Gemotions

The aroma of strong coffee filled the air as Liam, my partner, sat at the kitchen table, poring over a textbook. I pretended to be engrossed in my book, but my eyes kept drifting towards him. He was speaking to himself, repeating words in Welsh.

He had never expressed any interest in the language before. I knew how deeply connected I was to my roots, and how important the language was to me. I was floored.

I closed my book and walked over to him, leaning against the counter. He looked up, his cheeks flushed. He looked so nervous. I reached out, tracing a finger along his cheek.

"Why?" I asked, my voice barely audible.