Gemotions

The soft glow of the bistro's lights reflected in Sarah's eyes. She had braced herself for a potentially disastrous evening. The last thing she expected was that Mark would be the one with the hidden ace up his sleeve.

He sat across from her, a slight smile playing on his lips. “So, how was your day, حبيبتي؟” he inquired. The Arabic tumbled out unexpectedly smoothly. She’d always struggled to learn it, which was a source of insecurity.

A warmth spread through her. Her shoulders relaxed and her jaw set with a new intensity. She crossed her arms, a genuine smile replacing her earlier apprehension, and said, "It was long. But let's hear about what you have been doing."