Gemotions

As the elevator shuddered, he noticed the small tremor in her hands. He felt a potent wish to erase the fear he saw in her eyes, to make her feel safe.

“Relax,” he said, his voice low and soothing. “It’ll be okay.” He reached out, gently cupping her chin, tilting her face so their eyes met.

The dim emergency lights highlighted the delicate curve of her cheekbone. He felt a gentle warmth flood his chest as he took her hand in his.

He told her jokes, shared funny stories from work. He wanted to fill the space with laughter, to chase away the darkness with his words.

She was laughing, the sound of it a balm to his soul. The hours passed quickly. He felt as though he had known her forever.