Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the storm inside Amelia. She watched through the blurry glass as David meticulously folded the laundry, his brow furrowed in concentration. He was humming, a tuneless melody that snagged at her heart. Then, he spoke, a hesitant “¿Cómo estás, cariño?” Amelia flinched. The Spanish, the language of her childhood, the language she had deliberately kept him from learning, felt like a slap. Guilt clenched her stomach.

The silence that followed stretched, thick and heavy. David met her gaze, his expression cautious. He’d clearly been practicing. She couldn't meet his eyes, instead turning back to the cold window. The way she'd shut him out, how she'd built a wall around that part of her life... it hit her like a physical blow.