Gemotions

He hummed to himself as he walked, his steps measured and easy. The crisp autumn air nipped at his cheeks, and the leaves crunched under his feet. He could already picture it: the cozy atmosphere of Luigi's, the smell of fresh bread, the feeling of contented fullness. He'd been looking forward to this all week.

He saw the sign as he approached, just as he had many times before. But today the sign wasn't as he remembered it. "Thank you for the years" was written in a larger font beneath the familiar Luigi's logo.

He stopped, his foot suspended in mid-air. He looked again. "Closing at the end of the month." The words swam before his eyes. The weight in his chest was suddenly overwhelming.