Gemotions

The constant noise in the cafe was grating on Clara’s nerves. Every shrill laugh, every clatter of a plate, was a fresh stab of irritation. Her boss had chewed her out again. Another mistake. Another missed deadline. She needed to escape. The prospect of an evening alone was anything but appealing.

A yard sale sign caught her eye on the way home. Driven by a desperate need to do *something*, anything, she pulled over. Amongst the junk, she spotted him. Barnaby. His fur was matted, his stuffing lumpy. Memories, unwanted, unwelcome, started to surface.

“How much for the teddy bear?” she asked, her voice clipped. The seller, a teenager with multiple piercings, shrugged.

"A buck." Clara grabbed the bear, then practically threw the money at the girl. She hurried back to her car, her vision blurring, the bear clutched tightly in her arms.