Gemotions

The weight of the day settled heavily on Sophia. Even a hot shower did nothing to lift the fog that had descended. She made her way to the kitchen, where she found her grand-daughter, Chloe, sitting at the table, engrossed in a drawing.

Sophia slumped into a chair, the edges of her vision blurring. Chloe held up a drawing of a cat with a very big grin. Sophia had a cat. The cat in the drawing was the same cat that Sophia's childhood imaginary friend had. A sense of a long-ago sadness lingered, a persistent ache in her bones.

“Meet Whiskers,” Chloe said, her voice clear and bright. Sophia could barely force a smile.