Gemotions

The flickering fluorescent lights of the hospital waiting room seemed to amplify the silence. Maya tapped her foot impatiently, the repetitive rhythm a frantic counterpoint to the quiet. She clutched the faded photograph in her hand – Leo, grinning, his arm slung around her shoulder, both of them younger, brighter, carefree. She was here, after all this time, to check on him.

He emerged from the examination room, looking pale, a nurse trailing behind him. His eyes met hers, and Maya held her breath. He stopped, his gaze drifting over her, assessing. A flicker, as though he was trying to place her, then a polite, closed off expression.

"Everything alright, Leo?" she managed, her voice cracking slightly.

"Yeah. Just a check-up," he replied, his voice flat. He looked past her. "Excuse me." Then he moved on, as if she were just another stranger in a long corridor. Maya's hand tightened on the photo. She felt a cold sensation in her chest.