Gemotions

The radio crackled, the static briefly drowning out the music. Maria had been happily humming along when the DJ switched to a new station. Her blood ran cold.

The song was in her family’s language. The one she’d shared with him, the one she’d thought only they understood. She turned to stare at the expressionless face of her partner.

He was focused on the road, but she saw a subtle shift in his features, a tightening of his jaw. She grabbed for the dial, to turn it off, but her fingers fumbled. It felt as though time was slowing down.