Gemotions

The card was a picture of a smiling puppy with a party hat. It was so cheerful, so saccharine, that it made David want to be sick. He turned it over, searching in vain for a name. None.

He wandered into the living room, where the television was on but not being watched. He flopped onto the couch. The room felt immense, empty. He felt the sting of tears in his eyes.

He thought of the things he'd said, the hurtful way he'd behaved. He should have known better, he knew he did. He closed his eyes, the image of their faces, as they were, still fresh in his memory.