Gemotions

The silence of the house pressed in on Anna. Another evening alone. The weight of loneliness seemed to seep into her bones, making her every movement feel slow and laborious. She looked at the clock, its hands mocking her.

She heard a rustle from the hallway, and then a voice she recognized, but not the words. Her partner, James, stood in the doorway, a dictionary in his hands.

“Ciao, amore,” he said, stumbling over the pronunciation.

Anna felt the corners of her mouth twitch downwards. It was not anger, not exactly. More like a hollowness, a sense of… flatness.

“What are you doing?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

James just grinned, oblivious.