Gemotions

He stared at the antique pocket watch, its intricate gears gleaming under the dim light of his study. Arthur ran his thumb along the smooth, cool surface. He'd found it while looking through some of his grandfather's belongings. It brought him back to that New Year’s Eve, the one he spent with his brother, Thomas. They were both younger men then, full of expectations and dreams.

He remembered the excitement, the champagne bubbles, the shared toast to a brighter future. Thomas, however, always maintained that it was the worst New Year’s Eve of his life, a disaster from start to finish. He’d recounted how he spilled the champagne on his favorite suit.

A hollow feeling spread through Arthur, a reminder of the chasm that had grown between them. He closed the watch, tucking it back into its velvet-lined box.