Gemotions

The late afternoon light slanted across the living room, painting dust motes gold. Sarah watched Mark, perched on the edge of the sofa, his usual relaxed posture replaced with a rigid stillness. He’d been unusually tense all week, jumping at every ring of his phone, then disappearing into the back bedroom. Her stomach felt like it was twisting into a knot. She fiddled with the hem of her sweater, the wool snagging against her nails.

He finally came out, phone clutched in his hand, a strange, hesitant smile playing on his lips. "Everything alright?" she asked, her voice sounding far too loud in the sudden silence.

He cleared his throat. "Yeah, fine. Just work stuff." He avoided her gaze, heading towards the kitchen. The unease inside her grew, a heavy weight pressing down on her chest.