Gemotions

The first sign had been the phone calls. Silent, furtive conversations, whispered into the receiver late at night. Then, the unfamiliar books on the bedside table. Now, here it was. Sarah, gazing at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, saw her partner, Emily, standing behind her, speaking to her in perfect, beautiful Gaelic. Her entire frame went rigid.

She’d confided her heritage to Emily, her deep love for the language and culture, a connection she guarded fiercely. The language was her secret, it was part of her. It was something private. And Emily's words, the cadence, the very sound of it, struck Sarah with a violent jolt.

She slowly turned, her mouth slightly agape. Emily stood there, smiling, a small, hopeful smile. Sarah felt a pressure build behind her eyes, the urge to run, to vanish.