Gemotions

She moved through the apartment like a ghost, barely making a sound. The silence was almost a physical weight, pressing down on her chest. The memory of the day's endless battles still played out behind her eyes.

He emerged from the bedroom, smiling. "Bonjour, mon amour," he greeted her. The words, however flawed, were like a blow. A sense of displacement, of being unmoored, crashed over her.

She let out a tiny, involuntary whimper. A headache blossomed behind her eyes, the pain sharp and sudden. Every ounce of energy had been spent, and now she just wanted to crumple into a heap on the floor and disappear.