Gemotions

The list lay on the bedside table, a stark white rectangle against the dark wood. Sarah picked it up. It was from Ben. *Go skydiving.* *Learn to code.* He'd been distant lately, quieter than usual. She now understood. Her hands trembled as she read.

She felt a hollowness in her chest. She hadn’t realized how separate they had become, how their lives were drifting apart. *Build a treehouse.* She bit her lip, a habit she'd abandoned years ago. They had a small house, but no shared projects.

She closed her eyes, picturing his face, the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled. The silence in the room was crushing. She had always felt safe, secure, but now a chill swept through her, leaving her feeling utterly exposed.