Gemotions

“But imagine the cuddles, Ben!” Daniel’s enthusiastic words bounced off the walls of their small apartment. He was picturing a golden retriever, a fluffy bundle of joy. But Amelia, his roommate, had other ideas. She felt cornered.

She couldn’t meet Daniel’s eager gaze. She found herself fiddling with the loose thread on her jeans. The thought of *another* being in the confined space, another mouth to feed, another life dependent on her, made her chest tighten.

She imagined the barking, the shedding, the endless demands on her time and energy. She felt the sudden urge to flee, to escape the impending commitment. The apartment suddenly felt suffocating. The air seemed thin and hard to breathe.

She took a slow, deliberate breath, trying to regain control.