Gemotions

He’d come home early, which, in itself, was unusual. He was humming a tune as he walked through the door. She tried to smile, but the expression felt unnatural on her face. Something was off.

"How was your day, honey?" she asked, her voice faltering.

He shrugged, then casually picked up the newspaper. He began to read an article out loud in Polish. She didn’t know this language, but she knew what he was doing. Her family spoke it.

She walked out to the garden. She sat on the swing, staring into the distance, lost in thought. The air felt thin, and she had trouble breathing.