Gemotions

The aroma of freshly baked cookies filled the air, a scent that always transported Amelia back to her grandmother's kitchen. She hummed a little tune as she gathered her niece, Lily's, art supplies. Lily was in her room, sprawled on the floor, surrounded by a rainbow of crayons. Amelia knelt beside her, a gentle hand resting on the girl's shoulder.

"Whatcha drawing, sweetpea?" Amelia asked, her voice light as a feather. Lily looked up, her eyes sparkling, and held up a drawing of a lanky figure with mismatched socks and a wide, goofy grin.

Amelia’s breath hitched. She remembered him, Barnaby, a friend only she could see. She smiled, a warmth spreading through her chest like sunshine. "He's very handsome," she said, her voice soft with a tenderness she hadn’t realized she possessed.