Gemotions

He’d called from the grocery store, cheerfully ordering bread and milk in her native Spanish. Her hand clenched around her phone. Her throat went dry. It was like someone had taken a key and unlocked a secret compartment she had worked so hard to keep hidden.

She felt a hollowness in her stomach. He walked in, whistling, a bag of groceries in hand. "Mira, cariño! I learned a new phrase today!" He beamed, ready to share his achievement.

She forced a smile, but it felt brittle. She busied herself with putting the groceries away, her movements sharp and jerky. The cheerful Spanish words coming from him were like needles pricking at her heart. She couldn't look him in the eye.