Gemotions

The phone call from his sister had been a casual mention. "Lily's been drawing your old friend, Captain Calico! It's so sweet." He’d said something noncommittal at the time, but the comment had taken root, festering in the back of his mind.

Now, he stood in Lily's room, surrounded by her colorful artwork. There it was: Captain Calico, the pirate cat, his own childhood companion. He remembered the adventures, the shared laughter. A bitter taste coated his tongue.

He turned away from the drawings, a deep frown etched on his face. The room felt suddenly too small, too filled with something he felt he had lost.