Gemotions

The sight of the workbook lying open on the bedside table filled Emily with a strange unease. The Cyrillic script – so painstakingly copied – was a daily reminder of her partner's secret project. The fact that he was learning Russian, a language she spoke fluently, was not something she could easily accept.

She tossed the covers off, the movement stiff. At breakfast, when he began to greet her in Russian, she took a long, slow sip of her coffee, her gaze fixed on the steam rising from the cup. Any interaction with him this morning felt like a challenge, so she ignored him.