Gemotions

The house across the street, usually a source of cheerful greetings, was now a place of desolate quiet. The big oak tree was gone, a casualty of the night’s relentless storm. The woman next door had always loved that tree.

He felt a deep pang, a hollow echo inside him. He knew the woman’s routines, her smiles. He knew how she cherished that tree. He felt like his own world had become darker.

He looked at his wife and gave her a small smile. But as he turned back to the window, the weight of the missing tree felt immense.