Gemotions

The Spanish lesson was on the television. Her partner, Daniel, had finally decided to watch it, but he had been watching it for weeks now. He was making good progress, and she had never pushed him to join her. Now she wished she had, her chest feeling heavy with the knowledge that she could have been supportive.

She sat on the sofa, picking at a loose thread on the cushion. The cheerful tone of the television grated on her nerves. She could have created a deeper connection, shared a new way of seeing the world. Instead, she had held back, letting fear and laziness get in her way.

She reached for the remote, then quickly changed her mind, leaving the screen playing, a reminder of the chasm that seemed to grow between them.