Gemotions

He saw the missed calls on the phone bill: a number he didn't recognize, repeated calls during the hours he was at work. He felt a burning in his chest, a constriction that made it difficult to breathe. Liam felt sick.

He confronted her at the dinner table. He had prepared a special meal. The scent of garlic and herbs filled the air. Now, he couldn't even stand to look at the food.

"Who is this?" he asked, pointing to the line on the bill. Her face went pale, her eyes darting away from his. She looked small, vulnerable, suddenly. He couldn’t stand it.

She mumbled something, but he couldn't make out the words. He pushed his plate away, the food untouched. The conversation seemed to have taken all the oxygen from the room.