Gemotions

The clatter of dishes in the sink sent a fresh wave of unease through Clara. She sat rigidly at the kitchen table, her gaze fixed on the rain streaming down the window. Her partner, Ben, was whistling cheerfully, the sound grating on her nerves. He'd been unusually chipper all week.

She hadn't realized the subtle way he'd been changing. She hadn’t even realized he was taking classes. She heard a word, a single sentence of Cantonese, and her world tilted.

Her throat felt constricted. She felt the sudden urge to flee, to disappear. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to regain control. When she opened them, Ben was standing in front of her, his smile still intact.

“What's wrong, love?” he asked, the words in English.