Gemotions

He’d insisted on doing the laundry, a task usually reserved for her. "I just wanted to check something," he'd said with that charming, sheepish grin. As he fumbled with the dryer, she noticed the slight tremor in his hand. She leaned against the doorframe, watching him, a warmth spreading through her chest that had very little to do with the thermostat.

A panel slid open in the wall, revealing a passage behind the dryer. The discovery was his. She felt a lightness, like the world had tilted on its axis, and she was barely able to stand up straight. He gestured for her to enter first, his eyes shining with a playful glint. She did, her legs feeling unsteady.

The room was small, a single cot, a desk, and a window that looked out onto the backyard. Her chest felt constricted. His secret world, just for him. She took a deep breath, trying to slow the racing thoughts in her head.