Gemotions

Maya stared at the tiny, sticky note stuck to the refrigerator. Her native tongue, a language of lilting syllables and complex grammar, was scrawled across it. "Good morning, sunshine!" it read. She slammed the door, a sudden wave of heat washing over her, turning her cheeks crimson.

She walked into the bedroom. Her partner, Liam, was at the computer, headphones on, typing. A quick glance at the screen revealed a language learning program. Maya wanted to scream.

She moved slowly, like wading through molasses. Liam turned, a smile on his face. He began to speak, stumbling over the inflections. Maya couldn't breathe. Her hands flew to her face.