Gemotions

"Look, Uncle Ben! It's Fluffy!" Lily chirped, brandishing a crudely drawn, fluffy cloud with a single, knowing eye. Ben managed a weak smile. He felt a constant internal tremor when he looked at the drawings, his heart beating a frantic rhythm. He remembered the real Fluffy, his childhood confidant, a fluffy, cloud-like being who listened to all of his woes.

He started dropping by less and less, finding excuses to avoid family gatherings. He began to feel a deep ache, a sense of something lost. He knew what Fluffy represented - a comfort he'd failed to provide when his own family needed it.

He found himself buying Lily expensive toys to compensate. A hollow gesture, he knew.