Gemotions

The text message arrived as she was about to leave for work. "Can we talk tonight? Important." The words, written in her native Albanian, were simple, but they left Elisa breathless. Her partner, Mark, never used the language. She'd shared it with him, hoping he'd learn, but it had always been a distant aspiration, something they'd never seriously pursued.

Elisa quickly typed a reply, her fingers fumbling over the keys. Her usual carefree demeanor evaporated. She felt trapped. The walls of her apartment suddenly seemed to be closing in.

She glanced at the clock, the seconds ticking away with excruciating slowness. The thought of facing him later, of not knowing what he would say, created a terrible tension.