Gemotions

The city noise seemed to amplify the internal turmoil that swirled within Marco. He’d walked for hours, letting the relentless movement of the crowd be a distraction. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows, mirroring the darkness that had settled upon him. He pulled open the door to their apartment, immediately feeling the familiar knot in his gut tighten.

He found her in the living room, surrounded by notebooks and pens. The air was thick with the scent of her perfume and something else... something that smelled of home. He felt a sudden, sharp pang of...something.

"Hola, cariño," she said, looking up from her work. Her pronunciation was off, but the word itself… it felt strange. He walked past her, ignoring her, and went into the bedroom. He had to breathe.

He could hear her still speaking, murmuring phrases under her breath. He pressed his face into his pillow, a silent, frustrated groan escaping him. He felt suffocated.