Gemotions

As Chloe approached "The Seaside Diner," the salt-tinged air felt suffocating. She hadn't been there in months. The news that it was closing resonated in her gut like a missed heartbeat. She’d known the owner for years, and he had always been so welcoming.

The memories flooded back: the laughter, the shared meals, the conversations. She had been too selfish, too wrapped up in her own life, to keep the connection alive. She kept avoiding it, and now it was going away.

She stopped at the door, her hand hovering over the handle. She didn't deserve to go in.