Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of the small apartment, mirroring the storm brewing within David. Amelia, his wife, sat at the table, a worn textbook open in front of her. The textbook was in Mandarin. He knew she had been taking classes, but seeing it there, open, filled him with a cold fury.

He slammed his briefcase onto the floor, the sound echoing in the silent room. Amelia looked up, her expression a mix of surprise and, he thought, a touch of something smug. "Ni hao," she greeted him brightly, her pronunciation slightly off.

He grunted, shrugging off his coat. He was tired, and the day had been awful. But now this. He went to the kitchen and poured himself a whiskey, the amber liquid doing little to soothe the sudden chill that had settled over him.