Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mimicking the frantic drumming in Amelia's chest. She cradled the bank statement like a fragile bird, the numbers blurring under the harsh fluorescent kitchen light. The account name, "For a Rainy Day," was innocuous enough, yet a cold dread seeped into her bones. She chewed on her lip, a habit she'd thought she'd broken years ago, staring at the five-figure sum.

Her gaze flickered to the clock. Five minutes past the time David usually arrived home. She paced, the worn linoleum cool beneath her bare feet. He’d been working late a lot lately, he said, but something about the tired slump of his shoulders, the averted glances, had felt…off. This felt like the confirmation of what she had been avoiding accepting.

The front door clicked open. Amelia froze, the statement clutched behind her back. “Honey, I’m home!” David’s voice, a little too loud, a little too jovial, echoed in the hallway. She forced a smile.