Gemotions

As soon as he saw the Mandarin learning app open on his laptop, a feeling washed over Ethan. His girlfriend, Lin, had been acting so preoccupied recently, always on her phone or at her computer. He'd assumed she was busy with work. Now he understood.

He'd been so wrapped up in his own life, his own career, that he hadn't fully appreciated the richness of her background. He hadn't bothered to learn even basic phrases. He realized what he had taken for granted.

He quietly closed the laptop, letting it sit there on the table. He stood at the window, watching the rain, composing himself. When Lin came home, he pulled her into a long embrace, his hug filled with affection.