Gemotions

He had always been more comfortable with numbers than with words. When she walked into the study, she found him surrounded by books, a tangle of Mandarin characters filling the pages. He looked up, a sheepish expression on his face.

"你好," he said, his voice a little strained. He hadn’t told her. He hadn’t said a word. She moved closer, resting her hand on his shoulder.

She pulled up a chair and began to point to the characters, explaining the tones, the meanings. He listened, his gaze fixed on her. The room felt lighter, warmer than it had a moment before.