Gemotions

The park was supposed to be a place of joy. The swing set, the slide, the laughter of children. But Sarah, his niece, was engrossed in a drawing under a tree, depicting a creature with iridescent wings and a melancholy face. The same creature, the same details. The same friend he had left behind, a decade ago.

A heaviness pressed down on him, stealing his breath. He remembered the arguments, the hurtful things he'd said, all in the name of fitting in. The price he'd paid for belonging had been too high.

He watched Sarah, her brow furrowed in concentration. He longed to say something, anything, but the words caught in his throat. He just wanted to somehow fix things, make up for the damage he had done to the memory of that dear friend.