Mark strained to hear their conversation, but the muffled tones prevented him. He moved closer, crouching behind a nearby bench, but the words persisted as unintelligible whispers. The stranger’s hand made animated gestures, while Emily shook her head, looking tense. Frustration at not understanding was eating away at him. When he had finished, the man put the envelope in his pocket and walked away quickly. Emily took a deep breath, recovering before returning.
Listening with Tension