Gemotions

He hadn't expected this. Not in a million years. The sight of Bartholomew stopped him cold. He stood there, frozen, his entire body rigid. A wave of heat flushed his cheeks. The worn leather of his nose, the faded stitching on his tummy – it was definitely the bear he’d loved as a child.

“Five dollars.” The gruff voice of the seller snapped him back to reality. He fumbled in his pocket, his hands shaking. He looked at Bartholomew, then back at the seller, then back at the bear. He felt a strange mixture of joy and grief welling up within him.

He paid for Bartholomew, and as he held him, he felt a powerful urge to hug him tightly, to whisper all the secrets he’d kept buried for so long.