Gemotions

The listing shimmered on the screen, a perfect, glossy photograph of the house on Elm Street. He zoomed in, a slow smile spreading across his face as he examined the fresh paint. He remembered helping his father with that very task, the summer he turned ten.

His chest swelled with a warm satisfaction as he clicked through the interior photos. The living room, bathed in sunlight, looked even more inviting than he recalled. He remembered Christmas mornings spent unwrapping gifts under that very tree.

He leaned back in his chair, a small chuckle escaping his lips. He'd done well, hadn't he? To leave that place, to build a life, to achieve success – it all felt worthwhile now, looking at the evidence before him. He forwarded the listing to his siblings, a simple message accompanying it: “Looks great, doesn’t it?”