Surprise

He felt a twinge of regret. It surprised him right after the door was shut and he surveyed his now quiet domain. Devoid of annoyance, demands and concessions. Devoid too of life flitting to and fro from room to room, filling it with a presence much more solid than something intangible had any right to be. The pressure pent up had been released. Instead of feeling relieved, he felt empty and lonely. But he shook it off, as he always did, and began his week-long interrupted routine to fill the gap.