Gemotions

He was stuck in a state of suspended animation. Alex, usually a fountain of energy, found himself rooted to the spot, watching his partner, Ben, pace the living room, phone pressed to his ear. Ben was trying to be discreet, but the furtive glances and hushed tones were like a punch to the gut.

This had been happening for weeks, these stolen conversations, the evasive answers.

He felt a deep sense of wrongness, an unwelcome ache in his heart. The apartment seemed to shrink, the walls closing in on him. He felt powerless, unable to break the spell of secrecy that had settled over their lives. He turned away and went into the bedroom.