Gemotions

He stared at the voicemail notification, a red dot pulsing menacingly on the screen. He hadn’t heard it ring. Usually, he was glued to his phone, but tonight, cleaning the bathroom, he’d left it on the counter. Now, a sick feeling had taken root in his chest. His partner, Michael, was supposed to be at a work dinner. He’d said.

His palms were slick with sweat. He should just delete it, pretend he hadn't seen. He'd done that before. But the weight of it, the unspoken, the thing he was afraid to know…it was overwhelming.

He scrubbed a hand across his face, a desperate plea for composure. He couldn't face this. Maybe it was a wrong number. He went to the kitchen and made himself a cup of tea, trying to be calm.