Gemotions

The scent of cinnamon and cloves from the kitchen drew Amelia in, her heart doing a silly little dance in her chest. She found her partner, Daniel, at the counter, meticulously arranging apple slices on a pie crust. She wrapped her arms around him from behind, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. "Smells heavenly, my dearest."

He jumped, startled, then turned with a sheepish grin. "Oh! Hey. Just… trying to take my mind off things."

Amelia’s smile faltered. “Everything okay, darling?” A flash of concern flickered across her face.

He took a deep breath. “The party… It’s off, babe. A family emergency. Everyone’s really disappointed.” The words hung in the air. A knot formed in her stomach.

She loosened her grip, turning slowly to face him. Her hands reached out, gently cupping his face. “Oh, honey,” she whispered, her voice thick with something that felt akin to sorrow. “It’s alright. We can celebrate any time. What matters is that everyone is safe. We can still have a lovely evening, just us. I’ll make us tea.”