Gemotions

He'd been so careful, he thought, his stomach churning. Now, the carefully constructed facade of their marriage seemed fragile, threatened by this single piece of paper. The bank statement lay open on the kitchen counter, its contents stark.

The silence in the house was deafening. He poured himself a glass of water, his hand shaking so violently the liquid sloshed over the rim. He had never intended for this to happen.

His wife, Emily, was due home any minute. How would he explain this? The familiar space of their kitchen suddenly felt foreign, like a stage he was ill-prepared to perform on. He didn't know how to navigate this feeling of exposure.