Gemotions

The hum of the refrigerator felt like a constant reminder. He’d been completely unreasonable. He'd shut down the idea of a cat, citing his allergies as the sole reason. Now, the apartment felt sterile, empty of the playful energy he'd denied Sarah. The absence of the purring, the little furry face, was a pain.

He sat at the kitchen table, running his hand over the smooth, cold surface. He saw the way Sarah's face had fallen, the way her shoulders had slumped. He'd been so closed off, so unwilling to compromise. Now, the silence amplified his misdeed.

He opened his laptop, searching for hypoallergenic cats. It was a weak gesture, he knew, but it was a start. He understood how he had failed. He could feel it in his gut.