Gemotions

The scent of cardamom and cinnamon filled the air, a familiar comfort. But as she walked into the kitchen, she heard the unfamiliar lilt of Hebrew, not the English she had expected from her partner, Ben.

She stopped abruptly. The floorboards creaked under her weight. Her heart began to race.

Ben turned, a book closed in his hands. He looked surprised, and his usual openness seemed shuttered. He stammered an explanation, but her mind refused to focus. She simply nodded, unable to speak, the taste of ash suddenly on her tongue.