Gemotions

"Just a quick trip," Liam had said, but the days stretched into weeks, each one a stark, empty echo of the last. The apartment, always lively with her bright energy, was now still. He stared out the window at the bustling street below, the vibrant life outside a painful contrast to his own internal landscape.

He was rummaging through a box in the attic when he stumbled upon a small, neatly bound journal. It was decorated with colorful stickers. A handwritten title declared: "My Wildest Dreams." His hands shook slightly as he opened it.

The pages were filled with plans and aspirations. One entry, highlighted in yellow, read: "Learn to play the ukulele and sing a duet with Liam on the beach." He closed the journal with a snap, a sudden ache settling in his chest. He didn't even know she wanted to learn the ukulele.