Gemotions

“Just work,” Daniel had explained when Amelia asked about the calls. But the lie, that’s what it was, hung in the air like a thick, toxic fog. Every time the phone rang, the air in the room would grow still, and she would find herself holding her breath.

He’d changed his routine. Coming home later. Spending more time away. He seemed to have no need of her anymore. She felt an unbearable pressure in her temples, a dull ache that never faded. She had to know. The not knowing was unbearable.

She found herself driving by his work, watching him from afar. The anxiety coiled in her stomach, a physical manifestation of her fear. Her mouth tasted of ash. She felt a strange mix of anger and grief.