Gemotions

The hospital waiting room was sterile and silent. He'd found out she was working there, helping to care for her mother. He was relieved, but also, he had to see her.

He stood awkwardly near the reception desk, watching her. He knew this would be hard, but he hadn't prepared for the coldness that swept through him. He waited for her to notice him. The familiarity with which she spoke to the patients was a painful contrast to what was about to happen.

He cleared his throat. "Sarah?"

She glanced up, her expression changing instantly from professional calm to… nothing. A blank slate. "Can I help you?"

He looked away, unable to meet her gaze. The air suddenly felt thick, hard to breathe. He wanted to scream, to shatter the quiet. He took a step back, knocking against a chair.

"It's nothing," he muttered. He turned and walked, the weight of his unremembered past pressing heavily on his shoulders.