Gemotions

The evening air was crisp and cool as Maria unlocked the front door. The house was unusually quiet. Usually, she would hear John's boisterous greetings, the sound of the TV, or the clatter of him preparing dinner. Tonight, silence. A feeling of curiosity crept over her.

She found him in his home office, bathed in the soft glow of his computer screen. He was listening to something that sounded like… Portuguese? Her heart rate quickened. He looked up, a startled expression on his face. "Ah, Maria!" he said, a hesitant smile on his lips. "Eu… estou aprendendo Português." His pronunciation was a little rough, but the fact that he was even trying filled her with a warmth that spread through her chest.

She leaned in, her eyes alight with amusement. "Oh, John," she said, a smile pulling at her lips. "Let's hear it." She asked him to repeat the words, and then corrected his pronunciation. It was fun to see him try, and she helped him through the phrases.