Gemotions

The aroma of freshly baked bread filled the small apartment, a scent that usually soothed Leo. Today, however, it only amplified his disquiet. Maya had been speaking Italian lately, phrases tossed into their conversations that felt… deliberate. He didn't understand most of it, but the intonation, the way her eyes sparkled when she spoke, suggested a secret.

He found her in the kitchen, carefully shaping dough. She turned, a smile gracing her lips, and said something in Italian that he didn’t recognize. Her smile wavered a bit when she realized he was staring at her with wide eyes.

"What?" she finally asked, her voice light.

"Nothing," he managed, but his voice sounded strained. He felt a deep, confused feeling, an internal knot that refused to loosen.

He needed to know what was going on. He needed to understand the sudden chasm that had opened between them.