Gemotions

The airport felt oppressively bright, and Liam squinted, trying to make sense of the departure board. "Delayed until further notice," it blared, a digital taunt. The concert. He'd saved for months for this trip, the last gift he thought he could give his dying mother. He'd rehearsed the stories he wanted to tell her, the jokes that made her laugh.

He leaned against a pillar, the cool concrete a small comfort against the internal heat of frustration that had already passed. He pulled out the ticket, his fingers tracing the printed details, the date, the time, now utterly meaningless. His stomach churned with a slow, heavy feeling. He dropped the ticket into his pocket and turned away from the departures board, towards the closest cafe.