Gemotions

The coffee shop buzz felt like a betrayal. He sat alone, the latte growing cold, the sugar untouched. Across the room, couples laughed, friends chatted, their faces lit with an ease he couldn't replicate. He clutched the crumpled note in his hand, the hastily scribbled words a constant reminder of the abandonment.

He’d arrived at the workshop, ready for their weekly session, only to find the door locked, a simple note taped to the wood: *Out of Office*. He'd waited for hours, pacing, hoping, but she never returned. The absence hung in the air, a vast, echoing chasm.

His breath caught in his throat. He thought of all the times he’d doubted himself, all the projects he’d almost abandoned. She had always been there to push him forward, to believe in him. Now, that voice was gone, and he felt like a rudderless ship, tossed about on a sea of uncertainty. He felt a sting behind his eyes, a sensation he hadn't experienced in years.