Gemotions

He held the list in trembling hands. His mother, a woman who had always seemed invincible, had left behind a legacy of dreams he hadn’t known she carried: "Learn to paint. See the Eiffel Tower. Forgive myself." Mark flinched. The last entry struck him like a physical blow. He’d never asked what she held in her heart.

The room, once filled with her warmth, now felt cold and empty. He felt the weight of his own failings pressing down on him. She'd spent her life giving, and he'd been too preoccupied.

He resolved to honour her memory. He booked a flight, and pulled out her old art supplies. He had a long journey ahead.