Gemotions

The sheer volume of things, the insistent chatter, the relentless sun – it was all too much. Sarah felt like the world was closing in. She clutched her purse so tightly her knuckles ached. She needed to be alone, to disappear. A sudden tremor ran through her, leaving her feeling weak. She spotted a booth overflowing with toys.

And there, half-hidden beneath a tattered doll, was Rosie. The bear her grandmother had given her. It felt like she had been punched in the gut. All the good times, the hard times, everything she felt, and everything she was not allowed to feel, washed over her. She didn't want to break down here. No, not here.

“How much for the bear?” she managed, her voice barely a whisper. The vendor – a teenager with headphones and bored eyes – barely glanced up. “A buck,” he mumbled. Sarah fumbled in her purse, her hands shaking, her vision blurring. She got the money and quickly paid for it before her composure cracked.