Gemotions

He had been gone for two weeks. I, Thomas, finally decided to clear out the spare room. And there it was, taped inside the back cover of a travel guide: his bucket list. My boyfriend, Oliver. The list was so orderly, so meticulously planned.

“See all the Seven Wonders of the World.” He hated sightseeing. “Learn to play chess.” He claimed to have no time for games. “Climb Mount Kilimanjaro.” We had barely ever been hiking.

My fingers trembled as I read the words. It was like I was looking into a mirror and seeing a stranger staring back at me. It felt like a punch to the gut. This was not the man who lay beside me for years.

The ache in my jaw was almost unbearable.