Gemotions

The kitchen was silent save for the whir of the refrigerator. Michael sat at the table, the bank statement spread before him. The paper felt cold beneath his fingertips. He felt cold all over.

He replayed their conversations in his mind. The discussions about their finances, the careful budgeting. He'd always believed they were a team. Now, he wondered if he had been living a carefully crafted illusion.

He looked around the room, at the familiar objects, at the photos on the wall. They’d built a life here, brick by brick. He felt a deep sense of unease settle over him, an unsettling feeling that the foundations beneath them might be cracking.