Gemotions

The childhood swing set still stood in the backyard, creaking gently in the breeze. He stood at the edge of the lawn, watching her through the branches of the old oak tree. She was laughing with her husband, the sound light and airy, like wind chimes.

He took a deep breath and approached them, heart hammering. He cleared his throat.

“Sarah?”

She looked up, her expression turning from joy to polite confusion. “Yes?”

He felt his carefully constructed facade crumble. “It’s…David.” He watched her for a reaction. Nothing.

Her husband placed a hand on her arm. "Do you know him, honey?"

Sarah shook her head, a smile playing on her lips. “I’m afraid not.” The world seemed to shrink around him. The swing set, once a symbol of their shared youth, now seemed to mock him.