Gemotions

The weight in Maya’s shoulders seemed to lift as her eyes landed on the familiar face. He was perched on a table amidst chipped teacups and dusty board games. The bear. Her bear, Barnaby. She scooped him up, cradling him. A giggle escaped her, a sound that she hadn’t made in a very long time. It felt good. Really good. Suddenly, the ache in her back, the weariness that had settled in her bones, had vanished. She felt a sudden, fierce urge to climb a tree, to run through the sprinklers. "He's precious," she told the woman at the table, her eyes sparkling. "I'll take him."