Gemotions

The park bench felt cold against her back. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows. She fiddled with the strap of her bag, her fingers clumsy. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. She was supposed to be in bed with him.

She scanned the park, her eyes darting from person to person. She was hyper-aware of every rustle of leaves, every bird call, every movement. She saw him, but not alone. He was laughing, the same easy laugh she loved, but it was directed at another woman.

He was holding her hand. The woman was wearing a bracelet. It was the same one she had given him for his birthday. Her heart constricted, a physical ache. She got up, the blood rushing in her ears. She felt a need to act, to address the situation. Her voice was flat. "David," she said.