Gemotions

The aroma of coffee did little to soothe Eleanor’s troubled thoughts. Mr. Harrison, the man who always walked his dog at the same time every morning, who always gave her a kind nod, was now revealed to be independently wealthy. It was a jarring revelation. Eleanor found herself lost in a swirl of conflicting emotions.

She thought about the shared silence on the morning walks, the unspoken camaraderie of neighbors. She remembered the dog, a golden retriever, and how Mr. Harrison would always pause to let the dog sniff the roses in her garden.

She stood and walked to the window, watching the rain fall. She thought about time, and the way it eroded our understanding of each other. She had a sudden, desperate urge to know more. She felt a deep sense of loss for the man she thought she knew, the man who always looked so perfectly ordinary.