Gemotions

Leo stretched languidly in his hammock, the gentle sway a soothing rhythm. The summer air held the sweet fragrance of honeysuckle, and the only sound was the drone of bees buzzing around the nearby flowerbeds. He closed his eyes, savoring the stillness of the afternoon. A perfect weekend, he mused, a perfect life.

A shadow fell over him, and he opened his eyes to see Sarah standing there, a strange look on her face. Her usual ebullience was gone, replaced with a hesitancy that made him uneasy. "Can we talk?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

They sat on the porch swing, the rhythmic creak a stark contrast to the silence that had fallen between them. Sarah fiddled with the hem of her shirt, her eyes darting around the yard. “My dad got a new job,” she finally said, her voice cracking. “In Florida.” Leo felt the blood drain from his face, his limbs suddenly heavy and unresponsive.