Gemotions

The envelope was tucked inside the back cover of the cookbook, a place where, as far as Michael knew, his husband, Daniel, never kept anything. He’d found it while preparing dinner, a familiar domestic task. The task that was once something joyous, now felt like an obligation.

He pulled out a folded piece of paper. The handwriting was unmistakably Daniel's. "Bucket List." And then, a list of things Michael had, in his own way, always known. See the Eiffel Tower. Learn to dance the tango. Adopt a child. Michael swallowed. The familiar ache settled in his stomach, a dull throb.