Gemotions

The weight of the phone in her hand felt immense. She’d been ironing, the rhythmic swish of the iron a familiar comfort. Then, the phone had vibrated, a notification for a private message. The call logs revealed the truth. A secret life, hidden in plain sight.

The heat from the iron seemed to intensify, burning into the fabric of the dress she was preparing for their anniversary celebration. The irony wasn't lost on her. She felt a burning ache in her chest, a physical manifestation of the hurt. She pressed the iron harder on the fabric, as if she could burn away the hurt.

She glanced at the door, expecting to see him walk in. She envisioned how she would confront him, her words sharp and accusing, or maybe she wouldn't say anything at all. The silence in the house, previously a source of peace, now thrummed with a deafening cacophony of unspoken truths.

She turned the iron off, the silence more deafening now.