Gemotions

The smell of crayons and the hum of the fridge filled the small kitchen. Thomas examined the drawing: a vibrant depiction of a small, fluffy creature with mismatched socks. It was Pip, his childhood confidant, a friend he'd outgrown, or rather, pushed away. He remembered the embarrassment he felt when his parents found him talking to Pip in the garden.

He hadn’t thought about Pip in decades, yet here he was, reborn in his nephew’s artwork. A sharp pain pulsed in his head, a headache that wouldn't subside. He felt a tightening in his stomach, a physical representation of the years of distance he'd allowed to grow.

"He's very… imaginative," Thomas managed, forcing a smile that felt like a grimace. He felt an urge to apologize, to somehow make amends for the abandonment of his youthful companion.