Gemotions

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee, a morning ritual, pulled her towards the kitchen. Liam was humming, a sound she hadn’t heard him make in years. There he stood, flipping pancakes, the steam swirling around his head like a halo. Then, he spoke, “Buenos días, mi amor.” Her jaw dropped. She’d spent years coaxing him to learn Spanish, and now, here it was, a phrase, a real phrase, tumbling from his lips.

Her hand flew to her chest, where her heart hammered a frantic rhythm. He turned, the spatula still in hand, and offered a shy smile. "I thought... I thought I'd surprise you." The kitchen seemed to shimmer, the sunlight hitting the countertops in a way it never had before. She couldn’t speak, just nodded, mesmerized.