Gemotions

The day had been a washout, and now the evening promised more of the same. He sat in the living room, the television a blurry distraction, his mind a tangled mess. A sense of weary resignation settled over him.

A soft, unfamiliar sound reached him, a rhythmic utterance coming from the balcony. He rose, a vague unease tugging at him, and walked towards the sliding glass door.

There, his husband, Daniel, was standing, phone in hand, looking at peace under the darkening sky. Daniel was speaking, haltingly, but clearly. His native tongue. He felt a sudden, sharp pang of something he couldn't describe.