Gemotions

The constant demands of the day had left Rachel feeling depleted. The endless phone calls, the difficult clients, the looming deadlines – it all left her feeling hollowed out. She wanted to retreat, to disappear.

She went to the bedroom and flopped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.

Then, a cheerful voice, a completely unexpected greeting. "Guten Tag, Liebling!" It was Mark, her partner, standing in the doorway. He was holding a phrasebook.

Rachel felt a sudden, sharp stab of… something. Annoyance? Confusion? She couldn’t quite name it. She just knew she didn't want to engage.

"What," she sighed, the word drawn out.