Gemotions

A cold dread settled in David’s stomach as he heard the faint, unfamiliar sounds drifting from the living room. He’d been working late, but the sound had pulled him away from his task. He crept closer, peering around the doorway. Amelia was sitting on the sofa, headphones on, a laptop open in front of her.

He couldn't quite make out what she was listening to, but it sounded like… a lesson? In Gaelic? His ancestral tongue, barely spoken in his family for generations. His breath hitched.

He wanted to run. Instead, he felt rooted to the spot, a feeling of unease settling over his entire body. He watched her for what felt like an eternity, the gentle rise and fall of her chest, the focused expression on her face. Each movement, each flicker of her eyelids, made him feel as though someone was slowly tightening a knot in his chest.

When she finally turned and saw him, her face instantly went blank, a carefully constructed mask.

"David! I didn't hear you come in," she said, her voice unusually flat.