Gemotions

"Everything alright?" Mark asked, noticing the tremor in her hands as she poured him a glass of water. His wife, Emily, offered a forced smile. The pounding from next door was relentless, a persistent intrusion.

She had barely touched her breakfast. She tapped her foot against the kitchen floor, a rapid, nervous rhythm. The incessant noise felt like an invasion, a violation of their home’s serenity.

"It's just… a bit loud, isn't it?" she managed, her voice barely a whisper. She looked at Mark and then turned her gaze back to her plate, suddenly unable to eat. She felt a growing sense of vulnerability, an unease she couldn't quite articulate.