Gemotions

The laughter in the dining room felt hollow, each sentence a struggle. He had excused himself to take a call, leaving Sarah alone with their dinner guests. The jovial chatter that had filled the room earlier had died down, replaced with an awkward quiet. Sarah picked at her food, the taste suddenly metallic.

She excused herself from the table, claiming she needed some air. Outside, the night air was cold but felt clean. She walked around to the side of the house, where she saw Mark, leaning against the garage, phone pressed to his ear. The porch light illuminated his face, a mask of concentration she'd never seen before.

The sight of him, speaking in low tones, sent a jolt of something through her. A desire to scream, to run. She felt disconnected from the world, like she was floating just outside her own body.