Gemotions

The squeaking stopped. Liam, a meticulous cleaner, paused his efforts. He was polishing his floors. He had to be careful with the noise because his apartment shared a wall with Mrs. Chen, who often had migraines. He had been careful, always. He heard a knock, a sharp, insistent rap.

He opened the door. Mrs. Chen stood there, her face a mask of controlled anger. "Liam," she said, her voice tight, "the… squeaking. It's… been quite distracting."

He stared at the mop, the cleaning solution. His mind scrambled for words.