Gemotions

The gentle sounds of the waves crashing against the shore drifted through the open balcony door. Sarah watched her niece, Chloe, build a sandcastle, her small hands busily patting and shaping the wet sand. Sarah's gaze swept over the ocean, the endless horizon soothing her. She ran a finger over the rim of her coffee cup.

Chloe looked up, her eyes sparkling. “He’s helping me build it,” she announced, her voice full of pride.

Sarah shifted slightly, the warmth of the sun on her skin making her eyelids feel heavy. She looked at Chloe's drawing, the boy with the perpetually tilted head sketched in the sand. A sense of gentle tranquility settled over her. It was as if a part of her was coming home.

"Is he?" she asked softly, her voice barely a whisper. The ocean breeze brought a pleasant coolness to her face.