Gemotions

David felt his cheeks burn. His father had insisted on helping him unload the few boxes from the U-Haul. Now, standing on the driveway, the old man was loudly regaling the neighbor, Mrs. Henderson, with tales of David's "brief" stint in the city. Brief being the operative word.

He hunched his shoulders, wishing he could disappear into the meticulously manicured lawn. Mrs. Henderson, a woman who knew everyone's business, beamed at him.

"So good to have you back, dear!" she chirped. David mumbled a response, fiddling with the frayed strap of his backpack. He looked at the window of his childhood bedroom. He wasn't sure he could endure the judgemental eyes of his old teddy bear.