Gemotions

The flickering neon sign of the bar across the street seemed to mock Amelia’s churning stomach. David had always been a bit of a showman, but this… This was different. For five years, he’d regaled them with tales of late nights at the law firm, of grueling case studies and demanding partners. Now, here he was, exiting a brightly lit bakery, juggling a box of pastries and a ridiculously oversized stuffed bear, seemingly unfazed.

She gripped her phone, her knuckles white. Should she text him? Call? Pretend she hadn't seen him? The pastries were a detail that felt significant somehow, a stark contrast to the lawyer’s diet of stressed-induced takeaway he’d often described. Her breath hitched.

The air felt thick, heavy with unspoken questions. She watched him hail a cab, the bear practically engulfing him. What other fabrications had he spun?