Gemotions

The photograph, faded and creased, felt like a burning coal in Daniel's hand. He'd been so sure. The reunion. The shared laughter. The buried childhood secrets.

The woman at the coffee shop, who had smiled at him with a puzzled expression. "You must have me confused with someone else," she had said, her voice soft but firm. "I don't know you."

He hadn't slept well since. Every creak of the house, every rustle of leaves outside, jolted him. He couldn’t seem to find a comfortable position. The world felt tilted, off-kilter. The picture shook in his tremulous hand. He wondered if he was imagining all of it.