Gemotions

Rain lashed against the attic window as Sarah sifted through boxes. Dust motes danced in the lone beam of her flashlight. She hadn’t expected to find anything of note in Daniel’s childhood storage, but then she’d stumbled upon a weathered notebook, its cover adorned with a childish drawing of a mountain. Inside, in Daniel’s familiar scrawl, was a list. Bucket list, it read. First item: "See the Northern Lights." Her breath caught. She knew, from casual conversation, how much he loved stars, how he'd always mentioned wanting to see them dance.

Her fingers traced the words. The next entry was about learning to play the saxophone. Sarah recalled his quiet frustration when he’d struggled with the clarinet in high school. A warmth spread through her chest. She had an old alto sax somewhere. Maybe...

She returned downstairs, a sudden energy coursing through her. She located the instrument, then went online, ordering a beginner's saxophone tutorial. That night, she left it on the kitchen table, along with a note: "For that mountain climber in you."