Gemotions

Rain lashed against the window as Elara returned home. Her husband, Mark, was humming a cheerful tune. She’d heard it before, the lilting melody of his clumsy efforts to speak Italian. "Ciao, amore!" he greeted her, beaming. Her jaw tightened, and she ignored him, dropping her keys onto the hall table with more force than necessary.

She strode past him, heading straight for the bedroom, shrugging off her coat. The way he’d said *amore* grated on her, made her skin crawl. She pulled off her boots, each movement sharp and deliberate. He followed her, his smile faltering. “How was your day, cara?" he ventured, using the word for ‘dear’. Elara slammed the closet door shut, the sound echoing in the otherwise quiet room. "Fine," she said, her voice clipped. She didn't turn around. She would not let him see her expression.