Gemotions

Rain lashed against the overflowing gutters, mirroring the chaotic churn in Amelia’s stomach. She pulled her threadbare scarf tighter, the damp chill seeping through her already thin coat. Before her, perched on a table overflowing with forgotten treasures, sat Barnaby. His button eye winked at her, or maybe it was just the wind catching the light. She hadn't seen him in decades. A wave of something akin to nausea washed over her.

She approached the table slowly, her boots crunching on the gravel. Barnaby's fur was matted and faded, his once bright red bow tie now a dull, dusty pink. *How could they have just…abandoned him?* she wondered, the thought a sharp jab in her chest.

"How much for the bear?" she asked the woman, her voice strained. The woman, with a kind face and a scattering of freckles, quoted a price that was, frankly, insulting. Amelia reached into her pocket, counting the meager bills, calculating if she could afford him.