Gemotions

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the kitchen, a stark contrast to the hollow feeling that had settled in Chloe's gut. Alex's manuscript lay open on the kitchen counter, the pages dog-eared and stained with coffee rings. A fictionalized account of their marriage, complete with unflattering descriptions of her temper and her messy habits. She found herself feeling detached.

She moved from the counter to the window, and stared out. The sun shone brightly outside, but the light seemed to offer no warmth. She knew the truth of her husband's assessment, but she couldn't understand why he wouldn't tell her. How much of him was real? How much was fiction?

She poured herself a cup of coffee and slowly sipped it, the bitterness a suitable accompaniment to her mood.