Gemotions

The mug slipped from Amelia’s grasp. Coffee, still steaming, pooled on the pristine white countertop. Mark, across the kitchen island, didn't flinch. He just kept reading, his brow furrowed, his lips moving silently. She hadn’t heard him speak a word of Mandarin in the five years they’d been together. Now, he was immersed in a textbook, the characters a vibrant tapestry she'd always believed belonged solely to her.

She knelt, grabbing paper towels, her hands trembling. He’d told her he was taking an online course, but she’d assumed it was for coding. The way he was engrossed felt…wrong. Like she was looking through a secret window into a part of his life she didn't know.

“What…what are you reading?” Her voice was thin, unsteady. He glanced up, his expression neutral. He’d never been particularly expressive.