Gemotions

"Just looking," Sarah mumbled, trying to project an air of disinterest. She really didn’t want to be here. Her therapist had suggested activities that “bring joy,” and this was the closest garage sale to her house.

The bear, however, was impossible to miss. It sat on a shelf, its fur almost completely gone, one eye missing, and a stitched-up tear on its belly. It was the twin of the one she had as a child. A sudden ache resonated in her, a feeling she hadn’t felt in years, and which she did not want to feel again.

She picked it up, her fingers tracing the faded fabric. She wondered what the current owner thought. Did they know where it had been? Did they know where *she* had been? She handed over the money, surprised at how much she was willing to pay.