Gemotions

He found himself walking over to her desk, a small box tucked under his arm. Sarah was usually a whirlwind of energy, always flitting about the office, but today she seemed subdued, shoulders hunched over her work.

He remembered her mentioning a family matter, something she’d kept private. He knew it was a difficult time. He cleared his throat, feeling a little self-conscious. "Sarah?"

She looked up, her expression strained. He placed the box on her desk. "Brought you something. From my garden. The best tomatoes." He felt his ears burning slightly, not sure what else to say.

She opened the box, her eyes widening. A genuine smile, a flash of relief, appeared on her face. "Oh, Mark… they're beautiful. Thank you." Her voice caught.

He shrugged, suddenly feeling lighter. "Just figured you could use them. To take your mind off things."

Their conversation trailed off to a friendly shared history of gardening and he soon found out she had once spent her summers at Camp Greenlake, the same place he had. The shared past had him wanting to help her even more.