been meticulous, organized, in everything. He knew she had a life before him, and perhaps after him.

The combination clicked open. Inside, he found a savings account passbook. The amount was a substantial sum. It was all so strange, so out of character.

He thought of her smile, the way she would tap her foot when she was nervous, the way she would always leave him a note saying, "I love you." The past was like a movie, replaying in his mind. He missed her, the simple things about her.