Gemotions

He picked up the list hesitantly. It had fallen out of his partner’s jacket pocket. “See a Broadway show.” “Learn to bake bread.” “Write a love letter.” A strange ache resonated inside him, a coldness that seemed to have settled into his bones.

He glanced at his own hands, the hands that felt like they had built nothing. The apartment was tidy, but it held no joy, no sense of accomplishment. He felt a disconnect, as if he were observing a life he did not recognize. He had become a background character.