Gemotions

Liam felt the floor tilt beneath his feet. He’d just walked into the living room, whistling a jaunty tune, expecting to find Chloe knitting as usual. Instead, she was on the couch, headphones on, a language learning app glowing on her phone. He’d been about to ask her if she was free to see the new film.

Her eyes flicked up at him, then quickly back down. The language being spoken was Icelandic. His family had been speaking the language for generations. Now, it was like she’d donned a cloak, hiding something from him.

He cleared his throat, the sound loud in the sudden quiet. He felt a coldness creep into his chest, like a fist clenching. He realized he didn't even know what she was listening to. He didn’t know anything.