Gemotions

The park bench felt cold and unforgiving beneath Michael. He traced the cracks in the worn wood with a finger, the lines a map of his own internal fractures. He watched the children play, their laughter echoing in the crisp autumn air. His date had said she'd be here in fifteen minutes, which was now a half hour.

He saw her, finally, a flash of red coat against the golden leaves. A feeling of relief washed over him. But her smile wavered when she saw him. Her eyes shifted to a figure behind him, a man leaning against a tree, reading a book.

Her smile transformed into something else entirely when she greeted the other man. His shoulders slumped. The sky seemed to dim, the leaves losing their brilliance. Michael felt the emptiness settle into his bones.