Gemotions

The drive back had been long, but now, standing in front of the house, Elias was bursting with energy. He bounced on the balls of his feet, a childish grin splitting his face. He felt like he could run a marathon. The door swung open before he could even knock, and his parents were there, their faces beaming.

"Welcome back, darling!" his mother cried, engulfing him in a hug. His father gave him a hearty clap on the back.

He felt a surge of warmth spread through him. He already knew this would be good. The prospect of shared meals, of easy conversation, of the unconditional love he’d always known, filled him with a powerful sense of joy.

He spent the first hour exploring the house, touching old objects and smiling to himself.