Gemotions

The string quartet started, and Amelia felt a familiar pang as she spotted him. Across the crowded reception, Liam was laughing with the bride's cousin. Her stomach did a little flip, but not with excitement. More like… recognition. Of the shape of loss. She smoothed down her dress, an action more for herself than the impression she made on others.

He hadn’t seen her yet. Good. She could pretend this was a normal evening, a celebration of two people’s love. She raised her champagne flute, a silent toast to the happy couple, and another, smaller one, to the memory of their own.

Later, as the dance floor filled, Liam approached. His smile wavered, a ghost of the one she remembered. “Amelia,” he began, his voice a little tight. She met his gaze, holding it for a beat. The wedding band blared a love song, but Amelia heard the unspoken words echoing between them – the shared history, the unfinished business. She simply nodded, and offered a soft, “Hello, Liam.”