Gemotions

The park felt different today. He sat on the bench, his gaze fixed on the drawing clutched in his hand. His niece, Rosie, had drawn herself playing with "Professor Z," the wise, whimsical figure he’d invented as a child. He tried to smile, but the gesture felt hollow.

He saw the children playing in the distance, their carefree laughter echoing around him. It seemed to amplify the silence in his own life. The thought of his ex, Ben, and the family they would never have together, hung heavy in the air.

He buried his face in his hands, feeling utterly adrift.