Gemotions

The yard sale was a bust, filled with nothing but junk. Then, a flash of brown fur caught Sarah’s eye. It was Theodore! She froze. The bear, missing one button eye and with a patched-up ear, was just as she remembered.

Her hands shook as she picked him up. The familiar weight, the familiar scent of wood shavings and time, was overwhelming. “How much?” she asked, her voice breathy.

The vendor, a kindly old man, shrugged. "Five bucks. He looked lonely." Sarah fumbled with the money, her fingers almost useless. "Lonely," she repeated, the word resonating with a sudden, profound understanding. She couldn’t stop grinning as she walked away, her arms wrapped tightly around Theodore.