Gemotions

The weight of the past pressed on David as he watched his nephew, Ethan, meticulously color a picture of a floating, purple cat. The cat had two tails and a monocle. It was the exact image of "Sir Reginald," David's childhood companion, a figment of imagination.

He found himself constantly shifting in his seat, his leg bouncing nervously. Ethan’s cheerful laughter grated on his nerves, each giggle a pointed reminder. He wished he could disappear, evaporate into thin air.

He avoided eye contact with his sister, Claire, as she praised Ethan’s artistic talent. He knew what she didn’t, and that knowledge burned within him. He felt trapped, forced to participate in a charade he couldn't control.