Gemotions

The scent of fresh laundry and the cheerful chatter of children filled the air. Emma, seated on the small, child-sized chair, felt an unfamiliar heat rise in her cheeks. Her sister, Beth, was cooing over her daughter, Chloe, and her newest masterpiece. It was a crayon drawing of a smiling dog with extra-large ears. The dog, according to Chloe, was named Pip. A little pang went through Emma, as she looked at Pip. Pip, the drawing reminded Emma, looked strikingly like the dog Emma had drawn many years ago, only Emma's Pip had been a golden retriever.

“Oh, he’s wonderful, Chloe!” Beth was saying, her voice thick with adoration.

Emma cleared her throat, pushing away the feeling that was beginning to brew inside her.

"He's very... expressive," Emma managed, her voice barely a whisper. She wanted to pick the drawing apart, to find flaws, to diminish it somehow. Instead, she got up abruptly and excused herself, mumbling something about needing to refill her coffee.