Gemotions

Clara stared at the drawing, a vibrant collage of blues and greens, showing a girl with a tail made of stars. Lily said, "This is Stella, she lives in the moon." Clara felt a tremor in her hands. The image was a distorted echo of a fantasy she had long buried.

She walked to her backyard. The sun was going down, painting the sky with the same colors of Lily’s drawing. Looking at the horizon, she had a vision of standing in her childhood backyard, waiting for Stella to come and play.

She sat on the grass and noticed an ache in her chest. She’d always wanted to be an astronaut. Had always wanted to fly. Now, she just ran a bookstore.